Celebration of Sarbajaya, Indir Thakrun, Apu & Durga at Behala Art Fest

Kolkata: From Indir Thakrun, Sarbajaya, Apu, Durga to Charulata and Doyamoyee, Satyajit Ray's women never hesitated to break barriers. Kolkata-based artist Sanatan Dinda has brought alive Ray's women and characters, who have withstood the test of time, at Behala Art Fest 2022.

One can also see the life-size art piece on Hirok Raja with the famous dialogue "dori dhore maro tan raja hobe khan khan (pull the ropes now, the king will lie in pieces)." With his long experience in livening up walls, Dinda and Behala Natun Sangha have been organising Behala Art Fest for the last three years.

Though the theme this year is 'light and darkness', Dinda says: "An art fest would remain incomplete without Satyajit Ray. During my childhood days, Ray's films were screened at public places. We could watch them without tickets. Here, we have tried to show how Ray spoke through his women characters."

This is also the 100th birth centenary of the legendary filmmaker.

The three-day art event began on February 25 and will continue till February 27. The event is open to the public and Sanatan is elated with the response he has received so far. As many as 28 artists, including light designers, graphic designers and photographers, have taken part to make this mega event successful.

"Last year, our theme was 'How tomorrow might be'. The footfall is just like Durga Puja," said Rupak Basu, one of the artists.

Apart from street art and wall graffiti, which include art pieces on legendary Indian painter and sculptor Ramkinkar Baij, art connoisseurs would find works inspired by the famous American conceptual artist and collagist Barbara Kruger.

For Dinda, art is an experience and therefore, he wants his subject to connect with the masses.

"Art shouldn't be just restricted to the galleries only and that was our intention when we started Behala Art Fest three years ago. We wanted art to go public. We wanted it to become less difficult," he said.