Special screening of Ghosh`s movie on Ayodhya

Dhaka: It may not have been a mere coincidence that the day the Allahabad High Court delivered the verdict on Ayodhya title suits that a special screening of Gautam Ghosh`s yet-to-be-released film - that he says he had decided to make after the demolition of Babri Masjid -- was held at a cineplex here on September 30.

"When communal riots broke out in India following the Babri Mosque demolition, I decided to make this film," said director Ghosh at the screening of `Moner Manush` on famous Bengali bard-philosopher Lalon Fakir starring Prosenjit Chatterjee in title role. "I think it was a correct decision to make this film as the world is now so chaotic. It`s time to turn our attention to Lalon`s philosophy," Ghosh said, adding though he has always been fascinated by the philosophy of Lalon Fakir, the film happened only when he came across eminent writer Sunil Gangopadhyay?s novel on which the movie is based. Also starring leading Bangladeshi actors Raisul Islam Asad, Hasan Imam, Rokeya Prachi and Laila Hasan, the film, jointly produced by India and Bangladesh, depicts the life of Lalon and would be released in December this year. The film shows how Lalon was born in a Hindu family in 1778 but through a turn of events, is separated from his blood relatives and given shelter by a Muslim family. Lalon chooses the path of Sufis, singing songs of love -- love for the being within. Gangopadhyay, who was also present at the function, said Ghosh`s films and imagery have always enthralled him. "I`ve been eagerly waiting to watch the film," he said. This is the second time Ghosh has directed a joint Indo-Bangladesh production after his `Padma Nadir Majhi` (The Boatman of Padma) in mid-1990s starring Rupa Ganguly, Asad, Utpal Dutt and Robi Ghosh and another leading Bangladeshi actress Gulshan Akhtar Champa. PTI