`Char Adhyay` a parallel to political situation in Bengal

Kolkata: Despite strictly following the text of Rabindranath Tagore`s last novel `Char Adhyay` written in the 1930`s, filmmaker Bappaditya Bandyopadhyay says his film will draw a parallel with the present political situation in West Bengal.

"When I decided to film the novel I thought what would be its relevance in today`s world. Now when the film is ready I can clearly see it in today`s context," Bandyopadhyay told reporters. Asked whether the film has reference to recent political conflicts in West Bengal, he says, "When Tagore wrote the novel, some issues were not there. But somewhere there is a similarity of the present political situation and the one shown in the film." The director insists he has not deviated from either the text or the spirit of the era and retained the original dialogue written by Tagore. "It is very much true to the novel. I have not deviated from the text as I wanted to do justice to Tagore," he explains. The clothes worn by the characters are the ones described in detail by Tagore in the novel. "When `Char Adhyay` was published in 1934 it created a furore. The nationalists were angry as Tagore was never a very staunch supporter of the `Swadeshi` brigade. On the other hand, he used to criticise them," Bappaditya says. "And my film will ask the Bengalis to introspect," he adds. "The diction and the pronunciation were very tough. I think I managed somehow," says actor Indraneil Sengupta who plays Indranath, the leader of the group of revolutionaries. Paoli Dam plays the group`s muse Ela, who is torn between her love life and her commitment to the freedom movement that does not permit marriage or family life. "Ela is ahead of her times - a very progressive lady in terms of her thoughts," says Paoli, adding that this is one of the boldest characters she has ever played. The film releases next month. PTI