| Chatrak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Vimukthi Jayasundara |
| Produced by | Vinod Lahoti |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Channa Deshapriya |
| Edited by | Julie Beziau |
| Music by | Roman Dymmy |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Bengali |
Chatrak (English: Mushrooms) is a 2011 Indian Bengali erotic drama film directed by Sri Lankan director Vimukthi Jayasundara. [1] It was screened at several film festivals worldwide, including the Directors' Fortnight at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Rahul (Sudeep Mukherjee) is a Bengali architect working at construction sites in Dubai. He returns home to Kolkata after several years. His girlfriend, Paoli (Paoli Dam), has been waiting for his return.
Rahul's seemingly successful life is overshadowed by the search for his brother (Sumeet Thakur), said to now be mad and living in the forest, where he sleeps in the trees and subsists on vegetation. This brother befriends a French soldier in the jungle. Rahul and Paoli journey in search of his lost brother. [2]
The story involves people who are expropriated for construction projects.
Paoli Dam admitted that the scene in which she receives unsimulated cunnilingus by Anubrata Basu was difficult for her. "Well, the fact that nobody from Tollywood or Bollywood has ever done something like this and I had no reference point. I didn’t know how to prepare for the scene," she said. [3]
Chatrak was screened at film festivals like the prestigious Directors' Fortnight in the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, [4] [5] the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival and the Pacific Meridian film festival in Vladivostok, Russia. [6]
It has not received a theatrical release.
The Hollywood Reporter commented on Mushrooms that, "The film's abstract naturalism does create an austere portrait of a crass and careless human society but any larger meaning gets lost amid the film's many non-events and preening nihilism." [7] The Variety review noted the "extremely slow-burning story", saying, "... the main element uniting Jayasundara's plot strands is a sense of torpor..." [8] A review in the online film magazine Notebook praised the film, noting that it artistically portrays "...Cinematic dreams and nightmares, visible intuitions of the world around, visual understanding of what corruption of the society and corruption of the soul can do." [9] Sight & Sound of the British Film Institute praised it, stating "Disconcerting though the plot may at least initially be, the film has its wild as well as some comic moments that soon win the viewer over." [10]
A scene in Chatrak with explicit frontal nudity caused uproar in India, especially in Kolkata, where the film was mainly shot. [11] [12] [13] A version without the sexually explicit scene was arranged to be shown in the 2011 Kolkata Film Festival. [14]
Director Jayasundara admitted that there are several versions of Chatrak, and some do not contain the sex scene. He also admitted that he was surprised to witness negative feedback due to the inclusion of such sex scene in his film. [13]
Aparna Sen is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actress who is known for her work in Bengali cinema. She has received several accolades as an actress and filmmaker, including nine National Film Awards, five Filmfare Awards East and thirteen Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. For her contribution in the field of arts, the Government of India honoured her with Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award.
Pablo Stoll is a Uruguayan film director and screenwriter.
The Directors' Fortnight is an independent section held in parallel to the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festival as an act of solidarity with striking workers.
The Caméra d'Or is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes selections . The prize, created in 1978 by Gilles Jacob, is awarded during the Festival's Closing Ceremony by an independent jury.
Kala Keerthi Vimukthi Jayasundara is a Sri Lankan filmmaker, critic and a visual artist. Jayasundara is the first Sri Lankan to win the Caméra d'Or, in 2005.
The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is a film institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India and aided by the Central Government of India. It is situated on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune. It was established in 1960 and its alumni includes technicians, actors and directors in the film and television industry.
Noémie Lvovsky is a French film director, screenwriter, and actress.
Raja Sen is an Indian film and television director and the winner of three National Film Awards from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He is the father of Subhasree Sen and Sreyoshri Sen.
Paoli Dam is an Indian actress who started her career with the Bengali television serial Jibon Niye Khela (2003). She then worked in Bengali television serials such as Tithir Atithi and Sonar Harin; the former ran for six years on ETV Bangla. Dam spent her childhood in Kolkata, earning a postgraduate degree in chemistry from Rajabazar Science College. Initially, she wanted to become a chemical researcher or a pilot. Her debut Bengali film—Teen Yaari Katha, directed by Sudeshna Roy and Abhijit Guha—began in 2004, but was not released until 2012. Dam's first film release was Agnipariksha, directed by Ravi Kinagi. Between 2006 and 2009, she appeared in five Bengali films, coming into prominence with the 2009 Kaalbela, directed by Goutam Ghose.
Rahul Bhat is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He began his career as a fashion model and participated in the Graviera Mr. India contest in 1998, and subsequently worked in several advertisements and music videos. He gained fame for his leading role in the television serial Heena from 1998 to 2003. After starring in the films Yeh Mohabbat Hai (2002) and Nayee Padosan (2003), he took a sabbatical from acting and began producing television serials, including Meri Doli Tere Angana (2007–2008) and Tum Dena Saath Mera (2009).
Moner Manush is a 2010 India-Bangladesh joint venture Bengali-language biographical musical drama film based on the life and philosophy of Lalon, a noted spiritual leader, poet and folk singer of Bengal in the 19th century. Directed by Goutam Ghose, who also wrote the screenplay, the film has Prosenjit as the lead actor portraying the character of Lalan Fakir. Paoli Dam plays the character of Komli, the key female disciple of Lalan. Moner Manush has been critically and commercially successful.
Gandu is a 2010 Indian erotic black-and-white art drama film directed by Qaushiq Mukherjee. It features Anubrata Basu, Joyraj Bhattacharjee, Kamalika Banerjee, Silajit Majumder, and Rii Sen in the lead roles. The film's music is by the alternative rock band Five Little Indians. Gandu previewed at Yale University before making its international premiere on 29 October 2010 at the 2010 South Asian International Film Festival in New York City. Gandu was an official selection at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival and was also screened at the Slamdance Film Festival.
Nusrat Jahan Ruhi is an Indian actress and politician who predominantly works in Bengali cinema. Beside the acting career, from 2019 to 2024, Jahan has represented as the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Basirhat constituency as a Trinamool Congress candidate. Jahan's screen debut was in Raj Chakraborty's Shotru.
Chandan Sen is an Indian Bengali-language stage, television and film actor, playwright and director.
Rii Sen is an Indian actress who works in Bengali cinema. She started her career as a freelance model and television actress. Her debut film was Tepantorer Mathe, but it was not released in theatres because of obscene scenes. Sen had participated as contestant in Bigg Boss bangla season 2 and she was the 2nd runner up in the show. She has acted in movies like Bishh, Gandu, and Cosmic Sex.
Obhishopto Nighty is a 2014 Indian Bengali Adult comedy-thriller film directed by Birsa Dasgupta and produced by Shrikant Mohta under the banner of Shree Venkatesh Films.
Birsa Dasgupta is an Indian Bengali film director based in Tollywood. He has directed films such as Shudhu Tomari Jonyo, Gangster, Mukhosh and Byomkesh O Durgo Rahasya.
Khawto (English:Wound) is a 2016 Bengali erotic romantic thriller film directed by Kamaleshwar Mukherjee under the banner of Shree Venkatesh Films. The Film stars Prosenjit Chatterjee, Paoli Dam and Raima Sen in lead roles. The film was premiered on 21 July 2016 in Kolkata. The film met with positive reviews upon release.
Pure Hearts is a 2017 Italian drama film directed by Roberto De Paolis. It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
Agra is a 2023 Hindi-language Indian drama film, co-written and directed by Kanu Behl. It features debutant Mohit Agarwal, Priyanka Bose, Ruhani Sharma, Vibha Chibber, Sonal Jha and Aanchal Goswami in pivotal roles. The film follows Guru, a young single call center employee who still lives with his parents. Consumed by frustration, he plunges into a fever bordering on insanity, between pathetic fantasies, dating apps and hysterical self-harm.