Dolly Zahur (right) and co-artiste in Ghani

The ongoing Nakshi Kantha Film Festival in Kolkata -- featuring Bangladeshi films -- is drawing a sizeable number of filmmakers, film critics and enthusiasts. The festival has been organised by Kolkata-based Eisenstein Cine Club and Bengali Film Lovers Society in association with Bangla Telefilm Club.
The film festival (from July 21 to 26) is on at the Gorky Sadan Auditorium, Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Kolkata.
The first two days saw a good numbers of viewers at the festival. A Kolkata-based film activist and film critic Nirmal Dhor said, "I think these movies are decent and well-made.”
“The scenario of Tollygunje-based (Kolkata) Bengali movie industry is not satisfactory; hardly any good movie is released. I believe we should regularly screen these types of movies in both West Bengal and Bangladesh instead of releasing the so-called 'entertaining commercial movies,'" said Robin Banerjee, a film activist who watched Kittonkhola and Ghani at the Gorky Sadan.
However, some also critically analysed these movies. Shuvo Basu, a film critic and activist, after watching Kittonkhola said, "The transformation of the folk based story to a film is not aptly done. In fact, it has not maintained the language of film properly."
Film director Tarun Majumder said, “Kittonkhola is a good movie, however, it could have been more focused to draw the attention of the audience."
Film critics pointed out the flaws of Ghani, however, the average audience seemed keen on the festival.
Bhaskot Monem, a viewer, said, "We don't get the opportunity to watch Bangladeshi movies in Kolkata. I think the movies are quite good. Bangladeshi movies should be screened more in Kolkata.”
On the second day of the festival, Ghani, written and directed by Kazi Morshed was screened.
Featuring the struggle of two brothers in a village, Ghani points on the sufferings of proletariats in an advancing world.