June 3, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): A constant uncertainty about what will happen next is true for for almost all cosmopolitan cities. Urban life here is fraught with a feeling of vulnerability. Kolkata is one such contemporary Indian metropolis. The city and its people are struggling continuously under the contradictory influences of rapid globalization and the nostalgic world of yesteryears. Nostalgia, after all, can be dangerously tempting at times. Suman Mukhopadhyay has decided to fight back and surrender to the subconscious through his new directorial venture Mahanagar@Kolkata.
The film has tried to capture the struggle of the old city vis a vis the demands of changes in terms industrialization. The struggle is mainly due to the resistance to the changes. The film discovers several facets of life in the city, documenting various emotions like joys, loves, sorrows, fears, insecurities as well as the self confidence of people, who despite vast differences seem to get merged in the flow of humanity.
The film is based on three short stories by Nabarun Bhattacharya. The format is similar to that of Satyajit Ray’s Teen Kanya. But here the three stories- Ek Tukro Nyloner Dori, Amar Kono Bhoy Nei Toh and Angshik Chandragrahan, are interconnected. The film is contemporary and has got a very different kind of stylization too.
The star cast of the film includes Chandan Roy Sanyal, Rituparna Sengupta, Anjan Dutt, Arun Mukhapadhyay, Sreelekha Mitra, Biplab Chattopadhyay and others. Chandan and Rituparna are playing husband and wife, Rohit and Rongini will be seen in the first and third story. Anjan is playing a character named Monmatha, who will be seen in the first and third story too. Sreelekha plays Kamalika, who has an extramarital affair with Rohit. Suman’s father Arun Mukhopadhyay plays Biresh, a man who lives with a constant fear in Amar Kono Bhoy Nei Toh. Kabir Suman is doing a cameo in this film.
The music of the film is by Rupam Islam, who will perform three ballads based on Kolkata. The cinematography is done by Indranil Mukherjee and editing by Arghakamal Mitra. The film is produced by Pawan Kanoria and will be presented by A.V.A. Film Productions Pvt.Ltd.
— Sampurn Wire
