Bangladeshi audience got a chance to have a first look on ‘Moner Manush‘, the latest film by eminent Indian director Gautam Ghosh which is all set for have a world wide release on December. Channel i has organised a special screening of the film for noted cultural personalities of the country on September 30 at Star Cineplex at Bashundhara City as a part of their 11th anniversary celebration programme. The film, which is a joint production of Bangladesh and India, takes an intense look on the life and philosophy of the rural bard, Lalon Fakir.
The film starts with the historical event where a nonagenarian Lalon (played by popular Tollywood actor Prosenjit) is posing for a portrait as Jyotirindanath Tagore (Priyangshu Chatterji) is drawing the famous sketch of the bard. The entire film is a flash back of Lalon’s life while he is speaking with the enlightened Bengali youth from the Tagore family.
The journey begins when Lalon Chandra Kar (Jisan), a mischievous yet thoughtful young man meets Siraj Sai (Raisul Islam Asad), the wandering baul who later had a deep influence on Lalan Fakir. The film shows young Lalon is abandoned in the river, thought to be dead from small pox. Floating unconscious on a bhela (handmade boat made from banana tree) for some days, he is finally rescued by a Muslim woman (Rokeya Prachi). Before Lalon could remember his previous identity, he came across the mysterious philosophy of Siraj Sai and vows to lead a life of a baul. He did go back to his wife (Tathoi) and widow mother (Champa) once, only to find that the village has no place for him anymore as he has lost his identity as a Hindu by staying with a Muslim family. The film also focuses on the indiscriminating sect of bauls Lalon creates later, and the secular philosophy he teaches through his songs.
