The Bengali entertainment industry is all set to dig deeper into the world of the Web. While the Durga Puja has recently become the most preferred time for big film releases, web series makers are also looking at this time of celebration to bring them success. No surprise then, that nearly half a dozen web films and series will begin streaming this October.
First on the menu is a mouth-watering collection of ‘food’ films. Tolly superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee’s Nideas Creations and Productions is bringing to the film-lover’s plate a collection of three web films, connected by a common link—food. There’s Filter Coffee Liquor Cha, Daab Chingri and Daawat-e-Biriyani. The films are helmed by relatively unknown directors. But they sure pack a punch when it comes to casting. From Usha Uthup to Chiranjit, from Paran Bandopadhyay to Sandhya Roy, the films are studded with some of the brightest stars of the Bengali film industry.
So, are the films all about food? Yes and no. Food runs through all three films as a leitmotif, connecting different people and themes. Filter Coffee Liquor Cha, directed by Debarati Gupta, is a love story between a man from South India and a Bengali woman. The film marks the long-awaited return to screen of Usha Uthup. Aditi Roy, the director of Daawat-e-Biriyani, has shot parts of her web film in Lucknow, the birthplace of the biriyani. Apart from yesteryear Tollywood masala hero Chiranjit, her film stars Bolly names like Suhasini Mulay and Jayant Kripalani. Sudip Das is at the helm of Daab Chingri, which deals with the goings-on in an old age home. Apart from veteran actors Paran and Sandhya, the film stars young Isha Saha. All three films are slated for a Puja release on the popular web streaming platform Zee5.
How can Pujo web series viewing be complete without some chills and thrills? Adventurous viewers can tune in to Headquarters Lalbazar, a web series directed by Sayantan Ghosal. The young director has grabbed eyeballs with his treatment of the thriller genre in films like Alinagarer Golokdhadha and Jawker Dhon, apart from directing the popular Byomkesh web series for Hoichoi TV. Headquarters Lalbazar is a series of ten episodes, each episode dealing with a different story. Written by Rangan Chakrabarty, the series stars acclaimed actors like Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Koushik Sen. The cast includes popular faces like Sauraseni Maitra, Subrata Dutta, Gourab Chakrabarty, Bidipta Chakrabarty and Sayantani Guhathakurata. Produced by Surinder Films, Headquarters Lalbazar will start streaming on Zee5 from 2nd October.
Image Source:- zee5