If you don’t want to make a trek to the cinemas in the Puja holidays and want to catch a film from the comfort of your home instead, here are nine recent Bengali films to pick from on Navami.

8/12

Directed by Arun Roy, this period drama recreates the attack on Writers’ Building in 1930 by the iconic trio of Benoy Basu, Badal Gupta and Dinesh Gupta. Kinjal Nanda (Benoy Basu), Arna Mukhopadhyay (Badal Gupta) and Remoo (Dinesh Gupta) shine in the lead roles. Saswata Chatterjee is powerful as a Bengal Volunteer revolutionary. The gory scenes depicting custodial torture will send shivers down your spine, while the battle of Writers’ and the final martyrdom of the heroes will leave a lump in your throat.

Watch it on: Zee5.

Baba Baby O

Produced by Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, this film by Aritra Mukherjee stars Jisshu Sengupta and Solanki Roy. The movie focuses on Megh (Jisshu) who decides to have a child through surrogacy, but falls in love with Brishti (Solanki), who is not too fond of kids. Baba Baby O explores the various facets of modern-day relationships in the form of a lighthearted family drama.

Watch it on: Hoichoi.

Shrimati

Written and directed by Arjunn Dutta, this is the story of Shrimati (played by Swastika Mukherjee), a traditional middle-class Bengali homemaker who loves to cook. Egged on by her in-laws, she desperately tries to shed some weight to fit into the glamorous world of her peers. In the process, she loses her sense of self. Swastika shines as Shrimati as does Barkha Sengupta in the role of her antagonist. Soham Chakraborty as the brooding but supportive husband is spot on. The light-hearted approach that the director has taken to deal with a sensitive topic is commendable. The songs, especially Shon Shon sung by Somlata Acharyya Chowdhury, add to the appeal of the film.

Watch it on: Zee5.

Kuler Achaar

Mithi (Madhumita Sarcar) is a young girl who does not wish to change her surname after marriage. After she marries Pritam (Vikram Chatterjee), the couple are in for a rude shock on their honeymoon when problems arise as their surnames do not match. A series of unfortunate events is set in motion, making Mithi question her values. Directed by Sudeep Das, the film also stars Indrani Halder and Sujan Mukhopadhyay in supporting roles.

Watch it on: Hoichoi.

Kakababur Protyaborton

The third film in the Kakababu trilogy directed by Srijit Mukherji explores the forests of Kenya in their full glory. Prosenjit Chatterjee returns as Kakababu, along with Aryann Bhwomik as Shontu. They are joined by Anirban Chakraborty. The film might come across as a Nat Geo documentary on the Masai Mara Wildlife Sanctuary in parts, as the director indulges in showing the diversity of flora and fauna in Kenya. Based on a novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay, Kakababu makes a strong case for wildlife conservation in this adventure thriller.

Watch it on: Hoichoi.

The Eken

One of the most loved characters on the Bengali OTT, Ekenbabu made his big screen debut this year. The delightfully eccentric detective, played superbly by Anirban Chakraborty, has charmed his way into our hearts by solving a crime in Darjeeling. The film by Joydip Mukherjee has different actors playing Bapi and Pramatha this time. Suhotra Mukhopadhyay and RJ Somak Ghosh played these roles in the feature film. Payel Sarkar also stars in an important role in the murder mystery set in the hills.

Watch it on: Hoichoi.

Aparajito

Directed by Anik Dutta, Aparajito tells the story of the making of Pather Panchali, the film that made Satyajit Ray a global phenomenon. Starring Jeetu Kamal as the legendary director, this film faithfully reconstructs the hardships faced by Ray while making his first feature film based on the novel written by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. The recreation of some of the iconic scenes from the 1955 film and the process that went behind creating those moments make this a must-watch.

Watch it on: Zee5.

Bela Shuru

How does a relationship stand the test of time? Is it possible to love someone more than oneself? Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay and Nandita Roy pose these questions in Bela Shuru, set seven years after Belaseshe. The film starring Soumitra Chatterjee and Swatilekha Sengupta is far from the happily-ever-after note that the first film ended on. Here, Arati (Swatilekha) is suffering from Alzheimer’s and cannot recognise her husband Biswanath (Soumitra). She has vivid memories of her children and their married life but it is Biswanath’s face that eludes her. The 140-minute runtime is a masterclass in acting by the two late lead actors.

Watch it on: Hoichoi.

Tirandaj Shabor

Undoubtedly the best film in Arindam Sil’s Goyenda Shabor franchise, Tirandaj Shabor is darker and grittier than his previous offerings. Saswata Chatterjee is sensitive, sarcastic and even ruthless at times as a Kolkata Police detective. The crisp editing, taut screenplay and effective background score will keep you on the edge till the end. Nigel Akkara, Chandan Sen and Devlina Kumar make up a strong supporting cast.

Watch it on: Hoichoi.