Karigar, an organisation committed to celebrating the culture of Bengal, marked its 15th anniversary on February 22 at ICCR with the launch of Eti Madhabi, a biography of veteran actress Madhabi Mukhopadhyay. Written by Leena Gangopadhyay, chairperson of West Bengal Commission for Women, the book opens a window into the personal, inner world of one of the most popular yet enigmatic leading ladies of Bengali cinema. At the same time, it takes the reader on a journey into the past, tracing Mukhopadhyay's professional milestones in the world of films through the decades, while working with renowned directors like Ritwik Ghatak, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Tapan Sinha, among others. The book was formally launched by the legendary actress, in the presence Gangopadhyay and UK-based doctor and Bengali novelist Dr Nabakumar Basu. The launch was followed by an evocative reading of an excerpt from the book’s introduction by the author. A lively and informative discussion on the book and on the versatile actresses’ accomplishments on the stage and screen saw participation by personalities from the world of music, television and films.

The evening ended on a musical note, with a solo recital of Tagore songs by Durba Sinha Roychoudhury. Snapshots.

Pictures: Pabitra Das