Rituparno Ghosh’s screen adaptations of literary classics showed his profound grasp of literature and his talent for transforming intricate stories into captivating films. On his 61st birth anniversary, we revisit these six book-to-screen adaptations that are a testament to Rituparno’s cinematic artistry.
Hirer Angti (1992)
Based on Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay’s novel of the same name, Hirer Angti was Rituparno’s directorial debut. This is a children’s film revolving around Ratanlal (Basanta Choudhury), the patriarch of the Banerjee household. The arrival of Gandharva Kumar (Ayan Banerjee), a mysterious stranger, at Ratanlal’s home on the eve of Durga Puja disrupts the festive mood in the family. Claiming to be the true heir of the Banerjee household, Gandharva claims his share of the property while also striking up a friendship with Ratanlal’s young grandson Habul (Sandipan Mukherjee). Though much less complex compared to his later works, Hirer Angti reflects Rituparno’s penchant for exploring emotions even within the framework of a children’s film.
Watch it on: YouTube
Chokher Bali (2003)
An adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s novel, Chokher Bali is one of Rituparno’s most celebrated works which also raised the bar for period films made in Bengal. The story revolves around the complex relationship between a young widow, Binodini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), and a married couple — Mahendra (Prosenjit Chatterjee) and Ashalata (Raima Sen), and her subsequent liaison with Mahendra’s friend Behari (Tota Roy Choudhury). Rituparno explored themes of desire, jealousy, manipulation and socio-cultural constraints of the time with a deft hand, which was backed up by powerful performances by an ensemble cast.
Watch it on: Hoichoi
Shubho Mahurat (2003)
Shubho Mahurat is an inspired adaptation in Bengali of the Agatha Christie novel, The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side. Set in the Bengali film industry where a murder impacts the life of a famous actress (Sharmila Tagore), Shubho Mahurat is a whodunit that blends suspense and drama but is driven by a deep understanding of human vanity. At the centre of the film is the endearing Ranga Pishima, a sharp, elderly woman who works up her sleuthing skills sitting at her home — inspired by Christie’s Miss Marple and played brilliantly by Rakhee Gulzar. The way Rituparno transported a story set in England to a local context showed his ability to adapt literary works while retaining their essence.
Watch it on: Hoichoi
Raincoat (2004)
O. Henry’s short story The Gift of the Magi became Raincoat, a poignant exploration of lost love and unfulfilled desires. Set in the monsoon-soaked city of Kolkata, the film stars Ajay Devgn and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as former lovers who meet after years. Through a day of shared memories and unspoken truths, they discover how much they had drifted away from each other. For his first feature film in Hindi, Rituparno took a minimalist approach in terms of the setting and let the performances — and long silences — do the talking.
Watch it on: Hoichoi
Antarmahal (2005)
Based on Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay’s short story Pratima, Antarmahal is a period film that takes a dark tone as it peers into the oppressive inner chambers of a 19th-century Bengali zamindar (landlord) household where the women reside. The film begins with the ruthless zamindar Bhubaneswar Chowdhury (Jackie Shroff) marrying the young Jashomati (Soha Ali Khan) to beget an heir, after his wife Mahamaya (Roopa Ganguly) fails to conceive. Both women face extreme cruelty at the hands of Bhubaneswar, and while Jashomati gets a breath of fresh air with the arrival of a young sculptor (played by Abhishek Bachchan) in the house, a desperate Mahamaya succumbs to manipulation by the family’s priest to hold on to her position. Rituparno’s exploration of power, patriarchy and the female gaze in a rigid social structure became a conversation starter when the film released.
Watch it on: Prime Video
Noukadubi (2011)
Once again turning to Rabindranath Tagore’s treasure trove for inspiration, Rituparno brought to life a tale of mistaken identities and love lost and found. The story follows Ramesh (Jisshu Sengupta), a young man whose boat capsizes while returning home after his wedding. This accident leads to a mix-up where Ramesh comes home with Kamala (Riya Sen) instead of his bride. When Ramesh arrives in Benares to reunite Kamala with her real husband Nalinaksha (Prosenjit), he discovers that his former love interest Hemnalini (Raima Sen) is already betrothed to Nalinaksha. Rituparno beautifully captures the quagmire of emotions that follows.
Watch it on: YouTube, Prime Video