‘Maashima, Maalpo Khamu.’

With this perfectly timed one-liner, spoken in his inimitable Dhakai accent, our very own Bhanu Bandyopadhyay, whose original name was Samyamoy Bandyopadhyay, etched his name forever in the comedy pantheon early in his acting career. This line from the Sare Chuattar movie has since become a catchphrase in the Bengali language.

Here are six films featuring Bhanu, arguably the greatest comedian in Bengali cinema, which leave us in splits every time we watch them.

Sare Chuattar (1953)

Directed by Nirmal Dey, Sare Chuattar rekindles the nostalgia of the dwindling mess culture in Kolkata. The lives of the boarders of a mess go for a toss when a young woman moves in here with her family. Everyone is interested in knowing the woman and talking to her, but nobody wants to admit that to each other.

Stalwart actors like Tulsi Chakraborty, Molina Devi, Nripati Chattopadhyay and Jahar Roy make this ensemble comedy a true reflection of Kolkata as it had been in the 1950s. Sare Chuattar also features the iconic Bengali actors Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen in one of their early pairings. But it is Bhanu Bandyopadhyay who steals the show with his brilliant comic timing as one of the boarders.

Jamalaye Jibanta Manush (1958)

This romantic comedy starring Bhanu Bandyopadhyay is a milestone of Bengali cinema. Directed by Prafulla Chakraborty, the film is based on a novella by Dinabandhu Mitra. Such was the popularity of this film that it was remade in 1960 as Devanthakudu in Telugu and Naan Kanda Sorgam in Tamil by C. Pullayya.

As the name suggests, the film revolves around Siddheswar (Bhanu) who is mistakenly taken to heaven while still living. On reaching heaven, Siddheswar creates a ruckus in heaven and hell and gives Yama, the god of death, a hard time. He forces them to change outdated rules that govern the place. If you want to know whether he makes it back to earth, you have to watch this rib-tickling comedy.

Bhanu Pelo Lottery (1958)

Presented by MGS Pictures Unit, this film explores the pros and cons of the lottery business. Bhanu’s village-based artisan makes a livelihood by singing and selling earthen toys. His life turns upside down when he wins a massive amount of money after being coaxed to buy a lottery ticket.

Paired with comic partner Jahar Roy, Bhanu delivers a performance that brings alive the simplicity of the artisan and exposes his vulnerability. Through comic gigs he deftly portrays how the artisan is being chased by persons for their own gains after winning the lottery. Bhanu Pelo Lottery is a laugh riot that doesn’t shy away from exposing social decadence through comic gigs.

Personal Assistant (1959)

Starring Bhanu and Ruma Guha Thakurta in lead roles, this movie is a romantic comedy that laughs at social pretensions and draws attention to the social reality of unemployment. It also features Tarun Kumar, Subrata Chatterjee, Pahari Sanyal and Karabi Bandyopadhyay in prominent roles.

After being vexed by the rejection of his application letter by employers, educated young man Ramapada Gupta (Bhanu) curtails his name to Rama Gupta, turning it into the name of a woman and manages to land a job at a company that hires only women. He must serve as the personal assistant of the managing director, Ruma Devi (Ruma Guha Thakurta), who is looking for excuses to fire the only man in the company. But Ramapada’s efficiency impresses her as she begins to develop a soft spot for him.

Ashite Ashiona (1967)

Directed by Shri Jayadrath, Ashite Ashiona, starring Bhanu and Ruma Guha Thakurta yet again, explores an important problem through the prism of comedy — it goes on to trace the universal fear of getting old and tries to find ways to accept this reality of life in the guise of a comedy. Neglected by his family, octogenarian Sadananda (Bhanu) yearns for an escape from this existence. Accidentally, he discovers a pond where one can regain their youth by taking a dip. All hell breaks loose when Sadananda takes a dip and transforms into a handsome young man. Bhanu’s spot-on comic timing is a thing to behold in the movie.

Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant (1971)

Directed by Purnendu Roy Chowdhury, Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant is yet another addition to the rich vein of Bengali comedy films. Comedy partners Bhanu Bandyopadhyay and Jahar Ray join hands again in this movie along with Shubhendu Chattopadhyay, Lily Chakravarty and Pahari Sanyal.

Bhanu and Jahar run a detective agency but no proper case comes their way. They chance upon an advertisement in the newspaper about a missing woman. If they could find the woman, they might become famous. So begins a hunt for the woman, followed by a series of funny events culminating in a happy ending.