Mindless fun
Sir — Sensational literature always trumps classics. A recent crop of paranormal novels by popular authors has deeply divided Bengali readers. While one section is lapping up these gory tales, another feels that these dumb down the Bengali readership that would previously turn to masters of horror like Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft. However, even during the golden era of horror in Western literature, cheap gothic booklets, ‘penny dreadfuls’, were easily available. Moreover, few Bengalis who have travelled in local trains can claim not to have relished the thrilling Haar Heem Kora Bhooter Golpo.
Sunayani Kar, Birbhum
Empty stage
Sir — The famous Bengali theatre personality and veteran film actor, Manoj Mitra, passed away on Tuesday (“Stage-screen doyen Manoj Mitra dead”, Nov 13). Mitra was best known for his performance in Tapan Sinha’s Banchharamer Bagan, which was adapted from his own play, Sajano Bagan. He was also cast by Satyajit Ray in Ghare Baire and Ganashatru. Mitra acted in films directed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Basu Chatterjee, Tarun Majumdar and Goutam Ghose.
A graduate of Scottish Church College, Mitra was close to Badal Sircar. He started acting in plays in 1957 and made his film debut in 1979. He taught philosophy at various colleges before becoming the head of the drama department at Rabindra Bharati University. He founded two theatre groups, Sundaram and Ritayan. Mitra is also known for several popular plays, including Absanna Prajapati and Neela.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Sir — The deft portrayal of an elderly character by Manoj Mitra in Banchharamer Bagan, despite being in his 40s himself, was enough to immortalise him. Mitra was cast in a range of roles by many famous directors.
Even in his eighties, Mitra engaged himself in writing for upcoming productions. He inspired people to stay active despite old age. He was also a responsible citizen. He will
be surely remembered by theatre and film aficionados.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Sir — Manoj Mitra was one of the finest Bengali playwrights and wrote more than 100 plays, including Mrityur Chokhe Jol and Dompoti. He was honoured with several important awards like the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. His demise has impoverished the Bengali theatre space.
Sourish Misra, Calcutta
Sir — The death of Manoj Mitra has created a void in Bengali theatre and in the film industry. He was a versatile genius who would write for and act in both plays and films. He was conferred with the Filmfare Best Actor award in 1980. His performance as a comic artist as well as his villainous characters in plays will also be remembered.
Indranil Sanyal, Calcutta
Sir — The distinguished theatre personality, Manoj Mitra, was born in present-day Bangladesh in 1938. Mitra had a flair for presenting his own political ideology and contemporary class struggles through satire. He was also a master of short, scathing dialogues. His scripts for plays were often detailed and could be read as stand-alone pieces.
Pratima Manimala, Howrah
Sir — Manoj Mitra has acted in several popular films and theatrical pieces. His demise is saddening.
D. Bhattacharya, Calcutta
Risky ink
Sir — Getting tattooed has become a trend among people. However, there are negative impacts of getting inked. Repeated use of the same needles can result in the spread of communicable diseases. Additionally, reports warn of a potential risk of skin cancer from tattoo inks containing carcinogens. Having a tattoo is associated with an increased risk of contracting malignant lymphoma. People need to be cautious about these risks while getting a tattoo.
Jakir Hussain, Kanpur
Dirty flow
Sir — The Bharalu river in Guwahati has become one of the most polluted rivers in India. The Indian heartland seems to be under the impression that the Northeast is a place of pristine rivers and blue hills, serving as a perfect tourist destination. But that is not the case. The government must come up with plans to protect the biodiversity in the northeastern states and to restore the pH balance of local rivers.
Noopur Baruah, Tezpur
Chokehold
Sir — The government’s inefficiency in providing farmers with the latest agricultural equipment has led to the worsening of Punjab’s Air Quality Index as the farmers have continued to use outdated machines that result in pollution. The poor AQI has forced people to stay indoors. The failure to curb stubble burning and the bursting of firecrackers have added to people’s woes. Awareness campaigns should be conducted to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali, Punjab
