What the devil!
Sir — The iconography of autumnal Bengal offers a rich tapestry of sights and smells. There is, for instance, the sight of blue skies and swaying kaash. As for aromas, the scent of shiuli enchants the public imagination. Strangely, another floral species that flowers in this season — the Saptaparni that yields the chhatim phool — has not been accorded much thought. Saptaparni — Alstonia scholaris — is also known as the devil’s tree. That is indeed a strange name for a tree that is known for its high tolerance for pollution and its hardy nature. Does not the devil’s tree then deserve a better name?
Dikshita Bhowmick, Calcutta
Iconic actor
Sir — It is heartening that the actor, Mithun Chakraborty, will receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award in recognition of his lifelong contributions to Indian cinema. His films have entertained many and he is particularly known for his role in the dance-action film, Disco Dancer. Chakraborty has achieved global success and is one of Bollywood’s greatest artists.
His unique fusion of hip-hop and desi dance styles during the Seventies and the Eighties endeared him to fans. This fusion style remains popular even today. He has also received three National Film Awards, two Filmfare Awards and the Padma Bhushan.
Kiran Agarwal, Calcutta
Sir — The veteran actor, Mithun Chakraborty, has won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2022. He deserves it for his long, successful acting career spanning several film industries. He has previously received a number of awards. Chakraborty made his acting debut with Mrinal Sen’s 1976 film, Mrigayaa, for which he won the National Film Award for Best Actor.
The prime minister, Narendra Modi, congratulated Chakraborty, dubbing the latter as a “cultural icon”. Chakraborty will be the 54th winner of this award, which was instituted in 1969 in honour of Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema.
Ramesh G. Jethwani, Bengaluru
Sir — As an actor, Mithun Chakraborty chooses projects that have both artistic appeal and fetch high box-office returns. He has cultivated the image of an angry, young hero and his films are immensely popular among lower-middle-class families. This, in turn, has earned him the derision of the cultural elite who scoff at the representation of the ‘tapori’ hero, a far cry from the protagonists of what Tollywood calls ‘art films’. However, films like Tahader Katha and Titli proved that Chakraborty can meet the demands of several kinds of roles — from Ramakrishna Paramahansa to Fatakeshto.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Sir — The rags-to-riches story of Mithun Chakraborty makes for an inspiring tale. Born in Calcutta, Chakraborty moved to Mumbai to pursue an acting career and toiled hard to make ends meet. This also reflects his unwavering commitment to his craft. After receiving an award for Mrigayaa, Chakraborty bagged two more national awards for Tahader Katha and Swami Vivekananda. His record of releasing 19 films in the year, 1989, still remains unbroken in Bollywood and has earned him a place in the Limca Book of Records. While some fans liked Chakraborty’s assertive screen presence, others have fawned over his dance skills. The disco-hip-hop blend that he pioneered continued to shape choreography for decades. Viewers across the world have been
enamoured by him.
Vijay Singh Adhikari, Nainital
Sir — Mithun Chakraborty’s contributions to Indian cinema are immense. Some of his best-known films are Disco Dancer, Dance Dance and Guru. Fans loved his on-screen chemistry with Sridevi. Bengali films like Annay Abichar, Tahader Katha and Troyee have also made him a fan-favourite in Bengal. His work in the recent film, Projapati, has been widely appreciated. One wishes the actor the very best in his future endeavours.
Indranil Sanyal, Calcutta
Sir — During his youth, Mithun Chakraborty became famous as the ‘dancing superstar’. After graduating from the Film and Television Institute of India at Pune, he rose to prominence in Indian cinema as a versatile actor. His arduous journey to stardom will continue to inspire budding actors.
M. Jeyaram, Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
Sir — Mithun Chakraborty is set to receive the highest honour of Indian cinema. He has come a long way from Mrigayaa to MLA Fatakesto to Projapati. Only a few other Bengalis have received this honour before, including Satyajit Ray, Tapan Sinha and Soumitra Chatterjee.
Mangal Kumar Das, South 24 Parganas
Sir — While Mithun Chakraborty deserves the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, it is unfortunate that another senior actor, Jeetendra, has been overlooked. One hopes that he will be awarded next year for his contribution to Indian cinema.
R. Sekar, Chennai
