The film was produced under the French-Indian co-production treaty, receiving funding from . The French influence is evident in the film’s slow cinema aesthetic—long takes, minimal dialogue, and a disinterest in melodrama.
The essential production, casting, and technical data for Chatrak includes: Film Details Vimukthi Jayasundara Release Year Language Literal Translation Mushrooms Primary Cast Paoli Dam, Sudip Mukherjee, Tómas Lemarquis Cinematographer Channa Deshapriya Editor Julie Béziau Run Time 90 Minutes Accolades Screened at Cannes Film Festival (Directors' Fortnight) Plot Overview
Vimukthi Jayasundara, who won the Camera d’Or at Cannes for The Forsaken Land (2005), shot Chatrak entirely in and around Kolkata’s satellite townships (New Town, Rajarhat). He deliberately chose locations of —buildings abandoned mid-way due to the global financial crisis and local real estate bubbles. Chatrak 2011 Bengali Movie Wiki
Title: Chatrak (2011) Language: Bengali Country: India Genre: Drama / Psychological drama Director: Suman Mukhopadhyay Writer: Adapted from Sławomir Mrożek’s play "Tango" (with original elements by the director/writers) Producer: [not specified] Cinematography: [not specified] Music: [not specified] Release year: 2011 Runtime: ~90–100 minutes (approximate) Cast:
In 2021, the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) undertook a 2K restoration of Chatrak for academic circulation. The film was produced under the French-Indian co-production
Although the film was intended for international film festival audiences, a clip of the explicit scene was leaked online prior to any commercial release. The leak sparked immense controversy in Kolkata's conservative cultural sphere. Artistic Intent vs. Censorship
: Premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section in May 2011. which resonated with audiences.
Chatrak is considered one of the best Bengali films of 2011. The movie's success can be attributed to its well-crafted storyline, strong performances, and effective direction. Chatrak has been praised for its realistic portrayal of complex social issues, which resonated with audiences.
The film is widely remembered more for its reception than its plot:
The film follows two parallel, almost hallucinatory storylines that examine the "unstructured development" of South Asia:
as the Soldier: Adding an international layer to the film's surreal atmosphere. ⚖️ The Controversy
Author(s): Swidzinski, Rafal • Kushnir, Alexander
Publisher: Packt Publishing
Pub. Date: 2024
pages: 503
ISBN: 978-1-80512-180-0
eISBN: 978-1-80512-336-1