তপন সিংহের চিত্রনাট্যে রূপান্তরের শৈল্পিক দর্শন/ Artistic Philosophical Transformation of Tapan Sinha’s Filmscripts

Abstract

Although Tapan Sinha was one of the leading directors of Bengali cinema, his name seems to have remained somewhat in the background. Yet, like Satyajit and Ritwik, his contribution to the world of cinema was immense. He made a significant contribution to Bengali cinema by adding several valuable films to its rich heritage. Nevertheless, within the narrow confines of the two covers of books, his cinematic life has somehow remained inaccessible to viewers and readers like us. In 1978, he wrote ‘Byoscopeer Banke Banke’, in 1995 ‘Mone Pore’, and in 2006 ‘Kichhu Chhaya Kichhu Chhobi’. These three memoir-based books were written at long intervals. Through various anecdotes in these books, many previously unknown aspects of his cinematic life come to light. Taken together, they enable us to understand Tapan Sinha’s overall life in cinema.

             Tapan Sinha entered the world of cinema in 1946. At New Theatres, he began his professional career as an assistant sound technician to Bani Dutta. His favourite director was Bimal Roy. When Bimal Roy was making the film ‘Anjangarh’, the young Tapan Sinha first entered a film studio. He was a brilliant student of physics. Therefore, he was able to perform his duties as an assistant sound technician with considerable skill. However, he did not stop there; his dream was to become a film director, and that was why he entered the world of cinema. He himself repeatedly said that he became associated with the world of cinema not merely to become a sound technician, but with the ambition of becoming a director. For a brief discussion of Tapan Sinha’s overall cinematic life, films such as ‘Kalamati’, ‘Hansuli Banker Upakatha’, ‘Nirjan Saikate’, ‘Jatugriha’, ‘Apanjan’, ‘Saginaa Mahato’, ‘Ekhoni’, ‘Raja’, ‘Harmonium’, ‘Adalat O Ekti Meye’, ‘Atanka’, ‘Antardhan’, ‘Wheel Chair’, and ‘Shatabdir Kanya’ may be considered. Two short films may also be included in the discussion: ‘Adami Aur Aurat’ and ‘Didi’.

             Literature and cinema are two distinct artistic mediums, and the way in which they are enjoyed is also different. Literature is primarily meant to be read, whereas cinema, from its early period, has been visual and, from a later period, audiovisual. A film is created on the basis of a story. As a result, in the early years of Bengali cinema, many films were made based on the short stories and novels of well-established literary figures.

             Film director Tapan Sinha also relied on literary works in most cases while making his films. During his nearly fifty-year career in cinema, he wrote a total of 44 screenplays. Based on these 44 screenplays, he made 29 films adapted from literature, 12 original films, 2 Hindi versions of literature-based films, and 1 documentary. In terms of subject matter, each of Tapan Sinha’s films was distinct. While making films and writing screenplays, he always looked for new subjects and new characters. In his screenplays, he skillfully blended his artistic qualities, contemporary social, economic and political realities, and circumstances with real-life stories. As a result, his films never became artificial. Rather, his dedication to filmmaking and the excellence of his artistic abilities gave his films another dimension.

             In fact, while reading a story or novel, readers continuously weave an imaginary picture in their minds. But in cinema, everything becomes visually explicit, so that possibility largely disappears. We should therefore view a literature-based film and an original film through the eyes of both the viewer and the reader, just as we view a short story or novel from a reader’s perspective. Only then will we be able to return to and truly experience the overall cinematic life of Tapan Sinha.