Bengali film 'Ardhangini' captures complex relationship web

Kolkata: Bengali film 'Ardhangini', which is running full house on weekends, captures the complex relationship between a comatose person's former wife and present spouse, its director Kaushik Ganguly said.

The renowned filmmaker said he visualised Bangladeshi actor Jaya Ahsan and his wife Churni Ganguly for the roles ever since conceptualising the storyline.

"The subject of the film is not very unnatural as there have been real-life cases of couples getting estranged and entering into new relationships later crossing each other's paths by quirk of fate and twist of circumstances. The movie will resonate with the audience and they will discuss it," Ganguly told PTI on the sidelines of the premier of the film.

Jaya essays the role of a Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet singer Meghna, who is also the wife of Suman, played by actor Kaushik Sen, while Churni enacts the role of a university professor and Suman's former wife, Subhra.

Both the characters, however, are united in their concern for Suman, who is on life support in a hospital after suffering a stroke.

"The chemistry between the two women in 'Ardhangini' is amazing. It vindicated my belief in them. Both the characters are endowed with human sensibilities. When I thought about the storyline, I had decided to cast Jaya, with whom I have worked in 'Bishorjon' and 'Bijoya' and Churni, with whom I have worked last in 'Kaberi Antardhan'," Ganguly said.

"Women can play greater roles in our society, even if some of us do not want to acknowledge that for egoistic reasons," he said.

Ganguly said that apart from Churni and Jaya, characters played by other actors including Kaushik Sen, Lily Chakraborty and Ambarish Bhattacharya have been well fleshed out.

'Palan', Ganguly's tribute to auteur Mrinal Sen, is slated for release later this year.

He will make two feature films in the near future including 'Ashuk Bishuk' starring Parambrata Chatterjee. It will be a satire and the outdoor shoot will start soon.