Kolkata: The simple, charming yet real world of Basu Chatterjee’s films have always enamoured Raajhorshee De. So, when he thought of making a film on the 100th birth anniversary of Satyajit Ray, he knew he wanted to give the audience a simple film, which also holds a mirror to their lives. He remembered films like Chatterjee’s Chhoti Si Baat and Rajnigandha — effortless yet beautiful. Thus, Abbar Kanchanjangha was born.
Ray’s Kanchenjungha was made in 1962. Raajhorshee pays tribute to the master filmmaker in every frame. In the very first scene of the trailer, a family member remembers how the head of Deb family bought a bungalow in Darjeeling after he watched Ray’s Kanchenjungha thrice.
A story about four brothers and a sister, Abbar Kanchanjangha is about turbulence in relationship. Can a bungalow boasting a spectacular view of the Kanchenjunga range in Darjeeling ‘magically’ transform their lives?
Also read: Kaushik Ganguly pays tribute to Mrinal Sen with new film Palan
“Abbar Kanchanjangha is a family drama. Every family has its secrets and goes through its share of problems. The Deb family also faces similar crisis when they decide to travel together to Darjeeling,” says Raajhorshee.
Abbar Kanchanjangha is surely one Bengali film in recent times which boast of a huge casting. From Saswata Chatterjee, Arpita Chatterjee, Rahul Banerjee, Tnusree Chakraborty, Bidita Chakraborty, Kaushik Sen, Gaurav Chakraborty, Anindya Chatterjee, Ranieeta Dash, Devlina Kumar to Rupankar Bagchi and Padmanabha Dasgupta, the list is exhaustive.
The director, however, will tell you he didn’t face any issues handling the team. “Since, they are all friends, it was like having a get-together in the hills. I didn’t have any problem in coordination,” says Raajhorshee.
For Rahul, the film is extremely close to the heart and he confesses that almost everyone got involved while shooting for it. “We bonded really well during the shoot,” he says. Gaurav echoes the same. He adds, “We have waited for the longest time for the film to release in theatres. This is a film which can only be enjoyed on the big screen.”
For Raineeita, who is popularly known as ‘Baha’ for her character in Bengali TV serial Ishti Kutum, is both nervous and thrilled. She is making her big screen debut with Abbar Kanchanjangha and can’t wait for the audience to watch her in a different avatar. “For the longest period of time, the audience has watched me in serials. But I am sure the audience will be astounded to see me in a different role in the film,” she says. Not ready to divulge, her track is mostly with Saswata. Abbar Kanchanjangha hits the theatres on April 1.
