Logo

Logo

Tribute to P.K Lahiri, man who took Bengal’s ‘Parallel Cinema’ to Europe

His son, PB Lahiri recalls that ‘Paras Pathar’ came into being in a period of uncertainty when Tapan Sinha’s ‘Louha Kapat’, produced by Lahiri, was still in the making but it’s lead actor Chhobi Biswas, who was then also the protagonist for Ray’s ‘Jalsaghar’, suddenly left for abroad.

Tribute to P.K Lahiri, man who took Bengal’s ‘Parallel Cinema’ to Europe

(top-bottom) Promode Kumar Lahiri, Satyajit Ray (left) with Lahiri (SNS)

The age of parallel cinema in Bengal that won appreciation globally, can hardly be recalled without paying tributes to Promode Kumar Lahiri whose 100th birth anniversary on 24 September 2021, seeks to remind the Bengal film industry of the man behind Satyajit Ray’s ‘Paras Pathar’, Ritwik Ghatak’s ‘Ajantrik’ and ‘Bari Theke Paliye’, and Tapan Sinha’s “Luoha Kapat’.

The Forum for Film Studies and Allied Arts (FFSAA), led by the renowned auteur Goutam Ghosh, will pay Lahiri his due respects by screening four of these internationally acclaimed cinemas, produced by Promode Kumar, in October end-week. Tributes will be paid to recognize his efforts in screening the movies in Venice and Frankfurt film festivals and later in setting up the Calcutta Cine Club.

“Paras Pathar’ (Philosopher’s Stone) by Ray, based on a novel by Parasuram, was deft in keeping the viewers across all age groups glued to the screen where the lives of the characters revolved around a magical stone that turned metals into gold. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or in the Cannes Film Festival and established Lahiri’s reputation as the “true alchemist”.

Advertisement

His son, PB Lahiri recalls that ‘Paras Pathar’ came into being in a period of uncertainty when Tapan Sinha’s ‘Louha Kapat’, produced by Lahiri, was still in the making but its lead actor Chhobi Biswas, who was then also the protagonist for Ray’s ‘Jalsaghar’, suddenly left for abroad. This led Promod Kumar to ask Ray if the latter could direct another film during this interregnum. Ray then handed over to him the short story ‘Paras Pathar’.

Promode Kumar’s interest in cinema was ignited when the responsibility to manage three cinema halls run by his family in Madhya Pradesh, fell on his shoulders. Talking about the other two films, ‘Ajantrik’ and ‘Bari Theke Paliye’, both by Ghatak, PB Lahiri recalls that when Ghatak permanently settled down in Kolkata, he occupied a flat on the second floor of a building where the Lahiri family resided.

“Ajantrik” was his first film to be released in 1958. Promod Kumar arranged to screen ‘Ajantrik’ and ‘Bari Theke Paliye’ at Venice International Film Festival. ‘Ajantrik’, thanks to his efforts, was also exhibited at the Frankfurt Asian Film Festival in 1960.

Advertisement