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Saptapadi (1961 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Saptapadi' is a 1961 Indian Bengali-language romantic drama film by Ajoy Kar, starring Suchitra Sen, Uttam Kumar, Chhabi Biswas and Chhaya Debi. Music direction and playback singing for Kumar voice was by Hemanta Mukherjee and in Sen's voice by Sandhya Mukherjee. The story is based on a 1958 novel by Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay.
Plot
The story takes place in pre-independence India (early 1940) when young Indian students were competing equally with Anglo-Indians in all fields, whether it be education or sports. Krishnendu (Uttam Kumar), a young Bengali Hindu medical student falls in love with an equally talented and attractive Anglo-Indian Christian woman named Rina Brown (Suchitra Sen). Both are students at the Calcutta Medical College and become close while meeting at many sports and cultural events. There is an interesting rendition of Othello within the movie; that portion of the movie was directed by Utpal Dutt. However marriage is not on the cards for them due to their differences in religion, (it is particularly opposed by Krishnendu's dad, a staunch, conservative Hindu), and they go their own ways only to unexpectedly meet again later in life.
Most of the movie is presented in flashbacks with Krishnendu pondering over the past after unexpectedly encountering a drunk and passed out Rina in a military hospital in returns.
The film was adapted from Tarashankar's 1958 novel 'Saptapadi'. In the novel's ending Krishendu dies, but in the film ending Krishnendu doesn't die and again joins with Rina Brown.
Cast
*Chhabi Biswas as Krishnendu's Father
*Chhaya Devi as Rina's maid
*Jennifer Kapoor as Desdemona (voice-over)
*Padma Devi as Krishnendu's mother
*Suchitra Sen as Rina Brown
*Tarun Kumar as Krishnendu's friend
*Utpal Dutt as Othello (voice-over)
*Uttam Kumar as Krishnendu
Production
Shooting commenced started in late 1960. This was the second film after 'Harano Sur' produced by Uttam Kumar under his banner Alochaya Production along with Ajoy Kar. Suchitra Sen was again cast in the Rina Brown role. For the film Kumar and Sen practiced dance and reading Shakespeare. The Othello play scene in the film had Kumar's voice-over by Utpal Dutta and Sen's voice-over by Jennifer Kapoor.
Kumar was a Mohun Bagan football fan, and in the football match scene he wanted to play in a Mohun Bagan jersey, but there was none available. He played instead in an East Bengal jersey.
Music
{{Infobox album
| name = Saptapadi
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = Hemant Kumar
| cover = SaptapadiDVD.jpg
| released = 1961
| recorded = 1961
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Feature film soundtrack
| length = 00:11:11
| label = Sa Re Ga Ma
| producer = Alochhaya Productions Pvt Ltd
| prev_title = Punashcha
| prev_year = 1961
| next_title = Sathi Hara
| next_year = 1961
| misc =
}}
'Saptapadi's music was directed by Hemant Kumar, with lyrics by Gauriprasanna Mazumder. The song "Ei Path Jodi Na" was sung by Hemanta for Kumar, and by Sandha for Sen.
Soundtrack
Released
The film was released at Durga Puja on 20 October 1961.
Awards
* 9th National Film Awards, 1961: Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film in Bengali
*Won BFJA Award for Best Actor for Saptapadi
*Grand Prix [Nominee] for Ajoy Kar at Moscow International Film Festival (1963)
References
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