After watching the 2012 Bengali film Bhooter Bhabishyat, I was completely spellbound. After what seemed like eons, Bengali cinema was offering a political satire that was both smart and quirky. Since I have been living in Mumbai for the last three decades, I was not familiar with the name of the maker and asked one of my friends in Kolkata for details. The answer? “Oh! Anik da’s (Anik Dutta) film, aarre lok ta boddho unmaad (He is completely crazy)!”
No wonder he made films that blew off the lids of the so-called intellectual ‘dadas’ of the ‘City of Joy’.
An ace ad filmmaker, Anik Dutta, who died Wednesday (May 27), reportedly after suffering a fall from the terrace of his Kolkata residence, became a household name with Bhooter Bhabishyat; but the film faced both criticism and backlash from West Bengal’s ruling party at the time, the Trinamool Congress. A staunch Leftist, he was left out of most cultural events and award shows, even after delivering such a hit film.
Cornered by many, he ran pillar to post to find producers to back his projects. But his determination to tell stories pushed him on and that certain ‘madness’ added to his style of cinema.
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Aparajito, his 2022 tribute to Satyajit Ray, remains one of my personal favourites. From casting Jeetu Kamal as Ray to making the film in black and white — re-creating the magic of Pather Panchali with lensman Supratim Bhol — the film will remain one of his masterpieces.
A poster of Dutta’s 2012 film Bhooter Bhabishyat. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
I happened to see his last release Joto Kando Kolkataye, which was released last year in September during Durga Puja. While megastars and mega directors grabbed maximum screens, Anik da played the underdog, a role that he always enjoyed playing.
After watching the film, I wrote my honest review of his work. Not expecting anything, but out of sheer joy and pride that we have such talented filmmakers in Kolkata. I came to know that he had been suffering from some illness at the time of the shoot and even then, he wouldn’t budge from taking the shots for his film.
After reading my review on Facebook, Anik da found my number and called me to verify if I have actually seen the film or not! With an impeccable sense of humour and indomitable love for cinema, he could go to any extent for his passion.
‘Outspoken, outcast’
He was outspoken and probably outcast for the same reason by the members of West Bengal’s previous ruling party. In fact, his 2019 release Bhobishyoter Bhoot was taken off screen citing “orders from upper management”.
He would choose his subjects smartly enough to camouflage his political ideologies from the audience. Those who could delve deep into the tissues of his thought process would appreciate his way of storytelling, for others, he was a ‘pagol’ director.
Poster of the 2022 film Aparajito. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Born on May 22, 1961, he was an ardent Ray fan. Probably unconsciously, he followed the path of Ray and made films that would leave an impact on audiences and society.
When he had called me, I got a glimpse of his humour firsthand. “Ram Kamal, you should be happy that your debut film Binodiini released (in 2025); most filmmakers’ debut films are unreleased,” he laughed. Later, I came to know that Jadubabur Natni was his first attempt at celluloid, back in 2009, but the film was never released (purportedly for unknown political reasons).
He won awards for both Bhooter Bhabishyat and the 2020 release Borunbabur Bondhu, and people who worked with him vouched for his craftsmanship.
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Anik da was unwell, and yet he promised to see my film Lokkhikantopur Local (released in November 2025). “Chobita dekhbo, trailer ta besh bhalo. Tomar modhey ekta alada byapar acche, sob kichur modhey tumi soundarja khunje pao. Ek din adda debo, Kolkata ele janio (Will watch the film, the trailer is good. There is something about you; you find beauty in everything. Tell me when you are in Kolkata, we will chat),” he had said.
Sudden deaths are always shocking; they are like incomplete sentences, waiting for words to join the dots. I won’t receive any text or call from Anik da ever again, and the much-awaited adda, will have to wait until we meet in some other world. The man who mastered “Bhoot” and “Bhabishyat”, however, will remain immortal and “aparajito (undefeated)”.
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