The love story of Amit Ray and Labanyalata Dutt has dominated Bengali readers’ imaginations for generations. Amit and Labanya are the protagonists of Rabindranath Tagore’s novel Shesher Kobita (“The Last Poem”). Tagore wrote this book late in his life and it is considered an important work.
Yet, unlike other major Tagore novels such as Ghare Baire, Noukadubi and Chokher Bali, Shesher Kobita was never turned into a film by a serious director, until now. (There was, however, a somewhat contemporised TV version produced by a Canadian company called Deshi TV in 2010.)
Suman Mukhopadhyay will be the first director of renown to take on Shesher Kabita. His version is in pre-production and will star Konkona Sen Sharma and Rahul Bose in lead roles. Shooting for the film starts in May and it is expected to release by the end of 2012. “Shesher Kobita left an impact on me in my youth,” Mukhopadhyay tells Business Standard, “but it took me decades to decide on making it into a film.” It was during his stay as an artist-in-residence at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2005 that a friend approached him with the idea of making a film on Shesher Kobita, which got the director to take up the project.
One unusual aspect of this book is the character of Nibaran Chakraborty, who criticises Tagore’s poetry — seen as a sign of Tagore’s playfulness and virtuosity in his late period.
In Tagore’s story, Labanya and Amit meet while on holiday in misty Shillong. The protagonists meet as the result of a car accident. He is a London-educated barrister with no patience for tradition. She is sincere and uncomplicated. They fall in love but express their love through the poems they write for each other. Their love deepens, but in the end they prefer to part, with their love unconsummated. This, they believe, seals their love in an eternal purity, and prevents them from losing it amidst the domestic chores of married life.
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Is it this in some ways tragic conclusion that has deterred directors from undertaking even stage adaptations of Shesher Kobita? “Perhaps the lack of drama and simple storyline leaves little scope for theatrical improvisation,” says novelist and chairman of the Sahitya Akademi, Sunil Gangopadhyay. “The greatness of the novel lies in the intricate detailing of the characters of the two protagonists, i.e., pragmatic Labanya vis-à-vis imaginative Amit.”
Director Mukhopadhyay believes that “the notion of love has changed over time”. He is confident that audience will appreciate this period love story. Unlike Parineeta (2007), film based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhay’s novel, where director Pradeep Sarkar changed the timeline to make his film more appealing to audiences, Mukhopadhyay has chosen to stay with Shesher Kobita’s original period, the 1930s. “I am sticking to the original time period to retain the essence of the novel.” He believes that the love between Labanya and Amit, as described by Tagore, has timeless appeal.
Two actors vied for the role of Labanya. The other was Rituparna Sengupta, a national-award winning actor. Sen Sharma wasn’t Mukhopadhyay’s first choice, but her intellect, erudition and “sharp” demeanour convinced him that she was right for the role. As for Bose, Mukhopadhyay says he has the “quintessential naughtiness” that the role requires. “He fits the character of the stoic Amit Ray, and audiences will relate to him as Tagore’s Amit.” The project is partly funded by grants from the Ministry of Culture and the National Film Development Council, as part of Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations.
Arabinda Dasgupta, owner of a College Street bookshop, says that Shesher Kobita is an all-time bestseller. “Demand for the novel has increased in the last two years, especially among Bengalis settled abroad. It’s a favourite with foreign students who come to learn Bengali in Kolkata.” Shesher Kobita is available in several languages including French, English (two versions) and Hindi.
The long wait for a celluloid face for Tagore’s two celebrated lovers is finally over. The book is a literary success; now the director hopes his film will earn similar appreciation.
