At this point in time, I regard him as the best current Bengali director, a couple of notches above Srijit Mukherjee. Aloke MajumderĪfter the brilliant Meghey Dhaka Tara, director Kamaleshwar Mukherjee has pulled off another masterpiece. However it is also the story of grit and determination, a story of following one's dream against all odds and emerging victorious, a story about a young lad called Shankar who faced with the prospect of having to make a living as a factory worker in his impoverished village, bids farewell to his family in Keutia, Rural Bengal and through his aid Prasad Das Banopadhay who happens to work for the Uganda railway head office sets sail to the Dark Continent to work as the station master in Nakuru station, it's a dream come true for Shankar who has always envisioned himself as a Expeditionary and holds good knowledge in world geography and map reading. Interview & Images credit: Boxofficeguru.Chander Pahar is the journey to the fabled, 'Mountain Of The Moon', in search of gold and diamond mines, up against threats as vivid and varied as lurking snakes, pouncing lions, poisonous flora, the fury of an active volcano and a seemingly, almost supernatural mythical horror 'The Bunyip' the guardian angel of the diamond cave. Watch Chander Pahar and relive the adventure Utopia. Watching a fave childhood novel on screen is sure going to be a treat not only for people staying abroad but also for those who are in love with Bengali literature! Releasing it in US is another milestone for Bengali Cinema done with one sole objective – to let you people feel home away from home! The effort that has been put to experience it on celluloid is magnum opus…keeping in mind only one thing – bringing back the good old days of our childhood from book to screen and overwhelm each one of us with heavy nostalgia. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay has been a childhood Utopia for all us Bengalis. Painting our thoughts on the words of Mr. Being a part of this film is my biggest achievement!Īny messages for your international fans? But apart from all these, while being Shankar I overcame some of the biggest insecurities, phobias and personal restrains of my life. I fought a lion, encountered a black mamba, a herd of elephants and got into life-threatening situations for the most important film of my seven-year career. How did making this film differ from your past film experiences?Įvery person dreams of doing something out of the comfort zone. He said that he was looking for a well-built person with an innocent face. He is such a perfectionist. The film needs you as much as you need it.’ I asked ‘why?’. I asked him, ‘Are you sure you see me as Shankar?’ And he said, ‘I won’t be able to make the film if you don’t agree to do it.
Kamaleswar is a genius. When I met Kamal, he was carrying a stack of 20 files with him. I am really proud to be a part of this film. What kind of director is Kamaleswar Mukherjee and how did you both collaborate on the set?
Now when I see the scenes I am really amazed by them. All the team members took great risks for Chander Pahar. A Hollywood production would have done the film in the same way. I experienced raw fear while shooting many sequences. How was the experience of shooting in Africa and what were some of the highlights for you? I asked Kamal how are you going to show the period (1909)? I still read it in parts, just to be sure that I have enacted the scenes correctly. I knew we were getting into this really risky zone.
I wanted to know how we would show Shankar with the lion… it should look credible.
And when I read it I thought, ‘Can this be made into a film? Is it even possible?’ I had a whole lot of questions after reading the book a few times. Did you have a connection to this novel before taking on this film?Ĭhander Pahar is a book which almost all Bengalis grow up reading. I knew the story, and read it after I was offered the film.