This morning as rain was pouring hard and everything looking and getting wrapped in dark, I took to you- tube to laze on and the first thing flashed on mobile screen was an interview of Mir by Rituparno.
It is not that I like all of Rituparno’s films much. Rather just the opposite. Noukadubi and Chokherbali, both adaptations of Tagore, were where Rituparno excelled most. The rest were mediocre, at the best. His documentary on Tagore was narcissistic. It was difficult to understand who the focus of documentary was :Director himself or his subject?
But still I reckon Rituparno as a significant entity in the realm of film direction.
We all know Mir mimicked Rituparno in his stage shows. And the audience erupted into wild laughter. People found an entertainment in effeminate ways of talking and walking by a male. Show after show, Mir was a sure hit and money was minting at his home.
Rituparno asked Mir the source of his name. Mir replied it was an abbreviation of Mir Faisal Ahmed.
Then it was an attempt to hide his minority status as well, Rituparno averred.
If Mir was so sensitive about his minority status in the society by shortening his name to ‘Mir’ to get integrated to larger society, how come Mir himself lampoons those people who are womanly in nature and thus minority in society by making fun of Rituparno’s effeminacy ? Rituparno asked in his inimitable way.
Mir was found fumbling.
If the society has to progress, let’s not attack minority views and those in the minority. Rituparno signed off.
Today, this murky morning, Rituparno lighted up the grim face of Nature.
And it needs a Rituparno to invoke light in the face of dark.