The central government-run Sahitya Academy is making a documentary on noted Bengali writer Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay and has appointed award-winning filmmaker Ashoke Viswanathan for the purpose.
Viswanathan and his team came to Siliguri today to carry out a shoot at the house of the writer while the team took interview of his elder sister and younger brother and other relatives.
Viswanathan later today left for Katihar in Bihar, where Mukhopadhyay had spent his childhood as his father was an employee of the Indian Railways, for documentation of the writer’s life there.
Mukhopadhyay’s elder sister, Jharna Chakraborty, today spoke of her memories related to Katihar and her relation with her brother during their school days.
“I was surprised when he became famous after writing several novels. But he was reluctant to write when he was in primary school and he used to take my help,” Mrs Chakraborty said.
Besides Katihar and Siliguri, a part of Mymensingh in Bangladesh, where Mukhopadhyay was born and from where he came to India before partition, will be another focus of the documentary film. He was born in 1935 there.
According to Viswanathan, the documentary will centre around the writer’s life in five chapters, including his memories, his work, creations and contribution to literature and even how his creations were imperative materials for the film industry.