Ashok Dhanuka and his son, Himanshu Dhanuka, created history of sorts on 11th November in Calcutta when they announced a slate of 18 Bengali films produced by them and awaiting release in 2025 and 2026. The teasers and posters of all the 18 films were unveiled at a glittering event held at the Taj Bengal. Along with the unveiling, the cast and directors of all the 18 films announced the month and year of release of their respective films.
Interestingly, the majority of the shooting of 17 of the 18 films has been done in London. The special affinity of the Dhanukas for London made master of ceremonies Mir Ali jocularly remark, “The films produced by the Dhanukas are not certified ‘U’, ‘A’ or ‘UA’, they are all certified ‘UK’!” While on Mir Ali, it must be mentioned that he made the memorable evening very entertaining with his wit, humour and regular wisecracks.
The 18 films span a wide range of genres including drama, romance, comedy, thriller, psychological horror, family, slice of life, detective fiction, supernatural, fantasy and mystery. Quite understandably, almost all the tops of the industry in the various crafts, including acting and direction, are working in one or more of the 18 films. The list of stars working in the films, all produced under the banner of Eskay Movies, includes Bangladeshi actor Shakib Khan, Ankush, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Jeetu, Ritwick Chakraborty, Rudranil Ghosh, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Anirban Chakrabarti, Shataf Ahmed Figar, Raima Sen, Srabanti Chatterjee, Ananya Chatterjee, Sonal Chauhan, Oindrila Sen, Paayel Sarkar, Isha Saha, Ditipriya Roy, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Sauraseni Maitra, Darshana Banik, Debattama Saha and others. In the roster of directors who have helmed the films are Kamaleswar Mukherjee, Joydeep Mukherjee, Moinak Bhaumik, Sayantan Ghosal, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Raja Chanda, Anshuman Pratyush and others.
The music in the films has been scored by such composers as Anupam Roy, Debajyoti Mishra, Indraadeep Dasgupta, Arafat Mehmood, Savvy and Dolaan-Mainakk. Altogether, the 18 films have a total of 67 songs rendered by such names as Javed Ali, Mohd. Irfan, Monali Thakur, Nakash Aziz, Nikita Gandhi, Shaan, Raj Barman, Timir Biswas, Rupam Islam, Usha Uthup, Babul Supriyo, Somlata Acharya Chowdhury, Dev Neogi, Iman Chakraborty, Lagnajita and others.
The 18 films are at different stages of post-production and the release of this slate will start in January 2025. The teasers and posters of the films gave an insight into the variety of subjects tackled in them. For those who are wondering how so many films were completed altogether and why they were not released as soon as they were ready, well, the answer seems to lie in the sharp Marwari business acumen of Ashok Dhanuka. It, obviously, makes more business sense to bargain for the sale of satellite and digital rights of 18 films together than for each film individually. It also made sense for the production house to produce 18 films over a period of probably 18-24 months to minimise or rather economise on costs. Economies of scale, you see. On the point whether the movies would not have lost their charm by holding them back from release, Ashok Dhanuka told Information, “We have taken care that no film becomes stale.” Even otherwise, the post-production work of the various films is at different stages. Quite obviously, the films which will be ready first will be released before the ones which will take longer to be completed and ready for release.
For those not conversant with the Bengali film industry, it must be mentioned that Eskay Movies has a legacy of 35 years. It has produced over 75 Bengali films, besides many TV serials, reality shows and web series. Eskay Movies’ critically acclaimed works include Doob (No Bed Of Roses), which was Bangladesh’s official entry to the Oscars, and Rabindra Kabya Rahasya, which was nominated for the UNESCO Gandhi Medial 2023. The company has a library of 300-plus films and more than a thousand music albums. Eskay has also played a pivotal role in the launch of such Bengali satellite channels as Star Jalsha, Ruposhi Bangla, Sananda TV, Zee Bangla Cinema and Colors Bangla Cinema. Eskay also provides film equipment and post-production services. It has a chain of 80-plus digital cinemas too.
Coming back to the grand event, the teasers of the following films were unveiled:
Ami Amar Moto: A family drama, it is the story of a widower who travels to London in search of a single picture of his late wife, and through unexpected challenges, rebuilds the broken bond with his estranged son. It stars Rajatava Dutta, Jeetu and Srabanti Chatterjee, and is directed by Kamaleswar Mukherjee. Raju Majumder, Rita Dutta Chakraborty and Priya Karfa play key supporting roles.
Oporichito: A psychological thriller and mystery film, it is about a man who awakens with fragmented memories after surviving a brutal attack and is unable to recognise his wife. Then sets off a chilling investigation into the identity of a mysterious woman and a secret that threatens to destroy his life. Directed by Joydeep Mukherjee, it stars Ritwick Chakraborty, Anirban Chakrabarti and Isha Saha. The supporting roles are played by Saheb Bhattacharjee, Kamaleswar Mukherjee, Priya Karfa and Isadora Baccon.
Apanjan: Years after parting ways, two long-lost lovers reunite as neighbours in London as their children plot to bring them back together. The romantic family drama stars Jeetu and Paayel Sarkar, and is directed by Anshuman Pratyush. Bilash Dey, Udita Munshi and Priya Karfa comprise the supporting cast.
Rabindra Kabya Rahasya: Sayantan Ghosal’s thriller, mystery and historical fiction drama stars Ritwick Chakraborty, Srabani Chatterjee and Priyanshu Chatterjee. It is the story of a modern-day poet who uncovers a dark conspiracy surrounding a lost manuscript of Rabindranath Tagore, leading to a trail of murders, betrayal and a race to protect India’s cultural legacy. The supporting roles are aplenty. They are played by Santilal Mukherjee, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Rajnandini Paul, Bidipta Chakraborty, Sujan Mukherjee, Thomas Andrew Coulston and Olivia Scott.
Santa: A young girl’s belief in Santa Claus becomes the catalyst which binds generations of a family together, showing them the power of faith, love and human connection. Starring Ankush Hazra, Oindrila Sen and Anirban Chakrabarti, the family-fantasy-drama is directed by Anshuman Pratyush. Manasi Sinha, Rajnandini Paul, Om and Shahida Neera play important supporting roles in the film.
Ekhane Ondhokar: The psychological horror and supernatural thriller is directed by Parambrata Chattopadhyay who also stars in it along with Ritwick Chakraborty and Paayel Sarkar in the leading roles. Barun Chanda is cast in a key role. A man’s reunion with an old friend in London plunges him into a terrifying mystery involving dark secrets, eerie occurrences and a chilling obsession with life and death.
Annapurna: An inspirational family drama, Anshuman Pratyush’s film stars Ananya Chatterjee, Rishav Basu and Ditipriya Roy. It is the story of a mother struggling with loneliness in London. She re-emerges by starting her own food business, underlining that it is never too late to chase your dreams… even when your own family stands in the way. The supporting cast is quite big — Arna Mukhopadhyay, Anusha Viswanathan, Santilal Mukherjee, Kanchan Mullick and Alexandra Taylor.
Babu Shona: A kidnapper and a crafty thief get entangled in a chaotic kidnapping mission in London, but their unlikely romance leads to unexpected outcomes. Jeetu and Srabanti Chatterjee star in the romcom thriller helmed by Ayushman Pratyush. The formidable supporting cast consists of Paayel Sarkar, Sagnik, Atri Bhattacharya, Buddhadev, Bilash Dey and Alexandra Taylor.
Saralakkho Holmes: As the title suggests, this film is a detective fiction, a thriller. Directed by Sayantan Ghosal, it stars Rishav Basu and Arna Mukhopadhyay. It is the story of a young Bengali detective in London, who delves into a century-old legend of a deadly hound, uncovering dark secrets and unexpected suspects in a race to solve the mystery before it claims another life. Saheb Chatterjee, Shataf Figar, Gaurav Chakraborty, Rajnandini Paul, Kanchan Mullick and Priya Karfa comprise the supporting cast.
Tobuo Bhalobashi: A small-town girl dreams of love and runs away to London but an unexpected heartbreak forces her to choose between her old crush and the newfound friendship that could change her life forever. The romantic drama is directed by Rabindra Nambiar and stars Aryann and Debattama Saha. Saheb Bhattacharjee and Pritam Das play important supporting roles.
Grihostho: A psychological thriller, it stars Ritabhari Chakraborty and is directed by Mainak Bhaumik. A woman, coping with personal trauma, suspects her neighbour of violent acts, but as her grip on reality weakens, she must figure out whether what she’s witnessing is real or imagined. The supporting cast consists of Sourav Das, Aryann, Anusha Viswanathan, Konineeka Banerjee and Saheb Bhattacharjee.
Jodi Emon Hoto: A romantic and psychological drama, it is the story of a woman with a rare mental condition, who mistakes a stranger for her husband. Three lives become entangled in an illusion driven by love, forcing difficult choices and unexpected bonds. Starring Sean Banerjee, Rishav Basu and Ditipriya Roy in the lead roles, it is directed by Rabindra Nambiar. Santilal Mukherjee, Priya Karfa and Shataf Figar play important supporting roles.
Chandrabindoo: Starring Ankush Hazra and Oindrila Sen, this supernatural and fantasy drama is about a grieving young man and a widow, who find solace in each other as they navigate their loss even while the spirits of their loved ones linger, offering one last chance of closure before they move on. Santilal Mukherjee, Anirban Chakrabarti, Tulika Bose and Saheb Bhattacharjee are in supporting roles. Raja Chanda is the director.
Abar Hawai Bodol: Starring Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Raima Sen, Dev Verma and Rudranil Ghosh, this drama, fantasy and friendship film is directed by Parambrata himself. It is about two old friends — a rockstar and a non-resident Indian — who swap lives for fun. However, the magical twist forces them to confront deep personal challenges, testing their bond and changing their perspectives on life and friendship. Kabir Bhattacharya, Chanchal Ghosh and Anusha Viswanathan comprise the supporting cast.
Bhalobashi Toke Bhalobeshe: A romantic drama, it is about a young woman who embarks on a journey to London, hoping to reunite with her estranged lover, but it is not easy. As betrayal and difficult choices unfold, she discovers an unexpected connection that changes everything. Starring Rishav Basu and Rajnandini Paul, it is directed by Sayantan Ghosal. Arna Mukhopadhyay is cast in an important role.
Dear D: A coming-of-age family drama, it stars Srabanti Chatterjee and Ditipriya Roy, and is directed by Rabindra Nambiar. A single mother’s strained relationship with her daughter takes a heartbreaking turn when teenage pregnancy forces them to confront painful truths, love and the harsh realities of life in a foreign land. Krushal Ahuja and Priyanka Mondal play supporting roles.
Uranchu: This is the story of seven women from different walks of life, who embark on a week-long journey to London. Unexpected friendships and fresh perspectives on love, life and happiness transform them forever. This slice-of-life comedy and travel drama stars Aloknanda Roy Banerjee, Bidipta Chakraborty, Sudipta Chakraborty, Darshana Banik, Manasi Sinha, Sauraseni Maitra and Rajnandini Paul as the seven women. Om and Alexandra Taylor are in supporting roles. Anshuman Pratyush has directed the film.
Dorod: This is the only film which has not been shot in London. A psychological thriller and drama, it stars Bangladesh’s superstar, Shakib Khan, with Sonal Chauhan. The supporting cast comprises Paayel Sarkar, Rajesh Sharma, Rahul Dev, Biswajit Chakraborty and Alok Jain. Directed by Anonno Mamun, it is the story of a devoted husband who tries to balance his wife’s obsession with a film star, only to spiral into a series of tragic events involving murder, mental illness and a shocking revelation that changes everything.
The two-and-a-half-hour long function was followed by drinks and dinner. The Bengal trade attended the event in which Ashok and Himanshu Dhanuka played the perfect hosts with their large and efficient team.
