Acclaimed international award-winning, multi-talented actress Rituparna Sengupta was recently in the UK. Rahul Laud saw her recently produced film Puratawn (The Ancient). He reports with Aditi Nahar
Noted National Award-winning Indian actress Rituparna Sengupta was recently in the UK to premiere her film Puratawn (The Ancient). Organised by Bengal Heritage Foundation Cine Club in association with Essar Events, Sanchita Heritage Affairs, SAJDA UK & Baithak UK, Rituprana held two screenings in London and Manchester to attract the Indian diaspora and other nationalities. According to Sibaranjan Biswal from ESSAR events – one of the lead organisers of the premiere in both cities in the UK- the film received an overwhelming response from her fans and others. The film is a moving story of family, reconciliation and rediscovery. It essentially revolves around the sensitive subject of dementia.
Puratawn- the Ancient is in Bengali with English subtitles, offering audiences an intimate look at Suman Ghosh’s latest film. Ritika who returns to her ancestral home with her husband to celebrate her mother’s 80th birthday. What begins as a family gathering evolves into a profound meditation on ageing, identity, and the shadows of the past. The film stars screen legend Sharmila Tagore alongside Sengupta and Indraneil Sengupta, with cinematography by Ravi Kiran Ayyagari and music by Alokananda Dasgupta. Rituparna says, “By far, this is Indraneel Sengupta’s best role.” She added that Sharmila Tagore is a living legend and brings the requisite pose, elegance, maturity and charm to the film. The film has strong, sensitive scenes, shot sensitively in the North East of India, where nature and landscape offer a character to the film. The background score also plays a pivotal role in the film.
The film has travelled globally, is viewed at festivals and received huge applause and acclaim. She observed that the UK has, definitely has a larger audience in terms of its demography and the widespread disease of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Rituparna assured that though the subject is serious, her treatment and production thought was not to make it didactic, slogan mongering, and she desired to retain the sensitivity of the subject. The UK has a huge population suffering from this disease.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK, there are currently estimated to be 982,000 people with dementia in the UK, but more than a third of people with the condition do not have a diagnosis. The number is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. The forecasted increase in dementia prevalence and cost is due to population growth, an ageing population. Age is the strongest known risk factor for dementia; the chances of developing dementia rise significantly with age. The cost of dementia in the UK is forecast to be £42 billion in 2024, increasing to £90 billion by 2040. These numbers demonstrate the increasing scale and impact of dementia. There is an urgent need for action to be taken to meet current and future care needs.
Rituparna’s film’s delicate treatment of memory and its exploration of the bonds between generations have touched the chords of the UK audience. To Sengupta, producing and acting in the film were both a professional challenge and a personal journey: This story is about confronting the past with honesty and compassion.
Sengupta has plans to showcase her film to audiences to create a space and engage with contemporary Bengali cinema. Sengupta has succeeded in preparing the audience for emotionally layered roles and the importance of portraying dementia with sensitivity. The film talks of shared heritage, offering a poignant reminder that cinema can bridge continents through storytelling.
With rising numbers of people living with dementia, Rituparna’s film can help to create a world where every person affected by dementia gets the help and support and care they deserve, which is vital. With Puratawn, Rituparna has emerged as a sensitive producer who desires her film to be seen on the big screen; thus she has refrained from selling it to OTT platforms.
Rituparna Sengupta is an Indian actress and producer who is known for her work in Bengali, Odia and Hindi cinema. One of the most successful actresses of Bengali cinema, she rode the crest of her box office success in the late 1990s. She has won a National Award, two Filmfare Awards, four BFJA Awards and four Anandalok Awards.
