The Bong crossover connection

The Gurinder Chadhas and Mira Nairs of the world can take a break from churning out 'crossover' films; Tollywood has promised to share their burden. Its first crossover film, The Bong Connection (working title), by Joy Ganguly of Moxie Entertainment, Kolkata, is under way. To be shot in Kolkata and Houston, it will be the first film to star sisters Raima and Riya Sen (The Sen sisters were earlier cast in a Hindi film, Bachelor, but this never released.)

Moxie Entertainment has recently signed a partnership deal with the North American Bengali Conference. "The film will be premiered during the Bangla Sanskriti Sammelan at Houston on June 26," says Ganguly.

"The film will dwell on Bengalis across the world, especially on those settled abroad," he adds. Having lived in the US for six years, "I know how it feels to be away from one's roots. I have long been nurturing an idea to make a film on non-resident Bengalis. I am happy to see my dream fructify. You can call it the Bong answer to Bend It Like Beckham and Monsoon Wedding."

Apart from the Sens, the film has roped in reputable Tollywood names like Arindam Sil, Soumitra Chatterjee, Victor Banerjee, Dhritiman Chatterjee (Black), Mamata Shankar and Dipankar De.

Says Sil, "The cast will include amateur actors and theatre artists from the US." He adds that an elaborate acting workshop will precede the shooting, which begins on January 26.

As for the script, Sil is all praise. "Anjanda (Dutt) has done a brilliant job; I just can't wait for the shooting to kick off. If everything goes well, The Bong Connection is sure to make Tollywood proud."

The actor feels that, though the world has come to know of Punjabi and Gujarati culture through crossover films, Bengalis have never been projected in a similar manner. "The Bong Connection is going to be Joy's tribute to his native land."

Outlining the plot, Ganguly says, "It revolves around two boys and two girls. Riya is an NRI settled in the US. Raima stays in Kolkata. Shayan Munshi (Jhankaar Beats) comes to Kolkata to commercialise folk Bengali music, while Parambrata, who has no respect for his native place, flies off to join a software company in the US."

The film, he says, attempts to delineate the pain and dilemma of Bengalis estranged from their places of origin. "It seeks to explore sensitive souls singing to the tunes of Tagore."

The Bong Connection will have only 10 percent of its dialogues in Bengali.