Misogyny and Bengali Children’s Poetry by Dipika Mukherjee
When the invitation came through Facebook Messenger as a friend request, I saw a young man, no friends in common. Populated as facebook is by shirtless wonders peddling sleazy messages, I was about to hit Decline , but decided to check the message first. It was from the Festival Director of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, inviting me to moderate a session after the screening of the latest film by one of the most acclaimed stars of the Bengali screen, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, on September 22, 2018. I am glad I got to view Shonar Pahar, The Golden Mountain . I also had to think about Bengali cinema -- and Bengali poetry -- in a way I haven’t consciously processed in many years. Bengali cinema is recognized worldwide for the towering genius of Satyajit Ray, and Shonar Pahar also pays tribute to a childlike wonder about the world. Parambrata Chattopadhyay beautifully weaves a story about the power of the imagination to create an alternative joyful univ...