Change in Cast, Anirban Bhattacharya to Play Nikhilesh

RBN Web Desk: Actor Anirban Bhattacharya is all set to play Nikhilesh in filmmaker Aparna Sen’s upcoming adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s novel Ghare Baire. The novel was earlier adapted to a film of the same name by auteur Satyajit Ray.

The role of Nikhilesh was played by Victor Banerjee in the 1984 film.

Kaushik Sen, earlier, was roped in by Aparna to play Nikhilesh. Sources, however, informed that Kaushik’s screen age looked much older to Tuhina Das who is playing Bimala in Aparna’s adaptation. Bimala has been rechristened as Brinda, a Dalit girl, married to Nikhilesh. Anirban will be seen as an editor of an online news portal known for publishing progressive and liberal content. Jisshu Sengupta plays Sandip, a fireband Leftist student leader, who later becomes a pro-Right wing activist. Nikhilesh’s characterisation in the film, is reportedly inspired by senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, sources added.

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Soumitra Chatterjee had played Sandip in Ray’s film.

While announcing the film in January, Aparna had said, the incidents of Ghare Baire is more relevant in the present-day context than any time in the past. Tagore’s story was set on the backdrop of the socio-political turbulence after the Partition of Bengal was announced by the then Viceroy of India Lord Curzon on 19 July 1905.

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It may be recalled that veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, in a Ray memorial event earlier this year, said that both she and Aparna had lobbied hard for Bimala’s role in Ray’s film but were turned down by the director. The role was finally played by thespian Swatilekha Sengupta.

Aparna’s adaptation is tentatively titled E Juger Ghare Baire and is expected to roll from 21 September.