iWorld
A Tale of a Bengali Dracula
MUMBAI: SVF and director Debaloy Bhattacharya released the teaser of their upcoming film Dracula Sir – a much-awaited experimental genre-based drama – dealing with the popular Westernised concept of Vampires and Dracula. This is the first time a film based on the concept of Vampires has been conceptualised with a flavourof bangaliana for the Bengali audience.
The teaser starts off with Anirban Bhattacharya voicing the famous lines written by renowned revolutionary writer Nabarun Bhattacharya that says:
“Ei Mrityu Upattaka Amar Desh Noye” (This valley of death is not mine)
Ei Bistirno Shoshan Amar Desh Noye (This wide graveyard is not mine)
Thereby, hinting at a revolutionary touch to this film. This is followed by a man, a schoolteacher by his appearance (essayed by Anirban Bhattacharya) who enters a classroom in the present day, to be greeted with a blackboard that is inscribed with the words Dracula Sir, thereby introducing us to the protagonist of the film Raktim ( Anirban Bhattacharya), a simpleton with a protruding pair of canine teeth, bullied for his vampire appearance.
But he has a story to tell from 1971 that makes his journey a tale of finding love and seeking revenge. The teaser then shows us a glimpse of the past with Manjari (played by Mimi Chakraborty) telling Amal (Anirban Bhattacharya) that their fight is for freedom and finally the teaser ends with Amal screaming in pain after his canines get brutally pulled out while he is being tortured inside a prison…r
Director Debaloy Bhattacharya says: “The story is about a primary school teacher who has a protruding pair of canine teeth earns his nickname Dracula Sir. As destiny pushes him towards becoming the vampire he has always been referred to..This is my search for the Bangali Dracula without the castle, who is out to create his own myth. A man turns into a vampire and with that a whole lost world unleashes around him.'
Co-founder and Director of SVF, Mahendra Soni says: “This is the first time the Bengali audience will get to experience, cherish and talk about their own vampire in the form of a simple Bangali man, through this unique film. Anirban surpasses himself as an actor and Mimi will be in a never-seen –before avatar.
Mimi Chakraborty who makes a comeback into film after a political hiatus said: “It’s always a pleasure working with SVF and I’m happy that I’m working with them on such a unique project. My character Manjari is very different from all the characters I’ve played over the years. This is also my first film with Debaloy and second film with Anirban so I’m looking forward to the release of this film!”
Directed by Debaloy Bhattacharya, the film also stars Rudranil Ghosh, Bidipta Chakraborty, Kanchan Mullick and Samuel Alam in pivotal roles. The film is scheduled to release on 1st May 2020.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
