Sesh Anka Explained

Sesh Anka
Director:Haridas Bhattacharya
Screenplay:Rajkumar Moitra
Producer:Narendranath Chattopadhyaya
Story:Rajkumar Moitra
Based On:Chase a Crooked Shadow a 1958 film
Starring:Uttam Kumar
Pahari Sanyal
Sharmila Tagore
Bikash Roy
Kamal Mitra
Sabitri Chatterjee
Utpal Dutt
Music:Pabitra Chatterjee, Sailen Roy
Cinematography:Kanai Dey
Editing:Santosh Ganguly
Studio:Kalpana Movies Pvt Ltd
Distributor:Kalpana Movies
Runtime:131 min
Country:India
Language:Bengali

Sesh Anka is a 1963 Indian Bengali-language thriller film directed by Haridas Bhattacharya and made by Kalpana Movies, Kolkata.[1] This film was loosely inspired by the 1958 film Chase a Crooked Shadow.[2] [3] The film starred Uttam Kumar in lead with Sharmila Tagore, Sabitri Chatterjee, Pahadi Sanyal, Bikash Roy, Kamal Mitra and others in supporting role. Critics stated this movie as one of the best thrillers in Bengali Cinema. The film was remade in Tamil in 1964 as Puthiya Paravai and was an inspiration for the Hindi movie Khoj (1989).[4]

Plot

Widower Sudhangsu is going to be married to Soma, daughter of Sir Haraprasad. Sudhangsu is presented as a cheerful person who loves his would-be partner Soma and adores her with all his heart, occasionally gifting her with ornaments. He already declares that his first wife Kalpana committed suicide on a railway track in Burma, stating that she was mentally challenged. At the time of Sudhangsu's second marriage, a local senior advocate, Suren Banerjee comes with a lady who claims herself as Sudhangsu's first wife. Sudhangsu strongly denies and alleged that she is an imposter. In the meantime, a mysterious person named Samadder invades Sudhangsu's house and steal some ornaments of the deceased Kalpana. The case goes for a trial to determine whether the unknown lady is really Kalpana or not. Advocate Suren Banerjee examines all the witnesses attached to the case. The courtroom drama wrestles to defend the unknown lady's position against her proclaimed husband. Sudhangsu starts losing his sanity with time growing out of his hand. Having no other witness to support his case, Sudhangsu's Barrister Mr. Mitter compels his client to telegram Deben Sen, brother of Kalpana to determine the identity of his sister. The story revolves around the activities of Sudhangsu and his past as the courtroom drama. Deben, however, recognizes the unknown lady as his sister without an air of doubt. Finally Sudhangsu having lost all his reasons confesses how the lady couldn't be Kalpana.[5]

Cast

Soundtrack

Sesh Anko
Type:Soundtrack
Artist:Pabitra Chatterjee, Sailen Roy
Released:1963
Recorded:1962
Studio:Kalpana Movies Pvt Ltd
Length:0:09:39
Label:Angel Digital Pvt Ltd
Producer:Narendranath Chattopadhyay

Reception

Uttam Kumar played an unusual role as a murderer.[6] The Times Of India wrote ‘Sesh Anka’ which is yet another criminally underrated film. ‘Sesh Anka’ delivers a different side of Uttam Kumar’s usual portrayal of heroism or a romantic hero.[7]

Remake

The film was remade in Tamil in 1964 Puthiya Paravai starring Sivaji Ganeshan, Sowcar Janaki and B. Saroja Devi. In 1989 the film was remade in Hindi as Khoj.

References

  1. Web site: Shesh Anko (1963 – Bengali) . gomolo.com . 26 April 2017 . 27 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170427004854/http://www.gomolo.com/shesh-anko-movie/13874 . dead .
  2. News: Puthiya Paravai 1964 . Guy . Randor . 26 June 2009 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108044036/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/06/26/stories/2009062650331600.htm . 8 November 2012 . unfit . Randor Guy.
  3. Web site: Jwala (1969). thehindu.com. November 16, 2018.
  4. Web site: 2018-04-23. Tamil cinema’s bong connection. 2021-02-17. Times of India Blog. 13 February 2022. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220213/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/tracking-indian-communities/tamil-cinemas-bong-connection/. live.
  5. Web site: Shesh-Anka. indiancine.ma. 4 June 2017. 31 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230731012140/https://indiancine.ma/KXH/info. live.
  6. Web site: মালাকার . অমিতাভ . 2021-07-24 . উত্তম কুমার যখন ভিলেন . 2023-08-25 . Eisamay Gold . bn.
  7. News: 2022-01-23 . #DirectorsCut: Haridas Bhattacharya’s ‘Sesh Anka’ can easily serve as a textbook on thriller writing . The Times of India . 2023-08-25 . 0971-8257.