Satyajit Ray’s fantasy-adventure Goopy Gyne, Bagha Byne celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019. And acclaimed artist Shilpa Ranade is bringing the story - written incidentally by Ray’s prolific grandfather Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury for a children's magazine called Sandesh that he started in 1912 - back to the screen with what looks like a delightful animation, Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiyaan (GGBB).
Revolving around Goopi and Bagha, two tone-deaf musicians who get blessed by ghosts and change the world around them with their music, it’s a story that wins over children and adults across generations. Ranade brings the story back to life in a modern adaptation with colorful and masterful animation. Shilpa says, “A film has to be relatable. The idea was to engage people of today’s generation. Hence the language is contemporary.”
Check out the trailer here:
Poet-lyricist-filmmaker Gulzar, most of whose children’s books have been illustrated by Ranade, launched the trailer.
Satyajit Ray’s son Sandip Ray saw the film recently in Kolkata and was all praises. “When my father Satyajit Ray read that short story, he was mesmerised. My father later revived Sandesh (It was shut in 1930s) and Goopi and Bagha was the first story he republished in 1961. By then he was already a known filmmaker. I happened to complain to him that he should make something for us (children). He said, "Let’s see, I may make one, one day for you. The film was planned in 1966 and it got made and released only in 1969. It was a big hit then. It is such a nice story that it has stood the test of time."
Produced by CFSI (Children’s Film Society India) in association with Karadi Tales (publishing house known for children’s books), GGBB has been nominated and awarded at many film festivals in India and abroad. The film will release on 1 March.
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