The Cinema Of Tapan Sinha An Introduction

Most serious discussions on
Bengali cinema start and end with the holy trinity of Satyajit Ray, Ritwik
Ghatak and Mrinal Sen. However, no other film-maker in Bengali cinema has
bridged the world of high art with box-office success like Tapan Sinha. His cinema
serves as the indelible link between the famed troika and their
less-celebrated compatriots including Ajoy Kar, Asit Sen, Tarun Majumdar and
a few others. Be it classic literary adaptations, satires, swashbucklers, or
contemporary social critiques, Sinha addressed diverse genres in his films,
expanding the boundaries of cinema within the realm of conventional,
narrative storytelling. In their subtle experimentation, their exploration of
the various strands of human life, and the belief in the ultimate nobility of
the human soul, his films hold a unique mirror to life itself. Amitava Nag’s
book provides a succinct introduction to the cinema of Tapan Sinha and the
significant place he holds in Bengali and, indeed, Indian cinema. With
characteristic erudition, the author explores Sinha’s deep roots in the
Bengali cultural climate, mainly music and literature, and how they shaped
his cinematic storytelling. For anyone interested in understanding the works
of an underrated and often-neglected auteur, The Cinema of Tapan Sinha is the
perfect place to start.