Gautam Ghose’s film “Moner Manush” wins Golden Peacock at IFFI 2010

After close to a decade the International Film festival of India’s Golden Peacock has come back to India. Gautam Ghose’s film ‘Moner Manush’ won the prestigious award at the just concluded IFFI 2010 organised by DFF and ESG in Goa.
‘Moner Manush’, an Indo-Bengal production which was premiered at the International Film Festival of India, is based on the life of Lalon Fakir or Lalon Shah, a revered rustic fakir, whose poetry are considered classics in Bengal.Famous Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterji plays Lalon in the film which received rave reviews at the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Ghose, who received the award from Saif Ali Khan, said that the film was a positive sign as far as cross-country collaboration was concerned.“It was an Indo-Bangaldesh joint production. My film is about tolerance religion politics and culture. The film will encourage co production between India and other south Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. Politically we may be divided but culturally we are the same,” said the master director.
‘Moner Manush only proves that regional cinema has the potential for an international audience,” Prosenjit said, adding that the film’s narrative was really strong clicked well with the audiences globally.
Based on a novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay, the cast of the film includes; Prosenjit Chatterjee, Raisul Islam Asad, Chanchal Chowdhury, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Syed Hasan Imam, Gulshan Ara Champa, Paoli Dam and Shubhra.
The last time that an Indian film won the Golden Peacock at the IFFI was when Kerala filmmaker Jayaraj’s film ‘Karunam’ wowed the audience in 2000.

Rajendra Joshi