Srijit Mukherji Brings Bratya Basu’s Acclaimed Play 'Winkle Twinkle' to the Big Screen
Renowned filmmaker Srijit Mukherji is all set to adapt Bratya Basu’s celebrated play Winkle Twinkle into a feature film. The announcement came from production house Friends Communication on Monday, along with the unveiling of the film's intriguing first-look poster.
The poster depicts a broken statue of Lenin with two shadowed figures sitting before it, teasing the audience with mystery as the actors’ identities remain undisclosed.
Srijit’s venture reflects a growing trend in Bengali cinema to reimagine theatrical masterpieces for the silver screen. In 2022, Anirban Bhattacharya’s film adaptation of Badal Sircar’s Ballabhpurer Roopkotha was widely applauded, also marking his directorial debut. Srijit himself had previously adapted Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar into the critically acclaimed Zulfiqar. Earlier this year, Arna Mukhopadhyay made waves with his directorial take on Shakespeare’s Othello titled Atthoi.
The original play Winkle Twinkle, directed on stage by Debesh Chattopadhyay, delves into the generational clash of ideologies within a politically charged backdrop. It narrates the story of Sabyasachi Sen, a political prisoner who resurfaces in 2002 after mysteriously vanishing in 1976. He confronts a vastly transformed world and a son, Indra, who has aligned with a political ideology diametrically opposed to his own revolutionary beliefs.
Ritwick Chakraborty and Parambrata Chattopadhyay are rumored to lead the cast. Ritwick is expected to portray Sabyasachi, a role immortalized on stage by Debshankar Halder, while Parambrata might essay Indra, originally played by Rajatava Dutta. This poignant exploration of familial and political discord promises to captivate audiences when it hits the screens.