Hey everyone!
Hope your weekend has gotten off to a good start!
The festive season has arrived! Even though things are not fully "normal" right now, there is still a lot of festive cheer in the air. However, if you are someone, who (like us) is not going out a lot and celebrating at home, then we have a bunch of Pujo-themed movies and web series for you to watch this weekend!
Some of these are old favourites, some are a bit new, but they all have some connection or the other with Durga Pujo.
Let's get to the list, then, shall we?
1. Joy Baba Felunath: Feluda, Topshe and Lalmohan Babu are in Benares on a lovely little holiday, when an ancient Ganesha idol belonging to a local wealth Bengali family is stolen. Smack bang in the middle of Durga Pujo. Our master sleuth is on the job and what unfolds is a classic. Watch it, if you haven't already and if you have, watch it again! I said 'classic', didn't I?
2. Kahaani: Another classic, albeit a modern one. A heavily pregnant woman arrives in Calcutta on the eve of Durga Pujo to look for her missing husband. Is everything really as it seems? There is no record of the husband and every new information related to his time in the City of Joy is more and more confounding. A really nicely made thriller that you won't regret watching, plus, bonus- Calcutta in full Pujo glory!
3. Durgeshgorer Guptodhon: Since we are in the mystery/ thriller territory, this one is a new favourite. Our trio of sleuths are invited to celebrate Durga Pujo at the ancestral home of one of Sona da's students. This family has been told that a huge hidden treasure is somewhere on their property. It is up to our historian- Sona da- and his trusted partners-in-crime to find this treasure before it falls into the wrong hands. This movie has some beautiful riddles that talk about different Pujo rituals and practices.
4. Paap: A family comes together to celebrate Durga Pujo when an unwanted guest arrives raking up old sins and misdeeds. A bunch of murders has everyone on the edge. Who is this stranger? What old sins is she here to rake up? An interesting web series streaming for free on MX Player and available via subscription on Hoichoi.
5. Sharate Aaj: Set in London, where a group of NRIs gather together to celebrate Durga Pujo, Sharate Aaj deals with terrorism and how an undercover agent works against the clock to stop a deadly terror attack. Available on Zee5 and is quite nice.
6. Utsob: A family gathers in their ancestral home to celebrate Durga Pujo when old resentments and secrets clash with present day troubles and, yup, more secrets. A brilliant ensemble cast and a really great drama movie. Streaming on Hoichoi.
7. Utsober Por: Set in Calcutta during Durga Pujo, this series delves into family secrets, resentments, old sins and such like. A nice little drama-thriller series streaming on Adda Times.
8. Bijoya and Bisarjan: A man from West Bengal almost drowns and floats into Bangladesh during Bisarjan and is found by a local woman and nursed back to health. Complications develop when these two fall in love. Both movies can be found on Hoichoi or Amazon Prime Video.
9. Dashami: Childhood friends from different corners of the world gather in their para for Durga Pujo. Lots of adda, reminiscing and nostalgia happens. Complicated dynamics, old rivalries and love comes up to the surface, but does everything end happily? A decent romantic thriller. I believe this is streaming on YouTube.
10. Debipaksha: A girl returns to her village for Pujo. The same village where she was sexually assaulted as a young teen. This time her rapist is targeting her younger sister. Will she let him get away with it? A different sort of a Pujo film, for sure. If it is not clear, TW for rape and abuse.
Hope you guys have a great Pujo! Have fun and stay safe!
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