Bengali filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly set to enter Bollywood with Manohar Pandey

By: Mohnish Singh

National Film Award-winning Bengali filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly is gearing up to set his foot in Bollywood. Known for helming such memorable Bengali movies as Apur Panchali (2013), Shabdo (2014), Bishorjan (2017), Nagarkirtan (2019), and Jyeshthoputro (2019) to name just a few, Ganguli has announced his first Bollywood film, titled Manohar Pandey.

Set against the backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic, which brought the entire world to its knees in 2020, Manohar Pandey features well-known Bollywood actors Supriya Pathak Kapur, Saurabh Shukla, and Raghubir Yadav on its cast. The seasoned filmmaker is looking at filming the 130-minute-long project across the serene landscapes of North Bengal and intends to wrap it up by February 2021.

Sharing more details on his Bollywood debut, Kaushik Ganguly says, “Manohar Pandey is a special film. It is a film that has a universal appeal and I thought it would be ideally suited for my Bollywood debut. It is a film that speaks the language of the middle-class and lower-income groups and touches upon the stigmas and agonies associated with a pandemic that wreaked havoc in the world. I will inculcate real-life incidents and the common man’s experiences that I was privy to in the wake of Covid-19 within the film’s narrative.”

Talking about her role, Supriya Pathak Kapur states, “I am really excited about coming to Kolkata and working on this film. It is a wonderful script and I feel we will be able to make an interesting film. I am looking forward to commencing shooting and working alongside Kaushikda. It sure will be a great experience.”

Adding on further, Saurabh Shukla says, “In 2020 most people were in the quest of some sort of positive developments and for me personally it came to me via a call from Kolkata in November. Kaushik Ganguly called to say that he wanted to cast me in his forthcoming venture and I was beyond delighted. I am really looking forward to kickstarting 2021 on a happy and positive note.”

Raghubir Yadav further adds, “I am super proud to be associated with a stalwart like Kaushikda and I hope I can match up to his expectations. The script is so relatable and practical and I am certain it will win the audience’s hearts.”

Nispal Singh and Surinder Singh are producing Manohar Pandey under the banner of Surinder Films Pvt. Ltd.