May. 19, 2022|India|140 Min.|R
Genre: Bangla;Drama;Family
Description: Belashuru, translated as “Start of the Day,” is a 2022 Bengali family drama film directed and produced by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee. The directors have clarified that this film is neither a prequel nor a sequel to their earlier work, Bela Seshe. Principal photography for Belashuru commenced on November 30, 2018, in Bolpur.
The movie was released on May 20, 2022, following the tragic deaths of its lead actors, Soumitra Chatterjee (November 15, 2020) and Swatilekha Sengupta (June 16, 2021), due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The story unfolds five years after the events of Belaseshe. Arati, the protagonist, is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She no longer recognizes her husband, Biswanath, and has forgotten most of their marital life, except for her three daughters—Malasree, Kaberi, and Piu—and her son, Barin. While she remembers Bijon (Malasree’s husband) and Sharmistha (Barin’s wife), she cannot identify Jyotirmay (Kaberi’s husband) or Palash (Piu’s husband).
Due to Arati’s sensitivity to noise, Biswanath relocates her from Kolkata to Santiniketan. Despite his advanced age, Biswanath insists on caring for Arati alone, refusing to delegate this responsibility to their children or a nurse. He views this as an act of penance for not dedicating enough time to her during their marriage. However, Arati remains unaware of Biswanath’s efforts, believing her husband has abandoned her. She often escapes the house, wandering the village in search of her childhood friend, Atindra, and her native village in Faridpur.
In an attempt to restore Arati’s memories, Biswanath takes her to Faridpur, accompanied by Malasree, Bijon, Piu, Palash, and Jyotirmay. There, they meet Atindra and try to reconnect Arati with her past. Despite their efforts, Arati’s struggle with Alzheimer’s continues to create emotional challenges. The film explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds of family.
Cast director: Shiboprosad Mukherjee
Cast actor: Soumitra Chatterjee, Swatilekha Sengupta, Sayak Chakraborty, Shankar Chakraborty, Rituparna Sengupta, Aparajita Adhya, Monami Ghosh, Anindya Chatterjee, Kharaj Mukherjee, Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee
Original name: বেলাশুরু