Feb. 22, 2019|India|113 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Bangla;Drama
Description: Nagarkirtan is a 2019 Bengali film that tells the story of Puti, an intersex woman born as Parimal. The film begins with Puti escaping from her home with Madhu da, a delivery boy who also plays the flute during kirtans. Through flashbacks, we learn about Puti’s difficult childhood, where her father disapproved of her dressing as a girl. As she grows older, Puti develops a relationship with her tutor, Subhash da, who is aware of her gender identity. Hoping for a life free from judgment, Puti suggests eloping to America with him. However, she later discovers that Subhash da is engaged to her elder sister. Unable to cope with the betrayal, Puti flees to the eunuch community in Kolkata, where she becomes a disciple of Guru ma Arati.
While living in the community, Puti meets Madhu da, and the two secretly begin a relationship. Puti struggles with gender dysmorphia and dreams of undergoing sex reassignment surgery. However, leaving the ghetto without informing Guru ma is forbidden. Determined, Puti escapes with Madhu da to Krishnanagar to meet Manabi Bandyopadhyay, a prominent transgender woman. Despite her determination, Puti is disheartened when she learns the cost of the surgery, which she cannot afford. Madhu da offers to sell his ancestral land in Nabadwip to fund the procedure.
Later, Puti accompanies Madhu da to his family’s home, where they attend a kirtan. As Madhu da plays the flute, Puti is overwhelmed by memories of her past with Subhash da and the emotions of the kirtan. In a moment of vulnerability, she breaks down and loses her wig, revealing her short hair to everyone present.
Cast director: Kaushik Ganguly
Cast actor: Ritwick Chakraborty, Riddhi Sen, Bidipta Chakraborty, Sujan Mukherjee, Indrasish Roy, Arun Guha Tharkurta
Original name: নগরকীর্তন