Dec. 27, 1974|India|120 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Bangla;Mystery
Description: The movie “Sonar Kella,” released in 1974, follows the story of a young boy named Mukul Dhar, portrayed by Kushal Chakraborty, who claims to remember details of his past life. His unusual ability attracts media attention and the interest of Dr. Hemanga Hajra, a parapsychologist played by Sailen Mukherjee, who believes studying Mukul could aid his research. Mukul often appears solemn and paints images of peacocks, forts, and battle scenes at midnight. He mentions that he once lived in a place called the Golden Fortress (Sonar Kella) and recalls a house filled with gems. Intrigued, Dr. Hajra decides to take Mukul on a journey to Rajasthan, known for its historical forts and desert landscapes.
However, two con artists, Amiyanath Burman and Mandar Bose, plot to kidnap Mukul to access the treasure he describes. Their initial attempt fails when they mistakenly abduct another boy named Mukul from the same neighborhood. Concerned for his son’s safety, Mukul’s father hires Feluda, a private investigator played by Soumitra Chatterjee, to protect him. Accompanied by his assistant Topshe (Siddartha Chatterjee), Feluda follows Dr. Hajra to Rajasthan. Along the way, they encounter Lalmohan Ganguly, also known as Jatayu (Santosh Dutta), a popular thriller writer.
Meanwhile, Burman and Bose successfully kidnap Mukul and push Dr. Hajra off a cliff at Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur. Burman disguises himself as Dr. Hajra, while Bose poses as a globetrotter. Despite the fall, Dr. Hajra survives and begins to track the kidnappers. Feluda arrives at the Jodhpur Circuit House and meets Burman, believing him to be Dr. Hajra. However, Feluda grows suspicious of Bose due to his clothing and accent, and even questions Dr. Hajra’s behavior, which seems unusually indifferent.
Mukul repeatedly warns that he is being followed by a “bad man.” Under hypnosis by Burman, Mukul reveals that the Golden Fortress is located in Jaisalmer. Dr. Hajra independently reaches the same conclusion after learning about the history of Jaisalmer Fort from a police inspector. Feluda discovers that the Jaisalmer Fort, made of yellow limestone, glows like gold, earning it the name “Sonar Kella.”
Cast director: Satyajit Ray
Cast actor: Soumitra Chatterjee, Santosh Dutta, Siddhartha Chatterjee, Kushal Chakraborty, Shailen Mukherjee, Ajoy Banerjee, Kamu Mukherjee, Santanu Bagchi, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Sunil Sarkar
Original name: সোনার কেল্লা