Priyanka Chopra’s Purple Pebble Pictures, which has produced a number of regional movies in the past, is under the scanner of the Visva Bharati for an upcoming project. The upcoming movie supposedly called Nalini may not be allowed to be shot in the premises of Visva Bharati. The reason behind this movie being looked closely by the members of Visva Bharati is because it talks about the relationship between Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and his teacher Annapurna Turkhud. Visva Bharati was founded by Tagore and an eight-member committee is said to ensure the movie doesn’t malign Tagore’s image or shows any objectionable (intimate) scenes.
The vice-chancellor of Visva Bharati Swapan Kumar Datta would examine the contents of the movie. Datta told a daily that they have formed a committee and he would not comment on the shooting of the film.
At the age of 17, Tagore met Annapurna, daughter of an eminent physician and social reformer Atmaram Pandurang Turkhud. He learnt English from her before leaving for studies to London. Tagore stayed at Annapurna’s house for around two months in 1878 and a friendship developed between the two. Tagore’s elder brother Satyendranath Tagore had sent him to the physician’s house to learn English. It is said Rabindranath Tagore developed an affection towards her and gave her the name Nalini. Many of Tagore’s works later had him referring to her as Nalini.
A member of the committee set by Visva Bharati said they do not want any objectionable scene in the movie and have asked the makers to give them the complete script. “Let us go through the complete script first and then the decision would be taken. The permission for the shooting has been sought for Kala Bhavana only,” another member said, referring to the varsity’s art wing, to the daily.
Another panel member said the makers can shoot the bilingual film (Bengali and Marathi) anywhere else and no one can stop them. But then they would have to refrain from involving Visva Bharati. Yet another member Jogen Chowdhary said the movie should ensure it doesn’t harm the dignity of an icon like Tagore.
The movie’s director Ujjwal Chatterjee said he had documents in which Tagore himself admitted to the relationship in writing. Chatterjee asserted his movie would be based on documents so there should not be any controversy at all.
(Source: The Telegraph)
