“Just because Akashvani has replaced me, will I now try and replace the akash [sky],” popular Bengali broadcaster Birendra Krishna Bhadra asks in the teaser of Soumik Sen’s upcoming film Mahalaya.
Written and directed by Sen (Gulaab Gang), the film is based on All India Radio Calcutta’s decision to drop Bhadra from the immensely popular radio show Mahisasuramardini in 1976.
Bhadra was known for his 90-minute recitation of Sanskrit verses during Durga Puja. All India Radio’s decision to replace Bhadra’s recitation with one by Bengali movie icon Uttam Kumar led to public outrage, following which Bhadra was reinstated.
Subhasish Mukherjee plays Bhadra and Jisshu Sengupta Kumar in Soumik Sen’s film. Bengali star Prosenjit Chatterjee has produced the film through his banner Nideas Creations.