Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne
Encyclopedia
Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne directed by the late Satyajit Ray
and based on a story by his grandfather Upendra Kishore Ray, is a popular Bengali children's film. It is sometimes released in the English-speaking world as The Adventures Of Goopy And Bagha. It is one of Satyajit Ray's few films with an abundance of musical numbers.
According to Ray, the film was made as a request from his son who had encouraged him to make a film specifically for a younger audience. Adapting the story "Goopy Bagha," which was written by his grandfather Upendra Kishore Roychowdhury, Ray wrote the screenplay and also composed the songs and music for the film. Working with source material already familiar to audiences, especially in Bengal, Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne has become one of Ray's most well-known and successful films in India, but remains one of his least-seen or known films elsewhere in the world.
The film was followed by a couple of sequel
s. Hirak Rajar Deshe
was released after eleven years and Goopy Bagha Phire Elo
was released after twenty two years – all of them followed the commercial success of the first film.
), the son of a poor grocer Kanu Kyne from a village called Amloki. Goopy wants to become a singer but has a hoarse voice. Persuaded by village elders to sing for the king, he does so and is driven out of Amloki on a donkey for waking the king with his terrible singing. Exiled into a forest, he meets Bagha (Rabi Ghosh
), another exile from nearby Hortuki sent to the forest - in Bagha's case, due to playing a drum badly. They start singing and drumming, initially to scare off a roaming tiger, and in the process they attract a group of ghosts
who are fascinated by their music. The king of ghosts grants them three boons:
They travel to Shundi
, where a benevolent king appoints them court musicians. However the king of Halla
(the long lost brother of the king of Shundi) is planning to attack Shundi, after being poisoned with magic potion that makes him evil, given to the king of Halla by his self-centered prime minister. Goopy and Bagha travel to Halla in an attempt at preventing the attack, but are captured instead. Since they have now lost their slippers, they can't escape by magic, but manage to do so instead by strategy. They arrive singing and drumming when the soldiers are about to launch their attack, capturing the king of Halla, who is returned to Shundi. The two brothers are reunited and Goopy and Bagha marry the daughters of the two kings.
Nominations
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
and based on a story by his grandfather Upendra Kishore Ray, is a popular Bengali children's film. It is sometimes released in the English-speaking world as The Adventures Of Goopy And Bagha. It is one of Satyajit Ray's few films with an abundance of musical numbers.
According to Ray, the film was made as a request from his son who had encouraged him to make a film specifically for a younger audience. Adapting the story "Goopy Bagha," which was written by his grandfather Upendra Kishore Roychowdhury, Ray wrote the screenplay and also composed the songs and music for the film. Working with source material already familiar to audiences, especially in Bengal, Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne has become one of Ray's most well-known and successful films in India, but remains one of his least-seen or known films elsewhere in the world.
The film was followed by a couple of sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
s. Hirak Rajar Deshe
Hirak Rajar Deshe
Hirak Rajar Deshe is the second film of the Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne series directed by Satyajit Ray. A unique aspect of the film is that most of the dialogues exchanged by the protagonists of the film are rhyming...
was released after eleven years and Goopy Bagha Phire Elo
Goopy Bagha Phire Elo
Goopy Bagha Phirey Elo is the third sequel of Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne series. It was directed by Sandip Ray and written by his father Satyajit Ray. This film was released eleven years after its predecessor Hirak Rajar Deshe.-Plot:...
was released after twenty two years – all of them followed the commercial success of the first film.
Story
The story revolves around Gopinath Kyne (alias Goopy, played by Tapen ChatterjeeTapen Chatterjee
Tapen Chatterjee was a Bengali actor from India who played several roles in Satyajit Ray's films, notably as Goopy Gyne in Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne , and its sequels Heerak Rajar Deshe and Goopy Bagha Phire Elo . Chatterjee died on 24 May 2010 at the age of 72...
), the son of a poor grocer Kanu Kyne from a village called Amloki. Goopy wants to become a singer but has a hoarse voice. Persuaded by village elders to sing for the king, he does so and is driven out of Amloki on a donkey for waking the king with his terrible singing. Exiled into a forest, he meets Bagha (Rabi Ghosh
Rabi Ghosh
Rabi Ghosh was an actor from India. He is best known for his comic roles in Bengali movies, though his versatile acting talent has stunned viewers and critics alike in various kind of roles. He was a regular in Satyajit Ray cinemas...
), another exile from nearby Hortuki sent to the forest - in Bagha's case, due to playing a drum badly. They start singing and drumming, initially to scare off a roaming tiger, and in the process they attract a group of ghosts
Ghosts in Bengali culture
Ghosts are an important part of folklore in Bengal. Fairy tales, both old and new often use the concept of ghosts. In modern day Bengali literature as well, references to ghosts may be often found. It is believed that the spirits of those who cannot find peace in the afterlife or die unnatural...
who are fascinated by their music. The king of ghosts grants them three boons:
- They can get food and clothes whenever needed by clapping their hands,
- They are given a pair of magic slippers with which they can travel anywhere,
- They gain the ability to hold people in awe (literally, their music renders people motionless) with their music.
They travel to Shundi
Shundi
Shundi is a fictional kingdom depicted in Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, a film directed by Satyajit Ray based on a short story penned by his grandfather Upendrakishore Ray....
, where a benevolent king appoints them court musicians. However the king of Halla
Halla (fictional kingdom)
Halla is a fictional kingdom depicted in Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, a film directed by Satyajit Ray based on a short story penned by his grandfather Upendrakishore Ray....
(the long lost brother of the king of Shundi) is planning to attack Shundi, after being poisoned with magic potion that makes him evil, given to the king of Halla by his self-centered prime minister. Goopy and Bagha travel to Halla in an attempt at preventing the attack, but are captured instead. Since they have now lost their slippers, they can't escape by magic, but manage to do so instead by strategy. They arrive singing and drumming when the soldiers are about to launch their attack, capturing the king of Halla, who is returned to Shundi. The two brothers are reunited and Goopy and Bagha marry the daughters of the two kings.
Cast
- Tapan Chatterjee - Goopy
- Robi Ghosh - Bagha
- Santosh DuttaSantosh DuttaSantosh Dutta was a Bengali character actor, best known for immortalizing the character of Jatayu in Satyajit Ray's Feluda movies viz. Sonar Kella and Joi Baba Felunath. A lawyer by profession, Santosh Dutta will be remembered as one of the greatest comedians Bengali Films ever had. Essentially a...
- King of Shundi / King of Halla - Harindranath ChattopadhyayHarindranath ChattopadhyayHarindranath Chattopadhyay was an Indian English poet, an actor, and a member of the 1st Lok Sabha from Vijayawada constituency. He was the younger brother of Sarojini Naidu.-Life:...
- Borfi (The Magician) - Ajoy Banerjee - Visitor to Halla
- Ratan Banerjee - Court singer at Shundi
- Durgadas Bannerjee - King of Amloki
- Binoy Bose - Village elder / visitor to Halla
- Govinda Chakravarti - Goopy's father
- Abani Chatterjee - Village elder
- Kartik Chatterjee - Court singer at Shundi / visitor to Halla
- Santi Chatterjee - Commander of Halla army
- Gopal Dey - Executioner
- Shailen Ganguli - Visitor to Halla
- Jahar RoyJahor royJahor Roy was an Indian actor and comedian in Bengali cinema. He is most known for his comedy films with Bhanu Bandyopadhyay....
- Prime Minister of Halla - Tarun Mitra - Court singer at Shundi
- Haridhan Mukherjee - Village elder
- Prasad Mukherjee - King of ghosts / village elder
- Khagen Pathak - Village elder
- Chinmoy Roy - Spy of Halla
- Joykrishna Sanyal - Court singer at Shundi
- Mani Srimani - Visitor to Halla
Songs used in the film
- Dekho Re Nayon Mele
- Bhooter Raja Dilo Bor
- Maharaja! Tomare Selam
- Ek Je Chhilo Raja...
- Ore Baghare
- Halla Choleche Juddhe (which does not appear in the official soundtrack)
- O Mantri Moshai
- Ore Baba Dekho Cheye
Awards
Wins- National Film Award for Best Direction - 1968
- National Film Award for Best FilmNational Film Award for Best FilmThe National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
- 1968 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in BengaliNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in BengaliThe Indian National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali winners:...
- 1968 - President's Gold and Silver Medals, New Delhi, 1970
- Silver Cross, Adelaide Film FestivalAdelaide Film FestivalThe Adelaide Film Festival is a biennial and non-competitive film festival held over two weeks in late February, in Adelaide, South Australia....
, 1969 - Best Director, Auckland International Film Festival, 1969
- Merit Award, Tokyo Film Festival, 1970
- Best Film, Melbourne International Film FestivalMelbourne International Film FestivalThe Melbourne International Film Festival is an acclaimed annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1951, making it one of the oldest in the World....
, 1970
Nominations
- Golden BearGolden BearAccording to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
, 19th Berlin International Film Festival19th Berlin International Film FestivalThe 19th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 25 to July 6, 1969.-Jury:* Johannes Schaaf * Agnesa Kalinova* José P...
, 1969