In a monumental stride for Indian cinema, “Devi Chowdhurani,” starring the illustrious Prosenjit Chatterjee alongside Srabanti Chatterjee, has become the first Bengali film to be accorded official Indo-UK co-production status by both governments. This landmark collaboration underscores the deepening cultural and creative ties between India and the United Kingdom, setting a new precedent in international film production.
Produced by Aparna and Aniruddha Dasgupta of Adited Motion Pictures (USA/India) in conjunction with Soumyajit Majumdar of LOK Arts Collective (India/UK), “Devi Chowdhurani” is directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Subhrajit Mitra. The film, adapted from the classic novel by Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay, chronicles the life of India’s first female freedom fighter and is set to feature a mesmerizing musical score by globally renowned composer Pandit Bickram Ghosh.The UK co-producers of this ambitious film project ( one of the biggest in Bengali cinema) are HC Films and Moringa Studios .
The magnum opus along with “Joyguru” ( film based on life of internationally acclaimed mystic and singer Parvathy Baul) , the recently announced flagship Indo-USA-UK-France co-production are the first two films from the collaboration slate of Adited Motion Pictures and LOK Arts Collective with a focus on global Indian cinema.
The recognition of “Devi Chowdhurani” as an official co-production is a testament to the robust cultural diplomacy efforts between India and the UK, facilitated by the Indo-UK film co-production treaty signed in 2007.
On October 16, 2023, the concepts of both “Devi Chowdhurani” and the forthcoming musical pan-India Hindi feature film “Joyguru” was shared by Soumyajit Majumdar at a historic reception at the Guildhall. Hosted by Mr. Munsur Ali, London City Corporation Chairman of Culture, Heritage, and Libraries, the event was graced by a distinguished assembly of delegates from the Cultural Ministries of both India and the UK. The assembly included Ms. Lily Pandey, Joint Secretary Culture and co-chair of the G20 culture working group (contingent leader), Ms. Hayley Raines (Team Lead, Cultural Diplomacy DCMS, United Kingdom), Mr. Vivek Gupta (Director, Ministry of Culture, India), Dr. Anirban Dash, Director, National Manuscripts Mission of India, Ms. Kanupriya Bhatter (Lead Consultant Cultural Projects and Partnerships, G20 Culture Working Group, India), Adrian Chadwick, Regional Director British Council (South Asia), and Debanjan Chakrabarti, Director East and North East India & in-post UK Lead for G20 Culture track.
This reception highlighted the significance of such Indo-UK collaborations in fostering and strengthening cultural bonds between the two nations. The esteemed delegates expressed enthusiastic support for these projects, recognizing their potential to enhance cultural diplomacy and mutual understanding.
The Indian authorities instrumental in this landmark decision include the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, NFDC ( National Film Development Corporation) , FFO ( Film Facilitation Office) , and Invest India, with the British Film Institute (BFI) and DCMS ( Department of Culture, Media and Sports) representing the UK
