https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Once_Upon_a_Time_in_CalcuttaOnce Upon a Time in Calcutta - Revision history2026-11-14T12:15:38ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Calcutta&diff=522959&oldid=prevDenaDelamothe53: Made New Stub2026-04-11T14:16:24Z<p>Made New Stub</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Distinguish|Once Upon a Time in Kolkata}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2026}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| image = Once Upon a Time in Calcutta.jpg<br />
| caption = Film poster<br />
| director = [[Aditya Vikram Sengupta]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Aditya Vikram Sengupta on his film 'Once Upon A Time In Calcutta'|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/aditya-vikram-sengupta-on-his-film-once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta/cid/1824152|access-date=2021-09-26|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref><br />
| writer = [[Aditya Vikram Sengupta]]<br />
| producer = {{plainlist|<br />
*Anshulika Dubey<br />
*Priyankar Agarwal <br />
*Shashwat Singh<br />
*Aditya Vikram Sengupta <ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12381206/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cst_sm</ref><br />
*Jonaki Bhattacharya <ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12381206/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cst_sm</ref><br />
*Priyankar Patra <ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12381206/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cst_sm</ref><br />
*Vikram Mohanta <ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12381206/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cst_sm</ref><br />
}}<br />
| starring = {{ubl|[[Sreelekha Mitra]]|Arindam Ghosh|[[Anirban Chakrabarti]]|Shayak Roy|[[Rikita Nandini Shimu]]|Satrajit Sarkar|[[Bratya Basu]]}}<br />
| cinematography = [[Gökhan Tiryaki]]<ref name=":1" /><br />
| editing = [[Aditya Vikram Sengupta]]<br />
| music = Minco Eggersman<br />
| studio = For Films<br />
| distributor = [[SVF Entertainment]]<br />
| released = {{Film date|2021|09|07|[[Venice]]|df=yes|2025|02|07|India|ref1=<ref>{{cite news |title=Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s ‘Mayanagar’ to release in theatres on February 7; trailer out |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/aditya-vikram-senguptas-film-to-release-in-theatres-on-february-7-trailer-out/cid/2080950 |access-date=6 February 2025 |work=[[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]] |date=1 February 2025}}</ref>}}<br />
| country = [[India]] <br> [[France]] <br> [[Norway]]<br />
| language = Bengali<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''''Mayanagar''''' ({{Translation|City Of Illusions}}), released internationally as '''''Once Upon A Time In Calcutta''''' is a 2021 [[Bengali language|Bengali]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Aditya Vikram Sengupta]].<ref name=":1" /> It is the third film by the Indian director and produced by Wishberry Films, in association with [[For Films]], with Catherine Dussart Productions (of France) and DUOfilm As (of Norway). The film had its world premiere at the [[78th Venice International Film Festival]] in September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-08|title=Biennale Cinema 2021 {{!}} Once Upon a Time in Calcutta|url=https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2021/lineup/orizzonti/once-upon-time-calcutta|access-date=2021-09-19|website=La Biennale di Venezia|language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
The film stars [[Sreelekha Mitra]] as the protagonist, along with Arindam Ghosh, [[Bratya Basu]], Satrajit Sarkar, [[Anirban Chakrabarti]], [[Rikita Nandini Shimu]] and debutant Shayak Roy in supporting roles. The film was in development since 2015 and was part of the LÁtleier [[Cinéfondation|Cinefondation]] at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] before it was supported by CNC, Sorfond and NFDC Film Bazaar.<br />
<br />
Sengupta says he got the idea for the film when he took a picture of a dinosaur statue outside Kolkata's [[Science City Kolkata|Science City]], which was fast being overshadowed by the [[Maa Flyover|construction of a new flyover]] – a literal representation of a relic from the past, juxtaposed with a symbol of Kolkata's economic development. To [[Screen International|Screen Daily]], Sengupta mentions, "It looked like the flyover and the dinosaur were about to start a race".<ref>{{cite web|last=Shackleton |first=Liz |date=2021-09-05 |title=Indian filmmaker Aditya Vikram Sengupta talks Venice premiere 'Once Upon A Time In Calcutta'|url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/indian-filmmaker-aditya-vikram-sengupta-talks-venice-premiere-once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta/5162984.article|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Screen}}</ref> It received two awards at [[New York Indian Film Festival]], 2022, including Best Direction for Sengupta and Best Actress for Mitra.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=NYIFF 2022: 'Once Upon a Time in Calcutta', 'Shoebox' win top honours |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/hindi/2022/may/15/nyiff-2022-once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-shoebox-win-top-honours-2453853.html |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> The film was released theatrically in India on 7 February 2025.<br />
<br />
== Synopsis ==<br />
<br />
Ela ([[Sreelekha Mitra]]), a bereaved mother, wants to leave the house of her husband and start an independent life of her own. She's the daughter of a cabaret dancer, who once had an affair with the owner of an iconic theatre in North Calcutta, called Circarena (the first revolving stage in Asia, owned by Amar Ghosh). Ela's step-brother, Bubu ([[Bratya Basu]]) lives alone in the now abandoned theatre.<br />
<br />
Unable to secure a bank loan to buy a house of her own, Ela uses her boss, owner of [[Saradha Group financial scandal|a ponzi-scheme]] to get what she wants. Soon, however, she realizes that she's not the only scavenger in a city hungry for more.<br />
<br />
The film is inspired by true events.<ref name=":0">{{Citation|title=Once Upon A Time in Calcutta {{!}} Anupama Chopra's Review {{!}} Film Companion|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcgMqJEoJbI|language=en|access-date=2021-09-19}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Cast ==<br />
<br />
* [[Sreelekha Mitra]] as Ela<br />
* [[Bratya Basu]] as Bubu<br />
* Satrajit Sarkar as Shishir<br />
* Arindam Ghosh as Bhaskar<br />
* Shayak Roy as Raja<br />
* [[Rikita Nandini Shimu]] as Pinky<br />
* [[Anirban Chakrabarti]] as Pradipta <ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Production ==<br />
The film was shot over a period of two and half months in Kolkata, India.{{fact|date=September 2022}}<br />
<br />
Initially, [[Fred Kelemen|Fred Keleman]] was supposed to shoot the film, which was then titled ''Memories and My Mother''. Later, [[Gökhan Tiryaki]], the collaborator of [[Nuri Bilge Ceylan]] came on board as the cinematographer.{{fact|date=September 2022}}<br />
<br />
The shoot was abruptly interrupted because the production refused to play by the rules of the Federation. The conflict arose when the Federation asked Aditya Vikram to hire its members. Generally, a film shot in Kolkata has to have approximately 70 members from the Federation in its crew. Many directors and production houses have complained that sometimes it gets too much for them to abide by this norm. "They wanted us to work with their members. That wasn't possible for me as I have my own team. When I refused, the Federation president said they would not let me work in Kolkata. That is when I realised this was an unfair logic and stopped indulging in it. I found it juvenile," [[Aditya Vikram Sengupta|Aditya]] told [[The Times of India|Times of India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Federation president told me I am doing illegal things and I asked him to file a case against me: Aditya Vikram Sengupta - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/the-federation-president-told-me-i-am-doing-illegal-things-and-i-asked-him-to-file-a-case-against-me-aditya-vikram-sengupta/articleshow/84816077.cms|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
Jonaki Bhattacharya, who previously collaborated with Aditya on ''[[Asha Jaoar Majhe|Labour of Love]]'' and ''[[Jonaki (film)|Jonaki]]'' joined as the executive producer and the production designer. Dutch composer, Minco Eggersman, was the last to creatively come on board and scored the original soundtrack of the film.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ONCE UPON A TIME IN CALCUTTA, by ME|url=https://mincoeggersman.bandcamp.com/album/once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta|access-date=2021-09-19|website=ME}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Release ==<br />
The film premiered at the [[78th Venice International Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ghosh|first=Sankhayan|date=2021-07-28|title=Aditya Vikram Sengupta On His Venice-Bound Once Upon A Time In Calcutta: 'This Is A Film For Everyone'|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/bengali-features/once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-bengali-movie-aditya-vikram-sengupta-on-his-venice-bound-this-is-a-film-for-everyone/|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Film Companion|language=en-US}}</ref> The premiere was attended by the lead actors Sreelekha Mitra and Arindam Ghosh, along with co-producers Catherine Dussart and Ingrid Lill Høgtun, and For Films producer, Priyankar Patra, who also attended the Venice Production Bridge to pitch Sengupta's next project.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-02|title=Biennale Cinema 2021 {{!}} Selected projects of the Venice Gap-Financing Market / New edition of the Book Adaptation Rights Market|url=https://www.labiennale.org/en/news/selected-projects-venice-gap-financing-market-new-edition-book-adaptation-rights-market|access-date=2021-09-19|website=La Biennale di Venezia|language=en}}</ref> The film had its North American premiere at the [[New Directors/New Films Festival|New Directors New Films]] [[Museum of Modern Art|MoMA]] in 2022 before screening and winning awards at other festivals in the US.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shankar's Fairies, Once Upon A Time In Calcutta to be screened at New Directors/New Films |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2022/mar/30/33856/shankar-s-fairies-once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-to-be-screened-at-new-directors-new-films |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609180315/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2022/mar/30/33856/shankar-s-fairies-once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-to-be-screened-at-new-directors-new-films |url-status=live |archive-date=9 June 2022 |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=Cinestaan}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Reception ==<br />
The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews after the Venice screening.<br />
<br />
[[Saibal Chatterjee]] of [[NDTV]] gave the film four out of five stars. He writes, "''Once Upon A Time In Calcutta'' is a triumph. It meshes the intimate with the epic with glorious felicity."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Once Upon A Time In Calcutta Review: A Portrait Of A City As A Giant Living Organism|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-review-a-portrait-of-a-city-as-a-giant-living-organism-4-stars-2533641|access-date=2021-09-19|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> Giving the film 4.5 out of 5, [[The Quint]] writes, "As we concentrate on the minutiae of everyday life, the film captures with tenderness and brilliance a city in flux."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ghosh|first=Stutee|date=2021-09-09|title=Review: 'Once Upon a Time in Calcutta' Tenderly Captures a City in Flux|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-review-aditya-vikram-sengupta-sreelekha-mitra-venice-film-festival|access-date=2021-09-19|website=TheQuint|language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
[[The Hindu]] in its post-Venice coverage added, "save ''[[Dune (2021 film)|Dune]]'' for IMAX, don't miss ''Once Upon a Time in Calcutta''."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ramachandran|first=Naman|date=2021-09-09|title=Notes from Venice Film Festival: save 'Dune' for IMAX, don't miss 'Once Upon a Time in Calcutta'|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/venice-film-festival-2021-films-entertainment/article36375094.ece|access-date=2021-09-19|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> David Katz of [[Cineuropa]] gave the film a positive review, calling it "a cinematic poem to contemporary Kolkata".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Review: Once Upon a Time in Calcutta|url=https://www.cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/410434/|access-date=2021-09-19|last=Katz|first=David|website=[[Cineuropa]]|language=en}}</ref> [[Anupama Chopra]] praises [[Sreelekha Mitra]] in her review for Film Companion, "Sreelekha plays Ela without a trace of vanity. Her circumstances might be pathetic but she certainly isn't. Instead, Aditya and Gokhan imbue her life with poetry."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chopra|first=Anupama|date=2021-09-08|title=Once Upon A Time In Calcutta Review: A Heartbreaking Fairytale About A City That Survives|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/bengali-review/once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-movie-review-a-heartbreaking-fairytale-about-a-city-that-survives-anupama-chopra/|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Film Companion|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ডাইনোসর, ক্ষুধা ও রবীন্দ্রনাথ |url=https://mepaper.anandabazar.com/imageview_82352_35140940_4_71_10-02-2025_10_i_1_sf.html |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=epaper.anandabazar.com |language=en-US |archive-date=26 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226124842/https://mepaper.anandabazar.com/imageview_82352_35140940_4_71_10-02-2025_10_i_1_sf.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=দিশেহারা কলকাতা শহরের এক বিধ্বস্ত এপিটাফ |url=https://robbar.in/entertainment/a-film-review-of-mayanagar/ |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Robbar |language=en-US}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Awards ==<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable"<br />
|-<br />
! Award<br />
! Year<br />
! Category<br />
! Recipient<br />
! Result<br />
! {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}<br />
|-<br />
![[El Gouna Film Festival]]<br />
|2021<br />
|NETPAC Special Mention<br />
|[[Aditya Vikram Sengupta]]<br />
|{{Won}}<br />
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-23 |title=Egyptian film 'Feathers' wins best Arab feature at El Gouna Film Festival |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2021/10/23/egyptian-film-feathers-wins-best-arab-feature-at-el-gouna-film-festival/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref><br />
|-<br />
!Washington DC International Film Festival<br />
|2022<br />
|Circle Award<br />
|Aditya Vikram Sengupta<br />
|{{Won}}<br />
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aditya Vikram's film 'Once Upon A Time In Calcutta' bags prestigious Circle Award in US - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/aditya-vikrams-film-once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-bags-prestigious-circle-award-in-us/articleshow/91263943.cms |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref><br />
|-<br />
![[Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles]]<br />
|2022<br />
|Grand Jury Award - Best Feature Film<br />
|Aditya Vikram Sengupta<br />
|{{Won}}<br />
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-03 |title=IFFLA announces winners for 2022 edition, 'Once Upon a Time in Calcutta' bags top honour |url=https://theprint.in/features/iffla-announces-winners-for-2022-edition-once-upon-a-time-in-calcutta-bags-top-honour/941023/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" |[[New York Indian Film Festival|New York Indian Film Festival Award]]<br />
| rowspan="2" |2022<br />
|Best Director<br />
|[[Aditya Vikram Sengupta]]<br />
|{{won}}<br />
|<ref name=":2" /><br />
|-<br />
|Best Actress in a Leading Role<br />
|[[Sreelekha Mitra]]<br />
|{{won}}<br />
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=নিউইয়র্ক ইন্ডিয়ান ফিল্ম ফেস্টিভ্যালে সেরা অভিনেত্রীর পুরস্কার পেলেন শ্রীলেখা |url=https://bangla.aajtak.in/cinema-and-tv-serial-news/tollywood-bengali-cinema/story/tollywood-actress-sreelekha-mitra-won-best-actress-award-new-york-indian-film-festival-once-upon-time-calcutta-rjk-374047-2022-05-15 |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Aaj Tak বাংলা |language=bn}}</ref><br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="3" |[[West Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards|WBFJA Award]]<br />
| rowspan="3" |2026<br />
|[[West Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for Best Film|Best film]]<br />
|Aditya Vikram Sengupta<br />
|{{Won}}<br />
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nessa |first=Naikun |title=WBFJA Awards: বাংলা সিনেমা জগতে গর্বের মুহূর্ত তৈরি করল শ্রীলেখা মিত্রের ‘মায়ানগর’ |url=https://bengali.indianexpress.com/entertainment/wbfja-award-mayanagar-aditya-vikram-sengupta-shrilekha-mitra-10991706 |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=bengali.indianexpress.com |language=bn}}</ref><br />
|-<br />
|[[West Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for Best Director|Best director]]<br />
|Aditya Vikram Sengupta<br />
|{{Nominated}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|[[West Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for Best Actress|Best actress in a leading role]]<br />
|Sreelekha Mitra<br />
|{{Nominated}}<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* {{IMDb title|tt12381206}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:2021 films]]<br />
[[Category:Bengali-language Indian films]]<br />
[[Category:SCUD films]]<br />
[[Category:2025 Indian films]]<br />
[[Category:Bengali-language drama films]]</div>DenaDelamothe53