For Bengalis, Durga Puja isn’t just a festival — it is an emotion, a feeling and a story told and retold in countless ways.
The dhaak beats, the glow of pandal lights and Durga idols have become an important part of several iconic film sequences that bring the magic of Puja on screen.
From family bonding over the days of the festival in Belasheshe to exploring the joys of autumnal spectacle in Pather Panchali, here is a look at five iconic scenes that have celebrated the essence of Durga Puja.
A shocking truth for the Majumdars unfurls on the night of Dashami in Belasheshe
Family drama Belasheshe beautifully captures the bliss of family members returning home to attend their Barir Puja. However, the narrative takes a shocking turn when, on the night of Dashami, Biswanath (played by Soumitra Chatterjee), the ageing patriarch of the Majumdar household, reluctantly declares that he wants to divorce his wife, Arati (Swatilekha Sengupta). As the rhythm of dhaak fades in the backdrop, an unpleasant silence and shock creeps into the Majumdar household, with Arati leaving the room with a sombre smile after her husband’s announcement.
‘Porshu Toh Shasthi?’ in Joy Baba Felunath
A Durga idol is being made at the Ghoshal household. Feluda (Soumitra Chatterjee) observes the elderly idol-maker, Shashi Babu (Santosh Sinha), putting layers of colour on the idol. Feluda asks him whether he would be able to finish his work by the day after tomorrow, which would be Maha Sashthi, capturing the eagerness of Bengalis who wait for the annual festival’s arrival.
Reliving the delight of Durga Puja in Utsab
In an almost empty house, with silent corridors, Bhagabati (Madhabi Mukherjee) settles down with her daughter Keya (Rituparna Sengupta) and son-in-law Arun (Prosenjit) to watch a documentary made by her grandson Joy, which features their recent bari’r Puja. As they watch, laughter and tears intermingle, and they cherish the memories left behind from the celebrations at their residence, amidst the emotional currents that flow beneath the festive occasion.
Experiencing the joy of the autumnal festival through the eyes of children in Pather Panchali
In Pather Panchali, Satyajit Ray uses the Durga Puja festival to highlight the economic disparity between the rich and poor, showing how the impoverished Apu and Durga are drawn to the festivities amidst their own hardship. The scene shows a magical, intimate atmosphere through a child’s perspective, using sounds of conch shells and dhak drums, and focusing on details like sweets, rather than grand spectacle.
Murder on the night of Dashami in Doshhomi
In the film Doshhomi (2012), Abhi (Indraneil Sengupta) and Tuli (Koel Mullick) are childhood friends who reunite during Puja and share joyful moments. But when Abhi confesses his love, Tuli reveals she is engaged, leaving him devastated. On Dashami night, at the Ganga ghat amid idol immersion, Abhi drowns her in a desperate act.