On a cruise along the Ganges, the launch of the song Sona bondhu re, rendered in Iman Chakraborty’s soulful voice, became a memorable moment for the cast and crew of Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s upcoming film Lokkhikantopur Local. Rooted in Bengal’s folk traditions, the song captures the soul of Mukherjee’s slice-of-life film, exploring the lives of people in a bustling city like Calcutta and their bond with caregivers from the suburbs. Ahead of the release of the film in the theatres on November 21, the team got together aboard a Vivada cruise vessel.
The timeless piece by Hemango Biswas beautifully captures the connection between the soul and the soil, echoing the rhythms of rural Bengal. Iman Chakraborty’s rendition, under the musical direction of Manish Chakraborty (MeghManish), brings forth the deep emotions of love and longing that resonate with the film’s narrative. As the vessel moved towards Rabindra Setu, the video of the film’s song was screened aboard, adding to the ambience. Following the screening, Iman delighted everyone with a live performance of the track, accompanied by cast member Madan Mitra. Iman expressed: “After many days, I had the opportunity to sing a folk song. I truly enjoyed it and want to extend my gratitude to director Ram Kamal Mukherjee, Ritudi (Rituparna Sengupta), and everyone else involved for letting me be part of this genuine folk experience in the film.”
It was a double celebration for the team as it was actor Rituparna Sengupta’s birthday. Rituparna, who stars alongside Kaushik Ganguly as a mature couple in the film, made an elegant appearance in a pink Anarkali. She was greeted warmly by her colleagues as they showered her with birthday wishes. The celebration continued aboard the cruise vessel, where Rituparna cut her birthday cake surrounded by the cast and crew. “I had a fantastic celebration on the cruise. I was so touched as I had no plans to celebrate this year, remembering my mother... the cruise felt like the best place to launch the song. I am grateful to the entire cast and crew who chose that day to launch the song and celebrate with me. I am looking forward to the release of the film on the people who become so indispensable to the lives of city dwellers,” said Rituparna.
No cruise celebration is truly complete without delectable cuisine. As this was a river cruise, the menu featured the star of the day: Hilsa. Rituparna, along with co-stars Saayoni Ghosh and Sangita Sinha, joined Iman Chakraborty in a lively session to cook Hilsa fries and prepare Hilsa paturi. Saayoni expressed her excitement for the film’s release, saying, “The song release on the Ganges was beautiful. It’s a soulful and melodious track featuring Ritudi and Paoli. This film is an entertainment package, and I hope audiences enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.”
As the team made their way back to Millennium Park, they savoured a delicious Hilsa lunch, all the while basking in the breeze as the afternoon sun gradually made way for the sunset. Sangita Sinha, who has co-produced the film, said: “When Ram Kamal shared the story with me, I knew it would be a dream project. I truly hope everyone appreciates it. We were so immersed in the experience when Iman sang the song. The Hilsa session, combined with the music on the Ganges, created unforgettable moments for us.”