Mastul, a township-based socio-cultural group, braved heavy downpour and gusty wind in paying tribute to filmmaker Tarun Majumdar, who passed away on July 4 at the age of 91. Majumdar holds a special place in the hearts of Mastul members as he had presided over their first meet in 2012.
“Tarun Majumdar was the chief patron of Mastul. We started our organisation under his guidance and even though his demise has created a void, we shall try to carry forward his vision,” president Abhijit Sengupta said at their meet held at a street corner near the AMP Vaisaakkhi mall.
Members, who gathered at the spot, got partially drenched but stayed put till the shower ended. Assistant secretary Gourabdip Bhattacharya remarked: “The problems we are facing in commemorating him in this challenging weather reminds us of the difficulties faced by Majumdar while shooting for his 1974 film Fuleswari.”
Bhattacharya, who is also the editor of Mastul’s magazine Naiya, felt that Majumdar’s works would remain relevant even after 50 years in the field of film, literature and culture. “He covered every genre with finesse,” he said.
Cultural secretary Nilanjana Das sang the Hemanta Mukherjee song Jeona darao bandhu from Majumdar’s Fuleswari. “We have started a separate cultural unit for children called Katu Kutu Buro where we organise contests and stage shows to spread our culture,” she added.
Vice-president Arindam Das remarked how down-to-earth Majumdar was despite being an icon while secretary Purnendu Manna recalled how he had helped the group in various capacities. “One of our primary objectives is to uphold the language and cultural heritage of Bengal and this he would do so by contributing to our magazine,” he said.
“Over the years, we have worked for cultural enrichment as well as social causes even during the pandemic,” pointed out Bhattacharya.
