Clad in a simple yellow sari, Subhashree Ganguly exuded the quiet grace of Titli, the character she portrays in Indraadip Dasgupta’s upcoming film Grihapravesh. Much like her costume, everything about the setting at the trailer launch — held at The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata on the death anniversary of Rituparno Ghosh — was thematically aligned. The event, attended by Prosenjit Chatterjee, Abir Chatterjee, Kaushik Ganguly, Raj Chakraborty and the entire cast and crew, featured a panel discussion, the unveiling of the film’s poster, and the premiere of the trailer — all in loving homage to the late auteur.
Prosenjit Chatterjee, who attended the trailer launch on the same day as the re-release of Sasurbari Zindabad, arrived in an olive green kurta-pyjama and spoke warmly about the film’s visual and emotional appeal. “Every frame of the trailer looks as though it’s been drawn by hand — there’s a certain softness and care in the way it’s been crafted. I absolutely love the songs; they carry a beautiful emotional weight and blend seamlessly with the visuals. The fragrance in this trailer is very sweet — it lingers. It feels like a piece of poetry on screen. My congratulations to the entire team — the artistes, the director, and everyone involved. I genuinely loved the work and I’m looking forward to watching the film,” he said.
The cast and crew posed with the poster of 'Grihapravesh'
Set in a grand ancestral home that evokes the feel of a traditional rajbari, Grihapravesh follows the emotional upheaval of a young woman whose life takes an unexpected turn after marriage. Titli’s husband, Shaon, leaves her shortly after their wedding to return to his parental home, and she is left behind in the cavernous family mansion. The arrival of a guest, Meghdoot (played by Jeetu Kamal), disrupts the eerie stillness of her life — and stirs something deeper.
An inevitable bond forms between Titli and Meghdoot, sparking differing reactions among the other residents of the house. Kaushik Ganguly plays the ageing patriarch who seems empathetic and supportive. Sohini Sengupta’s character, however, represents a more rigid, traditional voice — fretting over who will care for them in old age if Titli were to leave. Rudranil Ghosh adds to the tension as a self-serving relative hoping to seize ownership of the house should Shaon never return.
Meghdoot, too, harbours secrets, and Titli’s growing affection for him leaves her in a state of guilt and inner turmoil. Is she being unfaithful to her absent husband, or simply reclaiming a life of her own? The trailer builds steadily towards a moment of mystery — a knock at the door, a man’s hand reaching out — but no face is shown. Framed portraits of Rituparno Ghosh line the walls of the house, and the spirit of his cinema lingers in the film’s aesthetics, themes, and tonal complexity.
Subhashree said, “Whenever we speak about Rituda, I feel this deep sadness — not just because he’s no longer with us, but because of all the meetings that never happened, the collaborations we never had. That remains a regret. I never got to work with him, never even got to touch his hand. I remember meeting him once at a similar event — I was completely awestruck. He must have sensed it, because he came over to me and said he had watched Paran Jaye Joliya Re. That moment meant so much. I’m truly grateful to ID (Indraadip) for imagining a film like Grihapravesh and thinking of it as a tribute to Rituda. Every single day on set, we could feel his presence. It was like he was silently watching over us. And when you see the film, it feels as though his essence lingers in every frame.”
Director Indraadip Dasgupta said, “We tried to remember Rituda in our own humble way through this film — it’s our small tribute to someone whose influence continues to shape Bengali cinema. Releasing the trailer on this day felt meaningful and deeply personal. I truly believe in Rituparno Ghosh’s blessings; there’s a quiet strength and grace that his legacy carries, and I hope that some of that has touched this work. Subhashree and Jeetu have never been seen like this before — their performances bring something new and heartfelt, something I think
Rituda would have appreciated. I’m hopeful that audiences will connect with the emotion, love the film, and take away something that stays with them.”
Grihapravesh, both in content and craft, seems to tip its hat to Rituparno’s legacy — an emotional, layered exploration of identity, longing and societal expectations — with performances that promise depth and resonance. The film releases on June 13.
(Clockwise from left) Abir Chatterjee, Indraadip Dasgupta, Jeetu Kamal and Rudranil Ghosh, Sohini Sengupta, Kaushik Ganguly and Prosenjit Chatterjee
