Kolkata is called the City of Joy, and it sure evokes a sense of happiness with its old-world charm. However, the cultural expanse of the city has found a spot in several films and series over the years, each exploring and depicting a new side of it. So, if you’re also looking to explore Kolkata through films, we have some recommendations for you! By Anushka Goel
Cities serve as the perfect backdrop for a story. Often in films, stark contrasts between two people are shown through their cultural backgrounds – the families they belong to, their influences, and the city or town they are from or have been living in. Kolkata is one such diverse city, which has lent itself to be the muse of several stories, such as Kahaani, Gunday, Piku, or Devdas.
From romances to mystery, the City of Joy, with its rich culture, food and architecture, has been able to add an element of mysticism and an old-world aura to the silver screen that none other can.
To pay homage to the brilliance of Kolkata, we’ve picked 10 films – both new and old – for you to explore the city from your screens.
Explore Kolkata through these films
Howrah Bridge (1958)
Kolkata lends the perfect backdrop to the 1950s mysterious, noir film starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala. The movie features a young man who travels from Rangoon (Yangon, Myanmar) to Calcutta (Kolkata) to find out about his brother’s murder. Kolkata is in the very heart of the film, and various backdrops such as the iconic Howrah Bridge make several scenic appearances in this black-and-white film.
Watch online on YouTube or Jio Cinema.
Lootera (2013)
Lootera, starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha, is partly based on O Henry’s The Last Leaf. Set in a recently-independent India, the story features Varun, a conman posing as an archaeologist, who falls in love with Pakhi, a Bengali zamindar’s daughter. Their love story takes one through the rural charm of the city and the nearby hill station of Dalhousie, where the story ends.
Watch online on Netflix.
Devdas (2002)
The classic romantic tragedy features a stellar cast, including the leads Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit Nene, along with seasoned actors such as Kirron Kher and Jackie Shroff essaying important characters. The film shows various sides of the early twentieth century Kolkata and is a visual treat not only for its portrayal of the city but also for its grandeur and the stark contrasts it created between the various worlds throughout its storyline.
Watch online on Amazon Prime Video.
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015)
Set in the Calcutta (Kolkata) of World War 2, this is one of the movies that lets one explore the old-world charm of Kolkata in its mysterious, noir form. Based on the life of the popular fictional character Detective Byomkesh Bakshi, the movie, starring Sushant Singh Rajput in the titular role, takes one through a thrilling journey of Kolkata and its thrilling, unexpected presence.
Watch online on Amazon Prime Video.
Naukari (1954)
The 1954 film, featuring Kishore Kumar and Sheila Raman, traces Ratan Kumar Choudhary’s struggles to get a job. The film showcases Kolkata as a place for the youth, their struggles, dreams and ambitions while tracing the narrative of the youth in post-independence India.
Watch online on YouTube.
The Namesake (2006)
The Namesake, starring Irrfan, Tabu and Kal Penn, is the story of first-generation immigrants from West Bengal. The film is shot in New York and Kolkata and depicts the journey of a young NRI rediscovering his roots in his hometown, in the City of Joy, while also depicting his parents’ love story simultaneously and presenting Kolkata as an exciting city, yet rooted in its traditions and culture.
Watch online on Disney + Hotstar.
Kahaani (2012)
This story of a pregnant woman on a journey to find her missing husband is a thriller that shows Kolkata’s various sides – right from its streets to the iconic Durga Puja celebrations the city is so known for. Starring Vidya Balan and Parambrata Chatterjee in key roles, the film explores Kolkata through the lens of an NRI and shows how the most colourful and mundane places can hide secrets in plain daylight.
Watch online on Jio Cinema.
Piku (2015)
Piku traces the journey of a father-daughter duo along with the owner of a travel agency, who journey from Delhi to Kolkata by road, encountering various challenges and experiences on their way. The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan, is the journey of an old man, Bhashkor Banerjee, who suffers from constipation, and his daily arguments and banter with his daughter Piku – who is his caregiver and has had little time for herself because of her familial situation. The film’s portions, shot in Kolkata, show the city from the eyes of both – a local and a tourist – and is a visual treat for those looking to explore the City of Joy.
Watch online on SonyLiv.
Parineeta (2005)
The love story of Lalita and Shekhar, the film is a classic set in the beautiful bylanes of Kolkata. Right from the old-style homes to the Moulin Rouge-style clubs and pubs to the rich zamindar families and the importance of music and education in the Bengali culture, the movie embodies the City of Joy like no other. Parineeta stars Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt in important roles, and is a must-watch for those who want to explore the Kolkata of the ’90s through films.
Watch online on Amazon Prime Video.
Gunday (2014)
The story of two young boys who escape from Bangladesh and reach Kolkata, only to enter a world of crime, stars Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Irrfan in important roles. The film takes viewers on a Kolkata Darshan, through all its important tourist sites, and then some more.
Watch online on Amazon Prime Video.
Hero and Featured Image: A still from Piku
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