Bauddhayan Mukherji: ‘Teenkahon’ gave birth to the director in me

Bauddhayan Mukherji was holidaying in Sri Lanka where he was reading a collection of Bengali short stories edited by Sunil Gangopadhyay. One story that struck him was Swami O Premik (Husband and the Lover) by Syed Mustafa Siraj which led him toTeenkahon.

A film which was supposed to be based on a single story was later developed into three different plots, exploring and experimenting with the nuances of cinema. Speaking about his directorial debut, Bauddhayan Mukherji says,

“Gradually the thought of a single short film gave rise to three short films being put together in a triptych film. Teenkahon gave birth to the director in me.”

Teenkahon celebrates 100 years of cinema and depicts three different eras. Making such a film required a lot of patience, preparation and hard work, Bauddhayan says,

“Teenkahon is also my tribute to the 100 years of Indian filmmaking. Each film stays true to the filmmaking style of that period – I have tried to use methods, techniques and tools available in that particular era.”

Teenkahon is a film which, as a piece of social document, tries to capture the changing face of morality, the degeneration of values, the increasing pollution of the spoken language and the changing social fabric of Bengal through three stories. The film is set for release in West Bengal on September 11, 2015.