Veteran filmmaker, musician and actor Anjan Dutt has returned to the National Film Awards winners’ list after 14 years, with Chaalchitra Ekhon winning the Best Bengali Feature Film award at the 72nd National Film Awards.
Released in 2024, Chaalchitra Ekhon pays tribute to legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen.
Dutt directed and co-produced the film with his son, Neel Dutt, and also portrayed a character inspired by the acclaimed auteur.
The film revisits the making of Sen’s iconic Chalchitra and explores Dutt’s own debut in cinema.
Set in the 1980s, it follows the relationship between Sen and a younger version of Dutt, played by Sawon Chakraborty, while tracing the origins of Chalchitra.
Speaking before the film’s release, Dutt described the project as a long-overdue tribute to Sen, with whom he shared a close relationship spanning four decades.
He said he had worked with Sen as an actor, assistant, writer and line producer, and considered him family.
Dutt revealed that he had once planned to make a documentary on Sen, but the veteran filmmaker encouraged him to create something more personal instead.
He said it took years to find the right story and approach before finally making the film during Sen’s birth centenary.
Neel Dutt, who made his debut as a producer with Chaalchitra Ekhon, described the National Award as a proud moment for the entire team.
He said the recognition carried special significance because the film was an independent production made without the backing of major studios or large marketing campaigns.
He added that the award recognised the collective effort behind the project rather than a single creative contribution.
Neel had previously won a National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona, but said this honour felt different because it celebrated the film as a whole.
Before winning the National Award, Chaalchitra Ekhon had already earned recognition on the festival circuit.
The film received the Special Jury Award for Innovation in Moving Images at the Kolkata International Film Festival, while Dutt won Best Actor at the Dhaka International Film Festival for his performance.
Dutt last won National Film Awards in 2012, when Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona received the Special Jury Award and the Best Bengali Feature Film award.
