Rotterdam Competition Title ‘The Puppet’s Tale’ Examines India’s Timeless Battle of Tradition Versus Change
Indian auteur Suman Mukhopadhyay’s “The Puppet’s Tale” (Putulnacher Itikatha), a period drama centering on a young doctor’s struggle between modern medicine and traditional beliefs in 1930s Bengal, premieres in International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Big Screen Competition on Feb. 6. The film, adapted from Manik Bandyopadhyay’s celebrated 1936 novel, explores how progress and tradition clash through the eyes of an idealistic physician returning to his roots.
“We are witnessing ideological deadlocks across society, with conflicting worldviews pulling us in different directions,” Mukhopadhyay told Variety. “The novel’s central conflict – the doctor’s dilemma in navigating these opposing forces – feels even more urgent when mortality itself looms over the characters.”
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The story follows Shashi, a newly graduated doctor whose return to his village becomes a crucible for larger social tensions. “Despite significant progress, we continue to grapple with entrenched value systems and rigid traditions,” Mukhopadhyay explained. “The film explores the timeless struggle between tradition and modernity – something that remains deeply relevant in India. Despite significant progress, we continue to grapple with entrenched value systems and rigid traditions.”
A prominent figure in Bengali theater and cinema, Mukhopadhyay has carved a distinctive path across India’s cultural landscape over three decades. His theatrical productions have included acclaimed adaptations of Chekhov, Brecht, Tagore, and Shakespeare, while his cinematic works like the Indian National Film Award-winning “Herbert” and Busan selection “Nazarband” have established him as a filmmaker who deftly bridges literature and cinema.
The journey to bring the novel to screen began shortly after Mukhopadhyay’s debut feature “Herbert.” “My connection with ‘Putul Nacher Itikatha’ began during my university years,” he explained. “Later, my father, an eminent theater director, staged an adaptation of the novel. Watching the play, I was first entranced by its depth, and in subsequent viewings, I observed how deeply it connected with audiences, touching on raw human emotions and struggles.”
Despite securing a producer after “Herbert,” rights issues initially stalled the project. “The novelist’s son felt the adaptation could wait,” Mukhopadhyay revealed. The breakthrough came when producer Samiran Das of Kaleidoscope (“Cold Fire,” “Kedara”) committed to the project after the novel entered the public domain.
The film assembles some of Bengali cinema’s most accomplished talents, including Abir Chatterjee (“Byomkesh”), multiple award winner Jaya Ahsan (“Chorabali”), Parambrata Chattopadhyay (“Kahaani”), veteran actor Dhritiman Chatterjee (“Pratidwandi”) and Ananya Chatterjee (“Abohoman”). Behind the camera, cinematographer Sayak Bhattacharya, Berlinale Talents alumna editor Tinni Mitra, and National Award-winning composer Prabuddha Banerjee bring technical expertise to the period setting.
For Mukhopadhyay, the film’s themes transcend their historical setting. “The novel’s exploration of existential crises, human frailty, and personal failures ensures its continued relevance. These emotions are universal, cutting across generations. That’s why classics endure – they speak to something intrinsic in all of us,” he noted. “Setting a cinematic narrative in the past allows audiences to view contemporary struggles through a new lens. This adaptation offers a perspective that might feel particularly therapeutic in today’s fractured world.”
Post-Rotterdam, “The Puppet’s Tale” is set for an extensive festival run. A theatrical release in India is also being planned.
The Rotterdam selection has energized Mukhopadhyay’s next project, which has been in development for six years. “The film poses a fundamental question: Can inequality be challenged through the bizarre, the spectral, and the trivial?” he revealed. “That exploration continues to intrigue me, and I’m eager to bring it to the screen.”
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