The Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival 2026 started today, with an inaugural program at the Alipore Museum. The festival is scheduled to run till Sunday, January 11, with a slew of litterateurs, authors, and panelists from various fields lined up for sessions on an array of intriguing topics.
The 'Queen of Indian Pop' Usha Uthup and veteran actress Madhabi Mukherjee inaugurated the festival. After the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, Usha Uthup sang the Shiva 'Mahamrityunjay Mantra'.
In a super exclusive conversation with News Ei Samay, Madhabi Mukherjee, one of the most renowned actresses in Bengali cinema. The English version of her memoir 'Madhabi's Garden' was launched at the event. Originally written in Bengali, titled 'Madhabikanan', the book has been translated by Arunava Sinha.
'A depression has set in'
When asked about the changes she notices in Bengali cinema as compared to acclaimed films like 'Mahanagar' or 'Kolkata 71', Madhabi Mukherjee replied, "Earlier, movies used to be based on literature. It has changed now. A depression has set in everywhere. I don't know why. Those who work for society should think about this."
Madhabi Mukherjee sent out a message to all youngsters aspiring to enter the field of liberal arts and start acting careers. "They should work sincerely, nothing else. But they should choose where to work. Many are acting in serials now. Not in movies, and I am one of them." She added, "I am acting in serials, not films. Not a single story is worth it. I can't listen to a story at length for thirty minutes. I would work my heart out if someone came up with a good story."
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Arunava Sinha talks about retaining who we are as humans
News Ei Samay also spoke with noted Indian translator Arunava Sinha. Along with translating 'Madhabi's Garden', Sinha has a number of titles to his name. His latest release, along with Madhabi Mukherjee's memoir, is his magnum opus - The Bengal Reader. In this book, Sinha spans over two centuries of Bengali writings and literature, and translates the works of the likes of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Michael Madhusudan Dutta, Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Joy Goswami, among several Bengali greats.
"It was an idea that came from my publisher. I had initially done something called 'The greatest Bengali stories ever told'," said Sinha, when asked about his motivation behind the creation of 'The Bengal Reader'. He said that after the book on Bengali stories, the publisher asked him to expand the scope and create something covering all forms of Bengali writing.
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Sinha added, "It was incredible because I worked on the works of more than 125 writers. So, it's 125 different voices from different periods of history, different geographies, and different political and social backgrounds. It was a fantastic experience."
When asked if the advent of AI has detrimentally affected the reading habits of younger generations, Sinha remarked, "Artificial is in its name. I think that tells the story. We are humans, and if we don't retain who we are as humans, where are we going to end up?"
In the session, Madhabi Mukherjee talked about legendary Bengali actress and singer Kanan Devi and her contributions to the fraternity. She highlighted working on stage with exalted thespians Sisir Bhaduri and Chhabi Biswas, and working in movies under Ritwik Ghatak's directorship.
Usha Uthup spoke on songs having a meaning, conveying stories, and bringing a smile to everyone's faces. She expressed her love for rooms smelling like books and her choice of literature.
