123456 When shooting for Amar Chowdhury's ‘Jamai Sashthi' began in the 1930s, did people in the neighbourhood around Indrapuri Studio know that it was the debut of the words ‘light, camera, action' for the first Bengali talkie? The film, produced by Madan Theatres, released on April 11, 1931.‘Alam Ara', the first Indian talkie, had released less than a month back. Residents of few Kolkata paras can take pride in their locality been mentioned in the annals of history for being the epicentre of a work with such historical relevance. The Studiopara of Kolkata is one among them.What's in a name?In the March 1932 edition of the ‘American Cinematographer' magazine, Wilford E Deminic, who was the executive manager of The Radio Installation Company, wrote a piece titled ‘Talking Pictures in India' where he claimed that his personal "supervision" had "produced India's first sound and talking picture". Operation Sindoor'Op Sindoor's precision & execution was unimaginable': Rajnath SinghOperation Sindoor: India repels drone, missile attack across LoCOperation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full listAmong the congratulatory messages he received, one was a radiogram from Kolkata that read: ‘Tollywood sends best wishes happy new year to Lulbil film doing wonderfully records broken.This ‘lulbill film' was ‘Alam Ara'.Anugyan Nag, assistant professor at AJK Mass Comminication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, has cited this reference in his co-authored book titled ‘Tollygunje to Tollywood: The Bengali Film Industry Reimagined'. "Deminic's article has mentioned: ‘In passing it might be explained that our Calcutta studio was located in the suburb of Tollygunge Tolly being a proper name, and Gunge meaning locality. After studying the advantages of Hollygunje we decided on Tollywood.There being two studios at present in that locality, and several more projected, the name seems appropriate'. This is the first reference we got to the use of the word ‘Tollywood'," Nag said.PollDo you believe that the residents of Kolkata's Studiopara fully appreciated the historical significance of the first Bengali talkie, 'Jamai Sashthi'?Yes, they knew it was significant.No, they were unaware of its importance.Studios of South KolkataOn the same breath, Deminic also mentioned being impressed by the superior work culture at the Kolkata studios that came as "a complete surprise contrasting the rushing, haphazard methods" used in Mumbai. In effect, the studios of south Kolkata gave a para its name and a reason for pride.In the last century at least nine studios were functional in Tollygunge. Indrapuri, which was established by the Madan Company in 1917 on NSC Bose Road and initially called Madan Studios, was perhaps the first studio referred to Deminic. In 1930s, it was bought by Raibahadur Seth Sukhlal Karnani and renamed as Tollywood. In 1939, Devaki Kumar Bose's ‘Pathik' was shot there under the banner of Indra Movietone whose name was derived from Karnani's grandson, Indrakumar.Soon, the studio started being referred to as either Tollywood Studio, Indra Movietone or Indrapuri.The other reference is to The Studio Number 1 of New Theatres that had opened its doors on Sept 19, 1930, with B N Sircar as its managing director. "B N Sircar was the first to introduce the studio system in India at NT 1 where a person could come with a project and leave with a finished product. From teaching acting to shooting to editing and sound mixing — everything was done under one roof. Tagore had filmed his ‘Natir Puja' in 1932 on his 70th birthday.Shooting was held during the summers and Tagore would step out and sit under a mango tree. Seeing that B N Sircar — the owner of New Theatres — constructed a thatched hut for Tagore. Uttam Kumar shot ‘Agnineswar' at NT1. With Suchitra Sen, he shot ‘Priyo Bandhabi' at our studio," said Pinaki Chakraborty, the director of New Theatres.Babulal Choukhani built the Bharat Lakshmi Studio on Prince Anwar Shah Road in 1930. On erstwhile Russa Road (Deshpran Sashmal Road of today), Radhakishan Chamaria built the Radha Studio in 1932. The first film shot there was Prafulla Ghosh's ‘Sree Gouranga'. In 1932, New Theatres II came up on Prince Anwar Shah Road. In the same year, East India Studio began its journey on Moore Avenue with the latest models of RCA Photophone and Mitchell camera.India's first international award-winning film — Debaki Kumar Bose's ‘Seeta' starring Prithviraj Kapoor and Durga Khote — was shot at East India Studio and won an honorary diploma at the 2nd Venice International Film Festival in 1934. That marked India's tryst with international cinema awards. Kali Films/Technicians' Studio was established in 1934. While Film Corporation was established on Baburam Ghosh Road in 1937, on Chandi Ghosh Road came up with Calcutta Movietone in 1949.Actor Biswajit Chatterjee has fond memories of shooting in Radha Studio, East India Studio and New Theatres. "People across India, including actors from Bollywood, have so much of respect for New Theatres. Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and even Sashi Kapoor regarded New Theatres as a temple. Sashi, who was my friend, remembered how Prithviraj Kapoor, K L Saigal and Pankaj Mullick were salaried staff at Sir B N Sircar's studio," Chatterjee said.Home Truths of StarsOnce the reputed and big studios of north Kolkata folded up, Tollywood's studiopara became the epicentre of the Bengal film industry. Satyajit Ray, who met Jean Renoir during the shooting of his ‘The River' at the Eastern Talkies Studio in Baranagar, shot many of his cult classics at Indrapuri and New Theatres. "Some of the indoor shots of ‘Charulata' were filmed at New Theatres 1 Studio. After ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne', Ray shot all his films at Indrapuri Studio," said Riddhi Goswami of the Ray Society.Residents of the neighbourhood were not left untouched by the movie magic. "Loudspeaker announcements would proclaim: ‘Unish poisar binimoye dekhte pabene ‘Uttar Falguni' (Watch 'Uttar Falguni' for nineteen paise)'. Atop the Udayan club terrace, a projector screened movies from prints while we sat on the club ground to watch," remembers music composer Debojyoti Mishra.The studiopara also became the residential address of many stars. Suchitra Sen had bought a house in Bansdroni. Shobha Sen and Utpal Dutt lived in a house named after the famous play, Kallol, in Azadgarh. "After shifting to Mumbai, I had continued to work in Tollygunge. I had taken a house in the studiopara. It was in the Naktala-Bansdroni area. I would come home during lunchtime. During the shooting of Tarun Majumdar's ‘Kuheli', I had long hair and a beard.My son, Bumba (Prosenjit Chatterjee) was very small and burst into tears seeing me in that look when I came home for lunch one day. Close to my house were the residences of Chhabi Biswas, Basanta Chowdhury, Kanan Devi and Aparesh Lahiri. During the golden age of Tollywood, there was a genuine family feeling among us that was reflected in the films too," Chatterjee said.Yet the studiopara isn't just a filmi destination. The ITC Sangeet Research Academy on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road is the seat of Hindustani classical music in the guru-shishya parampara. Stalwart classical musicians, including Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, made the studiopara his home at Ranikuthi. What distinguishes this neighbourhood is its remarkable ability to serve as a melting pot. Mishra takes pride in the inclusive character of his para."I grew up in a colony para in Tollygunje's Chanditala. My uncle was an English professor, and my father's world revolved around Beethoven, Bach, Bernard Shaw, and Shakespeare. Outside my home, I felt at ease with my local friends Lalu, Bhulu, Kalu, and Dhulu, with whom I played cricket," Mishra said.A new chapterMuch has change from the past. Instead of film shootings, auto repair work at a garage brings people to the dilapidated East India studio premises. Film Corporation is a distant memory. NT 2 has made way for Rajya Sangeet Academy. But not everything is a piece of memory. Radha Studio has been revived as a single screen. And most important, the show still goes on at Indrapuri, Technicians, Bharat Lakshmi, Calcutta Movietone and NT 1 studios.When shooting for Amar Chowdhury's ‘Jamai Sashthi' began in the 1930s, did people in the neighbourhood around Indrapuri Studio know that it was the debut of the words ‘light, camera, action' for the first Bengali talkie? The film, produced by Madan Theatres, released on April 11, 1931. ‘Alam Ara', the first Indian talkie, had released less than a month back. Residents of few Kolkata paras can take pride in their locality been mentioned in the annals of history for being the epicentre of a work with such historical relevance.The Studiopara of Kolkata is one among them.What's in a name?In the March 1932 edition of the ‘American Cinematographer' magazine, Wilford E Deminic, who was the executive manager of The Radio Installation Company, wrote a piece titled ‘Talking Pictures in India' where he claimed that his personal "supervision" had "produced India's first sound and talking picture". Among the congratulatory messages he received, one was a radiogram from Kolkata that read: ‘Tollywood sends best wishes happy new year to Lulbil film doing wonderfully records broken.This ‘lulbill film' was ‘Alam Ara'.Anugyan Nag, assistant professor at AJK Mass Comminication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, has cited this reference in his co-authored book titled ‘Tollygunje to Tollywood: The Bengali Film Industry Reimagined'. "Deminic's article has mentioned: ‘In passing it might be explained that our Calcutta studio was located in the suburb of Tollygunge Tolly being a proper name, and Gunge meaning locality. After studying the advantages of Hollygunje we decided on Tollywood.There being two studios at present in that locality, and several more projected, the name seems appropriate'. This is the first reference we got to the use of the word ‘Tollywood'," Nag said.Studios of South KolkataOn the same breath, Deminic also mentioned being impressed by the superior work culture at the Kolkata studios that came as "a complete surprise contrasting the rushing, haphazard methods" used in Mumbai. In effect, the studios of south Kolkata gave a para its name and a reason for pride.In the last century at least nine studios were functional in Tollygunge. Indrapuri, which was established by the Madan Company in 1917 on NSC Bose Road and initially called Madan Studios, was perhaps the first studio referred to Deminic. In 1930s, it was bought by Raibahadur Seth Sukhlal Karnani and renamed as Tollywood. In 1939, Devaki Kumar Bose's ‘Pathik' was shot there under the banner of Indra Movietone whose name was derived from Karnani's grandson, Indrakumar.Soon, the studio started being referred to as either Tollywood Studio, Indra Movietone or Indrapuri.The other reference is to The Studio Number 1 of New Theatres that had opened its doors on Sept 19, 1930, with B N Sircar as its managing director. "B N Sircar was the first to introduce the studio system in India at NT 1 where a person could come with a project and leave with a finished product. From teaching acting to shooting to editing and sound mixing — everything was done under one roof. Tagore had filmed his ‘Natir Puja' in 1932 on his 70th birthday.Shooting was held during the summers and Tagore would step out and sit under a mango tree. Seeing that B N Sircar — the owner of New Theatres — constructed a thatched hut for Tagore. Uttam Kumar shot ‘Agnineswar' at NT1. With Suchitra Sen, he shot ‘Priyo Bandhabi' at our studio," said Pinaki Chakraborty, the director of New Theatres.Babulal Choukhani built the Bharat Lakshmi Studio on Prince Anwar Shah Road in 1930. On erstwhile Russa Road (Deshpran Sashmal Road of today), Radhakishan Chamaria built the Radha Studio in 1932. The first film shot there was Prafulla Ghosh's ‘Sree Gouranga'. In 1932, New Theatres II came up on Prince Anwar Shah Road. In the same year, East India Studio began its journey on Moore Avenue with the latest models of RCA Photophone and Mitchell camera.India's first international award-winning film — Debaki Kumar Bose's ‘Seeta' starring Prithviraj Kapoor and Durga Khote — was shot at East India Studio and won an honorary diploma at the 2nd Venice International Film Festival in 1934. That marked India's tryst with international cinema awards. Kali Films/Technicians' Studio was established in 1934. While Film Corporation was established on Baburam Ghosh Road in 1937, on Chandi Ghosh Road came up with Calcutta Movietone in 1949.Actor Biswajit Chatterjee has fond memories of shooting in Radha Studio, East India Studio and New Theatres. "People across India, including actors from Bollywood, have so much of respect for New Theatres. Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and even Sashi Kapoor regarded New Theatres as a temple. Sashi, who was my friend, remembered how Prithviraj Kapoor, K L Saigal and Pankaj Mullick were salaried staff at Sir B N Sircar's studio," Chatterjee said.Home Truths of StarsOnce the reputed and big studios of north Kolkata folded up, Tollywood's studiopara became the epicentre of the Bengal film industry. Satyajit Ray, who met Jean Renoir during the shooting of his ‘The River' at the Eastern Talkies Studio in Baranagar, shot many of his cult classics at Indrapuri and New Theatres. "Some of the indoor shots of ‘Charulata' were filmed at New Theatres 1 Studio. After ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne', Ray shot all his films at Indrapuri Studio," said Riddhi Goswami of the Ray Society.Residents of the neighbourhood were not left untouched by the movie magic. "Loudspeaker announcements would proclaim: ‘Unish poisar binimoye dekhte pabene ‘Uttar Falguni' (Watch 'Uttar Falguni' for nineteen paise)'. Atop the Udayan club terrace, a projector screened movies from prints while we sat on the club ground to watch," remembers music composer Debojyoti Mishra.The studiopara also became the residential address of many stars. Suchitra Sen had bought a house in Bansdroni. Shobha Sen and Utpal Dutt lived in a house named after the famous play, Kallol, in Azadgarh. "After shifting to Mumbai, I had continued to work in Tollygunge. I had taken a house in the studiopara. It was in the Naktala-Bansdroni area. I would come home during lunchtime. During the shooting of Tarun Majumdar's ‘Kuheli', I had long hair and a beard.My son, Bumba (Prosenjit Chatterjee) was very small and burst into tears seeing me in that look when I came home for lunch one day. Close to my house were the residences of Chhabi Biswas, Basanta Chowdhury, Kanan Devi and Aparesh Lahiri. During the golden age of Tollywood, there was a genuine family feeling among us that was reflected in the films too," Chatterjee said.Yet the studiopara isn't just a filmi destination. The ITC Sangeet Research Academy on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road is the seat of Hindustani classical music in the guru-shishya parampara. Stalwart classical musicians, including Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, made the studiopara his home at Ranikuthi. What distinguishes this neighbourhood is its remarkable ability to serve as a melting pot. Mishra takes pride in the inclusive character of his para."I grew up in a colony para in Tollygunje's Chanditala. My uncle was an English professor, and my father's world revolved around Beethoven, Bach, Bernard Shaw, and Shakespeare. Outside my home, I felt at ease with my local friends Lalu, Bhulu, Kalu, and Dhulu, with whom I played cricket," Mishra said.A new chapterMuch has change from the past. Instead of film shootings, auto repair work at a garage brings people to the dilapidated East India studio premises. Film Corporation is a distant memory. NT 2 has made way for Rajya Sangeet Academy. But not everything is a piece of memory. Radha Studio has been revived as a single screen. And most important, the show still goes on at Indrapuri, Technicians, Bharat Lakshmi, Calcutta Movietone and NT 1 studios.