SVF

‘Shyambazar makes me nostalgic’

As Prosenjit walks down memory lane, he picks three statues that have special significance

SHYAMBAZAR

Star Theatre in Shyambazar makes up a big chapter in my life. I worked there for three years during my struggling days. And needless to say, the Netaji statue at the five-point crossing is an important part of that chapter. After shifting to Dum Dum, I’d travel in bus from Dum Dum to Tollygunge. While on my way back home, I’d get off at Shyambazar where my mother would be waiting to pick me up. I would then go home in our car. We didn’t have the luxury to spend on the amount of petrol it’d take to travel all the way from Dum Dum to Tollygunge. Shyambazar evokes a strong sense of nostalgia in me. There’s not a theatre in that area where I haven’t watched a movie. I also have fond memories of going grocery-shopping at Grey Street with my grandparents.

NETAJI NAGAR

A handsome period of my childhood was spent at our house in Tollygunge. It was my para. Our old house still bears the nameplate ‘Biswajit’. Growing up, I’d always notice the statue at Netaji Nagar on the right-hand side while coming from Naktala. While passing by his statue on days of national importance like January 23, August 15 and January 26, we used to see people pay their respect to Netaji.

I had posed as a young Netaji in Chhotto Jigyasa: Prosenjit

MAIDAN

I had posed as a young Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the film, Chhotto Jigyasa. There was a sequence in the film that centered on me, baba and Madhabi aunty (Mukherjee). The statue wasn’t barricaded back then — people could go inside and take a close look at it. I was barely four years old. So, my memory is a bit hazy but the sequence had a lasting impact on me. From what I have heard, apart from twisting to Jana Gana Mana, there was one step I’d do very often — the iconic ‘Dilli Chalo pose’ of Netaji. There are also countless photographs of me striking Netaji’s upward salute pose.