Subhasree Ganguly is one of the more popular Bengali actresses of the current generation. Mostly known for her performances in mainstream films, Ganguly recently made a mark in Raj Chakraborty’s Parineeta (2019), marking a break from her image of the stereotypical glamorous heroine and doing justice to the challenging role of Mehul, a character with multiple shades. In various interviews, Ganguly said that with Parineeta, she had embarked on a new journey as an actress.
Hailing from the town of Burdwan, Ganguly made her entry into show business after winning the Fairever Anandalok Nayikar Khonje, a talent hunt, in 2006 and made her debut with Pitribhumi (2007) opposite Jeet aka Jeetendra Madnani. She won her first award for her performance in Bajimaat (2008). Till now she has appeared in close to 25 films alongside some popular actors in Bengali cinema.
In the course of the past dozen years, some popular numbers have been picturized on Subhasree Ganguly, numbers that continue to win the hearts of Bengali audiences. On her 29th birthday today, we pick five romantic numbers featuring Subhasree Ganguly.
'Tomake' — Parineeta (2019)
Written and composed by Arka Pravo, the romantic number 'Tomake' has been soulfully rendered by Shreya Ghoshal. The ad-lib song goes beautifully with the feelings of Mehul (Ganguly). The teenager is head over heels in love with Babai-da (Ritwick Chakraborty), a neighbour whom she has been adoring since childhood. The song brings back the nostalgia associated with the sentiment of a childhood crush that is filled with innocence and blind faith. In the visuals, Ganguly can be seen acing her avatar as the innocent Mehul, with eyes full of dreams.
'Projapoti Mon' — Chaalbaaz (2018)
While projapoti, or butterfly, signifies union or marriage, the song ‘Projapoti Mon’ expresses Ganguly’s restless emotion craving for union with her love interest played by Shakib Khan. Composed by Savvy Gupta and written by Priyo Chattopadhyay, the romantic song has been rendered by Madhusree Bhattacharya whose sweet voice highlights the romantic quotient of the upbeat song, as Ganguly's Srijata observes Khan's Raja Chowdhary from a distance at a wedding ceremony and often indulges in colourful daydreaming. On the one hand, she cannot contain her happiness and dances in glee; at the same time, she tries hard to hide her feelings from being noticed by relatives present on the occasion.
'Naina Tore' — Honeymoon (2018)
Ujjaini’s rendition of 'Naina Tore', a melodious composition by Savvy Gupta written by Priyo Chattopadhyay, carries the traditional essence of modern Bengali song and infuses a refreshing modern approach at the same time. Set in the serene locations of North Bengal, the romantic number conveys the emotions of Subhasree Ganguly's character, who is looking for her lover in the midst of hills surrounded by a river and tea gardens. The song celebrates love through longing and union.
'Tui Amake Agle Rakh' — Honeymoon (2018)
Another beautiful song from Honeymoon, 'Tui Amake Agle Rakh', written by Dipangshu Acharya, is a duet by Raj Barman and Madhubanti Bagchi. In the visuals, Ganguly's character and her husband, played by Soham Chakraborty, can be seen celebrating the bliss of their honeymoon in a serene location. Though a typical composition for mainstream romantic films, the song basically expresses the lovers’ admiration for each other and how they promise to be with each other in the most passionate ways. The lyrics and the rendition by the two artistes are the strong features of the song.
'Saiyyan Beimaan' — Nabab (2017)
Rendered by Ustad Raza Ali Khan, 'Saiyyan Beimaan' carries the hurt of separation through romantic expression. Composed by Savvy Gupta and written by Priyo Chattopdhyay, the song is a beautiful mix of Western arrangement and semi-classical composition. Raza Ali Khan captures the blend with his skilful and melodious voice and does justice to both aspects of the song. His voice glides over the low and high pitches, magnifying the emotions inherent in the song. In the visuals, a veteran music artiste performs the song in a concert where Shakib Khan and Subhasree Ganguly are both present. As Khan's character notices her, with the song in the background, both go down memory lane and remember the early days of romance when she used to try to get his attention.