The Bengali feature film Runanubandha (The HE Without HIM) was released in Kolkata on Monday. Directed by Amartya Bhattacharyya, the film was screened as part of the International Competition section at the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) and at various international festivals, including Moscow. The film bagged awards at the Directors Cut International Film Festival 2019 and the Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival 2019.
Runanubandha is a term used in spirituality that refers to the body’s memory, which comprises genetic memory and memory of intimate physical connect. It is this memory which is said to bind a parent and a child, a husband and a wife, or individuals who share intimate ties.
The film explores a daughter’s search for her father in the metropolis of Kolkata. The daughter, Shatarupa, finds the voice of her father in a young man who comes to her life as a director. The paternal traits draw her towards him, but she finds herself trapped elsewhere between emotional complexities and simplicity.
About the film’s release, Bhattacharyya told Cinestaan.com, “Runanubandha may have travelled to various international festivals, including Moscow, Oakland, Kolkata, etc, or may have won a few international awards, but I always wanted it to be released in theatres. Cinema is best experienced in theatres and though it's pandemic time and halls are just reopening, I'm sure film lovers of Kolkata will greet an unusual film like Runanubandha. Independent releases like ours are also a statement against the hegemony of mainstream industries and the closed distribution nexus that tries to resist the penetration of independent productions.”
The film is running at Cinepolis Lake Mall, Kolkata. Watch the trailer of Runanubandha here.