My idea of Kolkata was always what I saw in Ray’s films: Madhur Bhandarkar – Indiatimes.com

Kolkata News
From relishing malai toast near the Calcutta Stock Exchange to riding a tram and exploring the city from a boat on the Ganges, Madhur Bhandarkar spent Sunday morning ticking wishes off his bucket list. We caught up with the filmmaker for a quick chat during his short stay in the City of Joy, during which he wanted “to explore the city differently”. Excerpts from the chat:

‘I wanted to explore Kolkata differently this time’

Talking about how he spent his weekend in Kolkata, the filmmaker said, “I’ve visited Kolkata many times, but wanted to explore the city a little differently today. I took a boat ride to have a look of the Howrah bridge from there. It was an experience that cannot be described.”

‘It was a childhood dream to take a tram ride in Kolkata’
The filmmaker exclaimed how in Bombay he never had the opportunity to take a tram ride. “I was determined to take the tram ride this time; it has always been on my bucket list. We boarded the tram from Esplanade. I really enjoyed the ride. Lot of people recognised me there and came up to me asking for selfies,” the filmmaker said.

‘I’m a foodie and Kolkata has been a food hub for me’

Confessing that he’s a foodie, Madhur said, “Kolkata has been a food hub for me, so whenever I come to Kolkata, I eat everything. When I get back to Mumbai, I do a little more cardio to lose the extra kilos I gain here. This time I tried veg pulao, dal and prawn roast at a club in Kolkata, it was delicious.”

‘Kolkata has an old world, colonial charm’

Revealing that he tends to get nostalgic about things or places he has seen in movies, Madhur said, “Kolkata is one such place. It has an old-world charm, especially in the Park Street area, the Ganga ghat and Burra bazar area. The city gives out colonial vibes and is very well-kept.”

I had two servings of the malai toast at the famous joint near Calcutta Stock Exchange. It was amazing! So many tourists were having malai toast there sitting inside cars, but I wanted to sit on those plastic chairs and have it: Madhur Bhandarkar

Since childhood, I had seen Kolkata from Ray’s point of view. I saw so many of his movies when I was a kid. Later, many filmmakers from Kolkata, including Shoojit Sircar, made films in the city, but I always knew Kolkata from Ray’s point of view: Madhur Bhandarkar

I am a fitness enthusiast, so the next time I am in Kolkata, I want to jog around the Victoria Memorial early in the morning: Madhur Bhandarkar

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