Cinemar Swad by Shankarlal Bhattacharya

ebook name- ‘Cinemar Swad’
Collected by– Shankarlal Bhattacharya
Book genre- A lot of Bengali ebooks
File format- PDF
Pages- 140
File size- 26 Mb
Quality- Best, without any watermark,

Introduction

Cinemar Swad (The Taste of Cinema) is a reflective Bengali essay where Shankarlal Bhattacharya examines cinema as a serious art form and its social impact, beyond mere entertainment. The essay is based on how cinema, over time, molds the human sense of taste (swad), emotions, thinking patterns, and cultural values. Bhattacharya writes as a conscious spectator who is convinced that cinema has the potential to educate, inspire, and also mislead, depending on the way it is produced and consumed.

“Cinemar Swad” – Meaning of the Term

The term “Swad” actually stands for taste or flavor. In the essay, the term is used metaphorically. Just as our eating habits help us develop our sense of taste, our film-watching habits help us develop our sense of cinemar taste.

Bhattacharya says that:

Good cinema helps to refine the viewer’s mind

Repeated viewing of poor films dulls artistic sensitivity

Thus, cinemar swad is the aesthetic sense that the viewer develops through cinema.

Cinema as a Modern Art Form

According to the author, cinema is a composite art that comprises several elements, including:

Literature (story and dialogue)

Visual art (camera, lighting, and composition)

Music and sound

Acting and movement

Because of its composite nature, cinema has a greater emotional impact than many other forms of art. A movie has the ability to make the audience laugh, cry, dream, fear, and think—all in a span of a few hours. Bhattacharya highlights that this ability makes cinema a highly influential form of art in modern times.

Impact of Cinema on the Human Mind

One of the most significant aspects of the essay is the impact of cinema on the psychology of the audience.

According to Bhattacharya, cinema has the following impact on the audience:

It molds concepts of love, heroism, sacrifice, and success

It shapes fashion, language, gestures, and lifestyle

It provides role models, especially to the young generation

Bhattacharya warns that the audience imitates everything that they see in the movie unconsciously. Hence, cinema is not limited to the cinema hall; it spills over into real life.

Commercial Cinema vs Meaningful Cinema

The essay draws a subtle line between:

Commercial cinema, produced largely for commercial purposes

Meaningful or artistic cinema, produced with depth and intention

Bhattacharya does not dismiss commercial films entirely, but he is critical of films that are produced solely on the basis of glamour, violence, or cheap emotions. Such films, according to Bhattacharya, deteriorate the viewer’s taste rather than improving it.

Meaningful cinema, on the other hand:

Promotes thinking

Depicts genuine human struggles

Leaves a lasting impact

Role of the Viewer

One of the major concepts of Cinemar Swad is that viewers are responsible for their own taste.

The author holds that:

A passive viewer will accept whatever is dished out to him on the screen

A conscious viewer will question, analyze, and learn

Bhattacharya encourages the reader to watch films with his eyes open, just as a reader reads good literature or a listener listens to classical music. Good cinematic taste takes time to develop.

Social and Cultural Reflection

Cinema, as described in the essay, is both:

A mirror of society

A tool that shapes society

Cinema reflects society’s realities, traditions, conflicts, and aspirations. At the same time, it also helps shape societal attitudes and values. Therefore, cinema is a very important factor in shaping collective culture.

Style and Language of the Essay

The writing style of Shankarlal Bhattacharya in “Cinemar Swad” is:

Easy to understand and simple

Observational, not theoretical

Philosophical but not complex

He does not use complicated terminology and uses common examples to describe complex concepts, making the essay accessible to all, including students.

Conclusion

“Cinemar Swad” is more than just an essay on cinema. It is an essay on human perception and social responsibility. Bhattacharya cautions us that cinema is a powerful medium that can either uplift or lower our sensibility. The correct appreciation of cinema is not about mindless consumption but about cultivating refined sensibilities, critical faculties, and emotional maturity.

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