Click here to read the full article.
Acclaimed Bengali cinema actor Parno Mittra is stepping behind the camera as a producer for the first time with “The Music Teacher,” a British-Indian short film starring Raima Sen that begins principal photography this
month in Kolkata.
The project is co-produced by Tabernacle Street Films (U.K.) and Unscripted Co (India), the production banner Mittra is launching with this film. Written and directed by Shrimoyee Chakraborty, “The Music Teacher” is her first Bengali narrative film, following her documentary “Spirit of the Wildflower” and her work as creator and presenter of “India Bites.” Chakraborty also produces for Tabernacle Street Films, alongside Mittra’s producing role for Unscripted Co. Editor Aarti Bajaj, known for her work on “Jab We Met,” “Rockstar,” “Highway,” “Tamasha,” “Sacred Games,” “Jubilee” and “Amar Singh Chamkila,” comes aboard as co-producer.
Sen takes the title role, with Niranjan Mondal, who appeared in “Laughtersane,” rounding out the cast.
Inspired by Chakraborty’s mother, “The Music Teacher” is set in North Kolkata and centers on a young man struggling with depression who finds a path back to life through a teacher of Rabindra Sangeet, the genre of songs composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore that remains central to Bengali culture. The film is billed as a tribute to Rabindra Sangeet and the educators who have preserved Bengal’s cultural heritage across generations, exploring resilience and human connection.
Mittra has spent more than two decades building a career as one of Bengali cinema’s most established actors, with credits including “Doob (No Bed of Roses),” “Rajkahini,” “Apur Panchali” and “Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona.”
“‘The Music Teacher’ embodies the kind of cinema I want Unscripted Co to champion – stories that are deeply rooted, emotionally resonant and capable of travelling across cultures,” Mittra said. “After more than two decades as an actor, producing this film marks an exciting new chapter in my creative journey. As our first production, this project represents the beginning of the vision I have for Unscripted Co, and I couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring team to bring it to life.”
“‘The Music Teacher’ is my love letter to my mother, to Rabindra Sangeet and to Kolkata,” Chakraborty added. “It’s an incredibly personal story, and I’m honored to be making it alongside such an extraordinary team.”
“I’ve spent my career helping shape stories in the edit room, and producing feels like a natural extension of that journey,” Bajaj said. “‘The Music Teacher’ is intimate, deeply moving and profoundly human. I’m delighted to come on board as co-producer and help bring Shrimoyee’s beautiful vision to the screen.”
