Titash Ekti Nadir Naam (1973)

 

Titash Ekti Nadir Naam (1973)

Titash Ekti Nadir Naam (তিতাস একটি নদীর নাম) is a 1973 Bengali drama film directed by the legendary Bangladeshi filmmaker "Ritwik Ghatak". The film is based on the famous novel by "Adwaita Mallabarman", which tells the emotional story of the fishing community living along the Titas River.

It is one of the most important films in the history of "Bangladeshi and Bengali cinema" and is widely studied internationally for its artistic value.

Movie Information

Title: Titash Ekti Nadir Naam
Release Year: 1973
Director: Ritwik Ghatak
Language: Bengali
Genre: Film / Social Realism
Country: Bangladesh (then East Pakistan period settings) / India (joint cultural influence)
Based on: Novel by Adwaita Mallabarman
Runtime: 159 minutes

Cast

Prabir Mitra as Kishore
Rosy Samad as Basanti
Kajal Gupta
Niranjan Ray
Raisul Islam Asad (small role)

The cast includes real fishermen and villagers, adding natural realism to the film.

Story Summary

"Titash Ekti Nadir Naam" tells the story of the "Mallos", a fishing community whose entire life depends on the Titas River. The film follows the journey of "Kishore", a young fisherman, who marries a girl from another community. But tragedy strikes when his bride is kidnapped before reaching home.

Years later, a woman and her child appear in the village — connected by fate to Kishore. The story unfolds with themes of:

- Love and loss.
- Poverty and human struggle.
- The slow death of culture.
- The destruction of nature and community.

Ritwik Ghatak beautifully presents how the drying Titas River slowly destroys the lives of the people who depend on it.

Why This Movie Is Important

- One of the first major Bangladeshi films praised internationally.
- A masterpiece of world cinema.
- Preserved by the "Criterion Collection"
- Strong social message about river culture, identity and survival.
- Combines realism, emotion and poetic storytelling.

Cultural Significance

This film is a tribute to:

- The lost river communities of Bengal.
- Traditional fishing culture.
- The struggle of marginalized people.
- The power and tragedy of nature.

The film also carries Ritwik Ghatak’s personal themes: displacement, homeland and human suffering — influenced by the Partition era.