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Sesh Anka (transl. The final act) is a 1963 Indian Bengali-language thriller film directed by Haridas Bhattacharya and made by Kalpana Movies, Kolkata. This film was loosely inspired by the 1958 film Chase a Crooked Shadow. The film starred Uttam Kumar in lead with Sharmila Tagore, Sabitri Chatterjee, Pahadi Sanyal, Bikash Roy, Kamal Mitra and others in supporting role. Critics stated this movie as one of the best thrillers in Bengali Cinema. The film was remade in Tamil in 1964 as Puthiya Paravai and was an inspiration for the Hindi movie Khoj (1989).

Plot

Widower Sudhangsu is going to be married to Soma, daughter of Sir Haraprasad. Sudhangsu is presented as a cheerful person who loves his would-be partner Soma and adores her with all his heart, occasionally gifting her with ornaments. He already declares that his first wife Kalpana committed suicide on a railway track in Burma, stating that she was mentally challenged. At the time of Sudhangsu's second marriage, a local senior advocate, Suren Banerjee comes with a lady who claims herself as Sudhangsu's first wife. Sudhangsu strongly denies and alleged that she is an imposter. In the meantime, a mysterious person named Samadder invades Sudhangsu's house and steal some ornaments of the deceased Kalpana. The case goes for a trial to determine whether the unknown lady is really Kalpana or not. Advocate Suren Banerjee examines all the witnesses attached to the case. The courtroom drama wrestles to defend the unknown lady's position against her proclaimed husband. Sudhangsu starts losing his sanity with time growing out of his hand. Having no other witness to support his case, Sudhangsu's Barrister Mr. Mitter compels his client to telegram Deben Sen, brother of Kalpana to determine the identity of his sister. The story revolves around the activities of Sudhangsu and his past as the courtroom drama. Deben, however, recognizes the unknown lady as his sister without an air of doubt. Finally Sudhangsu having lost all his reasons confesses how the lady couldn't be Kalpana.

Cast

• Uttam Kumar as Sudhanshu Gupta
• Bikash Roy as Karanjakkho Samadder
• Sharmila Tagore as Soma
• Kamal Mitra as Adv. Suren Banerjee
• Utpal Dutt as Barrister Mitter
• Sabitri Chatterjee as Lata Bose/ Fake Kalpana
• Pahari Sanyal as Sir Haraprasad
• Tarun Kumar Chatterjee as Deben Sen
• Jiben Bose as Mamababu

Soundtrack

All lyrics are written by Shyamal Gupta, Pranob Roy; all music is composed by Pabitra Chatterjee, Sailen Roy

Reception

Uttam Kumar played an unusual role as a murderer. The Times Of India wrote ‘Sesh Anka’ which is yet another criminally underrated film. ‘Sesh Anka’ delivers a different side of Uttam Kumar’s usual portrayal of heroism or a romantic hero.

Remake

The film was remade in Tamil in 1964 Puthiya Paravai starring Sivaji Ganeshan, Sowcar Janaki and B. Saroja Devi. In 1989 the film was remade in Hindi as Khoj.

References

1. "Shesh Anko (1963 – Bengali)". gomolo.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
2. Guy, Randor (26 June 2009). "Puthiya Paravai 1964". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
3. "Jwala (1969)". thehindu.com. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
4. "Tamil cinema's bong connection". Times of India Blog. 23 April 2018. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
5. ^ "Shesh-Anka". indiancine.ma. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
6. মালাকার, অমিতাভ (24 July 2021). "উত্তম কুমার যখন ভিলেন". Eisamay Gold (in Bengali). Retrieved 25 August 2023.
7. "#DirectorsCut: Haridas Bhattacharya's 'Sesh Anka' can easily serve as a textbook on thriller writing". The Times of India. 23 January 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 25 August 2023.

External links

• Sesh Anka at IMDb

• 1963 films
• Bengali-language Indian films
• Indian mystery thriller films
• Bengali films remade in other languages
• Indian courtroom films
• 1960s Bengali-language films
• 1960s thriller films
• Indian legal drama films
• Indian action thriller films