Reading Anandalok: obscenity, cinema and other ‘prohibitive’ pleasures in 1970s–1990s Bengali print culture 

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Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 As publicized by Anandabazar Patrika. See the December 1974 and January 1975 issues of Anandabazar Patrika.

2 ABP Group is a media organization based in West Bengal and headquartered in Kolkata. It was established in 1922.

3 Bhadralok literally means ‘gentle folk’ in Bengali and is used to refer to the educated, although not necessarily affluent, middle and upper sections of society. Emerging during the period of British colonization (1757–1947), this was an upwardly mobile group who moved away from physical labour such as agriculture and was marked by a leaning towards western education. Composed of principally Hindu ‘upper’-caste groups, they came to exercise social power and cultural dominance over urban centres like Calcutta as well as the rural areas in the late nineteenth century. This category is not only socio-economic but also cultural. For a detailed discussion see The Sentinels of Culture: Class, Education, and the Colonial Intellectual in Bengal by Bhattacharya (2005) and Writing Social History by Sarkar (1997).

4 See the December 1974 and January 1975 issues of Anandabazar Patrika

5 For a detailed discussion on the interrelation between Sonagachhi and Battala, see ‘Sonagachhi O Battala: Dui Jamajer Kahini’ [‘Sonagachhi and Battala: A Tale of a Pair of Twins’] by Bandyopadhyay (2013).

6 Sambaad Rasaraaj was first published on 8 June 1849 with Gorishankar Tarkabaagish as editor.

7 Pashanda Peeran was first published on 20 June 1846 with Ishwar Gupta as editor.

8 For instance, titles like Maharane Duronto Madan [God of Love in the Battlefield] were quite popular. There were series published around the 1940s in Kolkata that fictionalized the sexual exploits of nurses and wives of soldiers at the World War II front, and depicted military brothels and sex crimes during war. Also see ‘Mulato Parno, Tatsahao Gnyancharcha’ by Patra (2018).

9 For a detailed discussion of this print genre, see Bhattacharya (2013).

10 Aparna Sen is also a successful filmmaker and screenwriter.

11 Miss Shephali faced opposition from the state government for her performances and she was criticized for promoting ‘obscenity’ in Bengali theatre, as she has documented in her autobiography (Miss Shefali 2014).

12 See Anandalok, 25 January 1975.

13 See ‘Ora Amake Ghar Bnadhte Debena’ [‘They Will Not Allow Me to Marry’] in Anandalok, 26 July 1975, 24–25.

14 Ibid., 25. Author’s translation.

15 For a general idea about the transformation of Bengali film culture during 1970s and 1980s please see ‘Bangla Cinemar Palabadal/ The Changing Phase of Bengali Cinema' by Ghosh (1990); ‘Bengali Cinema' by Raha (1991); ‘Bangla Chalachchitra Kathakata O Anyanyo Prabandho' by Raha (2004) and ‘Banglar Chalachitra Sanskriti' by Roy (2001).

16 During the 1980s, public halls in Calcutta, including some state-owned ones like Rabindra Sadan, did not allow famous singer Usha Uthup to perform, alleging that her songs and performances of disco music were examples of perverted/bad culture. Mrs Uthup filed a petition and the case went to the P. C. Borooah bench in the Calcutta High Court. P. C. Borooah’s bench ruled that the constitution had been violated by blacklisting a performer without giving her any opportunity of showing cause, leading to a denial of natural justice. See Borooah, Bench and Borooah (1983). Also see 'Sandhya Raater Shephali' by Miss Shefali (2014).

17 Anandalok, 17 May 1975 issue, accessed at Bangeeyo Sahitya Parishat Library, Kolkata.

18 For a detailed discussion of this please see ‘Janasangjoger Mukti: Chalachchitra, Betar, Television'. Proma (1) October by Bandyopadyay (1978); Apo-sanskriti? by Bhattacharjee (2003); ‘Sattar Dashaker Bangla Chhabi' in Sattar Dashak (The Decade of 1970s) by Bhowmick (1981) and ‘Janapriyo Chalachchitrer Manastattwa: Utsa Theke Bikaar Ebong Niramoyer Ingit’ in Anushtup 21 (4) by Gangopadhyay (1987).

19 See Subrata Mukherjee, ‘Rape O Bastra Unmochon’ [‘Rape and Removing Clothes’] in Anandalok, 14 June 1986, 37, accessed at Bangeeyo Sahitya Parishat Library, Kolkata. Also see ‘Darshak Ruchi Ke Namiye Anar Protijogita Shuru Hoyechhe’ by Kumar (1991).

20 My interviews with people who were young during 1970s and 1980s confirmed the gossip about Miss Shephali and Aparna Sen in bhadralok gatherings.