Bengal to construct 'Apur Sansar Park' named after Soumitra Chatterjee's debut film in his memory

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government has decided to construct a park themed on legendary actor Soumitra Chatterjee's debut film 'Apur Sansar' in New Town area on the northeastern fringes of Kolkata, a senior official said on Saturday.

The West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HIDCO) has invited an expression of interest (EOI) from bidders for deciding on how to execute the theme by retaining the flavour of the film, its Chairman cum Managing Director Debashis Sen said.

Chatterjee had essayed the role of 'Apu' in the 1959 film which is part of the Apu trilogy directed by legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

"The bidders have been asked to decide on ways to project the theme -- whether there will be 3D installations or other things.

Once they submit the ideas along with the details, our panel will decide which concept will be taken up, and the commissioning of the project will take place," Sen told PTI.

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He said while commissioning can begin within months of awarding the project to a bidder, it is not possible to say at the moment when it will be completed.

The proposed park will come up near Snehodiya Housing in New Town.

As part of HIDCO's initiative to set up theme parks to pay tributes to the rich heritage of the state, 'Sonar Kella Park' has already been set up in New Town and work on 'Professor Shonku Park' themed on Ray's fictional scientist- adventurer character along with models of his 'inventions' is underway, he said.

The 'Sonar Kella Park' has images from Ray's 1974 children's classic movie and models recreating the desert scenes and sequences in Rajasthan.