Sonar Kella facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Satyajit Ray |
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| Cover artist | Satyajit Ray |
| Country | India |
| Language | Bengali |
| Genre | Detective fiction |
| Publisher | Ananda Publishers |
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Publication date
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1971 |
| Media type | |
| Preceded by | Gangtokey Gondogol |
| Followed by | Baksho Rahashya |
| Sonar Kella | |
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DVD cover art
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| Directed by | Satyajit Ray |
| Produced by | Government of West Bengal |
| Written by | Satyajit Ray |
| Starring | Soumitra Chatterjee, Santosh Dutta, Siddartha Chatterjee, Kushal Chakraborty |
| Music by | Feluda Theme by Satyajit Ray |
| Release date(s) | 27 December 1974 |
| Country | India |
| Language | Bengali |
| Budget | Rs 7 lakhs |
| Money made | Rs 13 lakhs |
Sonar Kella (which means The Golden Fortress) is a famous mystery story. It was written by the amazing Bengali writer and filmmaker Satyajit Ray in 1971.
Later, in 1974, Satyajit Ray also made a movie based on his book. The film has popular actors like Soumitra Chatterjee, Santosh Dutta, Siddartha Chatterjee, and Kushal Chakraborty. It's a thrilling adventure that takes you to the deserts of Rajasthan!
Contents
What's the Story About?
The story begins with a young schoolboy named Mukul Dhar. Mukul has a special gift: he can remember things from a past life! He often draws pictures of peacocks, old forts, and battles. He keeps talking about a "Golden Fortress" where he lived before. He also mentions that his old house had many valuable gems.
A scientist named Dr. Hemanga Hajra, who studies strange mind powers, hears about Mukul. He thinks Mukul's memories could help his research. Dr. Hajra decides to take Mukul on a trip to Rajasthan. This Indian state is famous for its ancient forts and vast deserts.
But two tricky people, Amiyanath Burman and Mandar Bose, find out about Mukul. They want to kidnap him to find the hidden treasure Mukul talks about. Their first plan fails when they grab the wrong boy, who also happens to be named Mukul!
Mukul's father gets worried. So, he hires a smart private investigator named Feluda to protect his son. Feluda travels to Rajasthan with his cousin, Topshe. They follow Dr. Hajra and Mukul. On their journey, they meet a funny thriller-writer named Lalmohan Ganguly, also known as Jatayu.
The Hunt for the Golden Fortress
Burman and Bose manage to kidnap Mukul. They even push Dr. Hajra off a cliff at the Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur! Luckily, Dr. Hajra survives and starts chasing after them.
Burman pretends to be Dr. Hajra, and Mandar Bose acts like a world traveler. Feluda meets the fake Dr. Hajra in Jodhpur. Feluda quickly starts to suspect Mandar Bose because of his strange clothes and accent. He also notices that "Dr. Hajra" doesn't seem very interested in his research.
Mukul keeps saying a "bad man" is following him. Burman uses hypnosis on Mukul. Under hypnosis, Mukul says the Golden Fortress is in Jaisalmer. Dr. Hajra also figures this out by learning about the history of the Jaisalmer Fort from a police officer.
Feluda learns that the Jaisalmer fort is made of yellow limestone. This stone makes the fort glow like gold, especially at sunset! Mandar Bose tries to trick Feluda by saying Burman has gone to Barmer with Mukul.
Feluda realizes something is wrong. He sees Dr. Hajra's card and notices a small spelling difference in the name. He checks the hotel register and confirms his suspicion. The man he met is not the real Dr. Hajra!
Feluda, Topshe, and Jatayu leave for Jaisalmer. Mandar Bose tries to stop them by leaving them stranded on the highway. But Feluda is too clever! They take a camel ride to the nearest train station and catch a train to Jaisalmer.
On the train, Mandar Bose tries to attack Feluda with a knife. Feluda is ready for him, and Mandar Bose falls out of the train. Finally, Feluda, Topshe, and Jatayu reach Jaisalmer. They meet the real Dr. Hajra there. They all rush to the fort.
Inside the fort, they find Burman and Mukul searching for the treasure. Feluda catches Burman. He tells him that there was never any treasure to begin with! Mukul is now feeling much better and is cured of his past life memories. Everyone returns safely to Kolkata.
Who are the Characters?
Here are some of the main characters in Sonar Kella:
- Prodosh Chandra Mitter (Feluda) - The smart detective.
- Tapesh Ranjan Mitter (Topshe) - Feluda's cousin and assistant.
- Lalmohan Ganguly (Jatayu) - A funny mystery writer.
- Mukul Dhar - The boy with past life memories.
- Mandar Bose - One of the bad guys.
- Amiyanath Burman - The other bad guy.
- Dr. Hemanga Hajra - The parapsychologist.
Meet the Cast!
Here are the actors who brought the characters to life in the film:
- Soumitra Chatterjee as Feluda
- Siddartha Chatterjee as Topshe
- Santosh Dutta as Jatayu
- Kushal Chakraborty as Mukul Dhar
- Shailen Mukherjee as Dr. Hemanga Hajra
- Ajoy Banerjee as Amiyanath Burman/Fake Dr. Hemanga Hazra
- Kamu Mukherjee as Mandar Bose
- Harindranath Chattopadhyay as Sidhu Jyatha
Behind the Scenes
Here are some of the talented people who made the Sonar Kella film:
- Satyajit Ray - Director, Screenplay writer, and Music composer
- Soumendu Roy - Cinematography (he filmed the movie)
- Dulal Dutta - Editor (he put all the scenes together)
Awesome Awards!
Sonar Kella won many awards for being such a great film:
- National Film Awards for Best Screenplay & Best Direction (1974)
- Best Film, Direction and Screenplay, Government of West Bengal (1974)
- Best Feature Film for Children and Young Adults, Tehran (1975)
- National Award for Best Cinematography (1974)
- National Award for Best Child Artist (1974)
