Goopi Gawaiyya Bagha Bajaiyya

DIRECTOR'S NOTE
I first encountered Goopi Gayne Bagha Bayne in the form of Ray’s classic film from the 60’s. This enduring film had a timeless charm that drew me to watch it repeatedly over the years. The film was based on the original writing by his grandfather Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury and has seen countless retellings and versions; several of these were brilliantly illustrate bringing the story immediately to life. The story was thus embedded in my mind as a jigsaw of the many images associated with it, each equally powerful and evocative.

My work as a book illustrator brought me a version of this classic to illustrate. As exciting as the prospect of doing this was, it seemed equally daunting. It was almost impossible to come close to the absolute magic of the imagery that came with the story. Yet along the way the intimidating prospect of re visualizing and retelling a classic turned into an exciting engagement with what my own interpretation of the story was. While illustrating the book the thought crossed my mind that the story was given to the moving image and could be transformed into a wonderful animated film, it was an idea story with its delightful everyday characters mixed with high fantasy, traversing a path full of exhilarating adventure.

The images for the book came from a legacy of old woodcuts and printmaking, these were intense and dark. For the film they underwent yet another transformation and took on a quirky, twisted, feel, creating a world that is peopled with idiosyncratic characters in equally improbable settings. The story recalls the original but builds around its skeleton with many new details unfolding layer by layer, spring boarding and spiraling skyward from the narrative where our two blundering yet lovable musician protagonists meet ghosts, obtain boons, avert, wars, marry princesses and help the common people live happily ever after.