Sesh Anka
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Sesh Anka
| image =
| native_name =
| director = Haridas Bhattacharya
| screenplay = Rajkumar Moitra
| producer = Narendranath Chattopadhyaya
| story = Rajkumar Moitra
| writer = Shyamal Gupta (dialogues and Lyrics)
| based_on = Chase a Crooked Shadow a 1958 film
| starring = Uttam Kumar
Pahari Sanyal
Sharmila Tagore
Bikash Roy
Kamal Mitra
Sabitri Chatterjee
Utpal Dutt
| music = Pabitra Chatterjee, Sailen Roy
| cinematography = Kanai Dey
| editing = Santosh Ganguly
| studio = Kalpana Movies Pvt Ltd
| distributor = Kalpana Movies
| released = {{Film date|1963}}
| runtime = 131 min
| country = India
| language = Bengali
| budget =
}}
Sesh Anka ({{translation|The final act}}) is a 1963 Indian Bengali-language thriller film directed by Haridas Bhattacharya and made by Kalpana Movies, Kolkata.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gomolo.com/shesh-anko-movie/13874 |title=Shesh Anko (1963 – Bengali) |website=gomolo.com |access-date=26 April 2017 |archive-date=27 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427004854/http://www.gomolo.com/shesh-anko-movie/13874 |url-status=dead }} This film was loosely inspired by the 1958 film Chase a Crooked Shadow.{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/06/26/stories/2009062650331600.htm |title=Puthiya Paravai 1964 |last=Guy |first=Randor |date=26 June 2009 |work=The Hindu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108044036/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/06/26/stories/2009062650331600.htm |archive-date=8 November 2012 |url-status=unfit |author-link=Randor Guy}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/jwala-1969/article4863554.ece|title=Jwala (1969)|website=thehindu.com|access-date=November 16, 2018}} 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.{{Citation needed||date=March 2025}} The film was remade in Tamil in 1964 as Puthiya Paravai and was an inspiration for the Hindi movie Khoj (1989).{{Cite web|date=2018-04-23|title=Tamil cinema’s bong connection|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/tracking-indian-communities/tamil-cinemas-bong-connection/|access-date=2021-02-17|website=Times of India Blog|archive-date=13 February 2022|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220213/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/tracking-indian-communities/tamil-cinemas-bong-connection/|url-status=live}}
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 alleges that she is an imposter. In the meantime, a mysterious person named Samadder invades Sudhangsu's house and steals 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 hands. 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 in 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.{{Cite web|url=https://indiancine.ma/KXH/info|title=Shesh-Anka|website=indiancine.ma|access-date=4 June 2017|archive-date=31 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731012140/https://indiancine.ma/KXH/info|url-status=live}}
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
- Dipak Mukherji as Assistant Police Commissioner
Soundtrack
{{Infobox album
| name = Sesh Anko
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = Pabitra Chatterjee, Sailen Roy
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1963
| recorded = 1962
| venue =
| studio = Kalpana Movies Pvt Ltd
| genre =
| length = 0:09:39
| label = Angel Digital Pvt Ltd
| producer = Narendranath Chattopadhyay
}}
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| all_lyrics = Shyamal Gupta, Pranob Roy
| all_music = Pabitra Chatterjee, Sailen Roy
| headline = Songs
| extra_column = Playback
| title1 = Aami To Jani
| length1 = 3:13
| extra1 = Hemanta Mukherjee
| title2 = Ankhi Jage Shyamrup Raage
| length2 = 3:13
| extra2 = Sandhya Mukherjee
| title3 = Chand Jage Batayane
| length3 = 3:13
| extra3 = Hemanta Mukherjee
| total_length = 09:39
}}
Reception
Uttam Kumar played an unusual role as a murderer.{{Cite web |last=মালাকার |first=অমিতাভ |date=2021-07-24 |title=উত্তম কুমার যখন ভিলেন |url=https://eisamaygold.com/culture/uttam-kumar-as-villain/1663682561699 |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Eisamay Gold |language=bn}} 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.{{Cite news |date=2022-01-23 |title=#DirectorsCut: Haridas Bhattacharya’s ‘Sesh Anka’ can easily serve as a textbook on thriller writing |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/directorscut-haridas-bhattacharyas-sesh-anka-can-easily-serve-as-a-textbook-on-thriller-writing/articleshow/89041578.cms |access-date=2023-08-25 |issn=0971-8257}}
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.