At a grand ceremony in Kolkata on June 8, celebrated Bangladeshi actor Abul Hayat, Kolkata’s theatre icon Manoj Mitra, filmmaker Prabhat Roy, and film producer Purnima Dutta were honoured with significant awards.
The event was organized by the Bengal Film and Television Chamber of Commerce and held at Kolkata’s Spring Club.
Abul Hayat received the Raj Razzak Lifetime Achievement Award, Manoj Mitra was honoured with the Hiralal Sen Lifetime Achievement Award, Prabhat Roy was bestowed with the Debaki Bose Lifetime Achievement Award, and Purnima Dutta was awarded the BN Sarkar Lifetime Achievement Award.
The chief guest for the evening was Bangladesh’s State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief, Mohibur Rahman.
In his welcome address, Rahman remarked, "Through the exchange of films between our nations,
our film industry will flourish further.
This exchange will enhance the cultural bond between our countries and accelerate the realisation of our dream of a prosperous Golden Bengal through film and cultural exchange."
Abul Hayat expressed his gratitude, saying, "I was born on this side of Bengal, but I live on the other side.
Thus, Kolkata still resonates in my heart. I believe that through cinema, our cultural and social ties will strengthen. My journey in film began under the guidance of legendary Bengali director Ritwik Ghatak, who remains immortal and unforgettable to me."
Manoj Mitra, Prabhat Roy, and Abul Hayat all expressed their gratitude for the honours and shared their hopes that the film industries of both countries would continue to progress, producing higher-quality Bengali films.
The event was attended by numerous prominent personalities from Kolkata's film industry.
