Rotterdam Competition Title ‘The Puppet’s Tale’ Examines India’s Timeless Battle of Tradition Versus Change

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran Indian auteur Suman Mukhopadhyay’s “The Puppet’s Tale” (Putulnacher Itikatha), a period drama centering on a young doctor’s struggle between modern medicine and traditional beliefs in 1930s Bengal, premieres in International Film Festival Rotterdam‘s Big Screen Competition on Feb.

6. The film, adapted from Manik Bandyopadhyay’s celebrated 1936 novel, explores how progress and tradition clash through the eyes of an idealistic physician returning to his roots. “We are witnessing ideological deadlocks across society, with conflicting worldviews pulling us in different directions,” Mukhopadhyay told Variety. “The novel’s central conflict – the doctor’s dilemma in navigating these opposing forces – feels even more urgent when mortality itself looms over the characters.” The story follows Shashi, a newly graduated doctor whose return to his village becomes a crucible for larger social tensions. “Despite significant progress, we continue to grapple with entrenched value systems and rigid traditions,” Mukhopadhyay explained. “The film explores the timeless struggle between tradition and modernity – something that remains deeply relevant in India.

Despite significant progress, we continue to grapple with entrenched value systems and rigid traditions.” A prominent figure in Bengali theater and cinema, Mukhopadhyay has carved a distinctive path across India’s cultural landscape over three decades.

His theatrical productions have included acclaimed adaptations of Chekhov, Brecht, Tagore, and Shakespeare, while his cinematic works like the Indian National Film Award-winning “Herbert” and Busan selection “Nazarband” have established him as a filmmaker who deftly bridges literature and cinema.