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'{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox film | name = A Death In The Gunj | image = ADeathintheGunj.jpg | alt = | caption = Festival poster | film name = <!--(for non-English films: film's name in its native language)--> | director = [[Konkona Sen Sharma]] | producer = Ashish Bhatnagar<br>Vijay Kumar Swami<br>Raagii Bhatnagar<br>Honey Trehan<br>[[Abhishek Chaubey]]<br>Neil Patel (co-producer) | writer = <!-- or: |writers = --> | screenplay = [[Konkona Sen Sharma]]<br>Disha Rindani | story = [[Mukul Sharma]] | starring = [[Vikrant Massey]]<br>[[Kalki Koechlin]]<br>[[Ranvir Shorey]]<br>[[Tillotama Shome]]<br>[[Gulshan Devaiah]]<br>[[Jim Sarbh]]<br>[[Om Puri]]<br>[[Tanuja]] | music = Sagar Desai | cinematography = Sirsha Ray | editing = Aarif Sheikh<br>Manas Mittal | studio = MacGuffin Pictures<br>Studioz IDrream<br>Moh Maya Films (presenter) | distributor = <!-- or: |distributors = --> | released = {{Film date|2016|09|10|Toronto|2017|06|02}} | runtime = 107 minutes | country = India | language = English<br>Hindi<br>[[Bengali language|Bengali]] | budget = | gross = {{INR}}10 million }} '''''A Death In The Gunj''''' is a 2016 Indian [[drama film|drama]] written and directed by [[Konkona Sen Sharma]].<ref>{{cite news|author1=Anjuri Nayar Singh |title=Behind the camera: Tales of actors turning directors |url=http://m.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/behind-the-camera-tales-of-actors-turning-directors/story-xlX7Dpgch6AaTgT1JOFOkL.html |accessdate= |agency= |date= 12 Jan 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Kamal Kaur |title=Kenya: Konoka Dons Her Director Hat for New Movie |url= http://allafrica.com/stories/201512240575.html |accessdate= |agency= |date=24 December 2015}}</ref> It features an ensemble cast of [[Vikrant Massey]], [[Tillotama Shome]], [[Om Puri]], [[Tanuja]], [[Gulshan Devaiah]], [[Kalki Koechlin]], [[Jim Sarbh]] and [[Ranvir Shorey]].<ref>{{cite news|author1=IANS |title=Tillotama Shome, Gulshan Devaiah to play couple in Konkona Sen Sharma’s directorial ‘A Death In The Gunj’ |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/tillotama-shome-gulshan-devaiah-to-play-couple-in-konkona-sen-sharmas-directorial-a-death-in-the-gunj/ |accessdate= |agency= |date=3 January 2016}}</ref> Produced by Ashish Bhatnagar, Vijay Kumar Swami, Raagii Bhatnagar, [[Abhishek Chaubey]], and Honey Trehan under the banners of Studioz IDrream and MacGuffin Pictures, it is Sharma's directorial debut feature.<ref>{{cite news|author1= |title=Konkona Sen Sharma: Passionate About Making a Film |url=http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/konkona-sen-sharma-passionate-about-making-a-film-776728 |accessdate= |agency= |date=30 June 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Bolly-Freak |title=First Look: 'A Death in The Gunj' by Konkana Sen Sharma |url=http://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/photos/347585/first-look-death-gunj-konkana-sen-sharma |accessdate= |agency=PinkVilla |date=5 January 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1= |title=Bollywood Celebs at Launch film ‘A Death In The Gunj’ |url=http://skjbollywoodnews.com/2016/01/launch-film-a-death-in-the-gunj/4150904.html |accessdate= |agency= |date= |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128085844/http://skjbollywoodnews.com/2016/01/launch-film-a-death-in-the-gunj/4150904.html |archivedate=28 January 2016 }}</ref> Principal photography began in February 2016 and was completed in March 2016 after a six-week shoot.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/070316/it-s-a-wrap-on-konkona-sensharma-s-directorial-debut.html | title=It's a wrap for Konkona Sensharma's directorial debut | work=[[Deccan Chronicle]] | date=7 March 2016 | accessdate=24 March 2016}}</ref> The film released on 2 June 2017 The film got eight nominations at the [[63rd Filmfare Awards]], including [[Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film|Best Film(Critics)]], [[Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor|Best Actor (Critics)]] for Massey, [[Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]] for Tillotama Shome and won [[Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director]] for Sensharma. ==Plot== Set in 1979, A Death in the Gunj is a coming of age story, about a shy student Shyamal Chatterjee. He uses a family road trip to McCluskiegunj, an old Anglo-Indian town, as an escape from his failed semester. At the outset, the makings of a perfect family holiday are in place but something is amiss. In the week that follows, Shutu's quiet unraveling is overlooked by the family revellers, until the holiday ends with an implosion. The movie begins with Shutu, recuperating with a recent loss of his father,arriving with his sister's family at a guest house in McCLuskiegunj rented for the vacational period. Here, his cousin's family inclusive of her husband,her mother and her father-in-law along with their friends Mimi and Vikram are a group of close knit revellers of their own, neglecting Shutu and frequently treating him like a child. Only his sister's six-year-old daughter Tani seems to get him and often left together to their own devices, the two form a bond. Meanwhile, we see the scenic suggestions of an illicit affair between the still-in-love Mimi and the newly married Vikram, an instance of which Shutu becomes once witness to. A tongue-tied and awkward young man in his early twenties, standing on the sidelines and looking on with longing at this boisterous cult of settled youth, knowing not how to join in he is a frequent subject of pranks and indifferent bullying at the hands of this party.With his growing confusion at an unexpected infatuation for Mimi and his suppressed antagonism towards Vikram, whom he is often bullied by Shutu just wants to be noticed. Somehow, caught between the jealous throes of a haunted Mimi whom he ends up losing his virginity to, here is a secret high in Shutu's life. Beginning to feel a kinship with an eventful life, he steals Vikram's bike, takes Mimi out on a bike ride and makes sudden love to her in a graveyard. Through all this he unintentionally neglects Tani who then angrily disappears. Late in the afternoon, when everyone is coming down for tea Tani is nowhere to be seen. Initially unworried, everyone is now looking for Tani who has vanished into thin air. Common blame is on Shutu who was supposed to have been with Tani but abandoned her when Mimi asked him for a ride. It is growing dark around the guest house as the forest beckons to souls astray in the night. The two mothers stay at home as everyone else is out with torches looking for Tani. However, Shutu while calling out Tani's name accidentally falls into a pit trap that had been layed for a roaming wolf. His brother in law, whom he was accompanying, unable to find him impatiently leaves when he gets news that Tani has been found. Shutu, meanwhile his shouts for help unheard remains stranded in the pit for a hour and nearly loses his life when the wolf actually stocks up to the pit, peers down and then fortunately leaves. Afterwards he is rescued by the guest house watchman, who was sent back by Shutu's aunt to find him and discovered him in the pit. When Shutu reaches home late in the evening he stands on the doorstep and looks into the house at the happy family gathering around the much pampered Tani, cheerful and relieved, completely unawares of his absence. The hero of the day is Vikram who found Tani playing in the backyard of the watchman's relative. A guilt ridden Shutu comes to Tani later in the night and tries to apologise to her but Tani refuses to talk to him and asks him to leave. The news of Shutu's failed semester and him having come with his cousin's family for this vacation without telling his mother has now come to light. His aunt writes a letter to her bereaved sister in the morning enclosing with it some money and asks Shutu to post that letter to her mother, call her up to the local station and buy a ticket for himself for the first train home. A depressed Shutu cycles to the station, posts the letter, buys the ticket, calls his mother but does not speak to her. When he returns he finds all the family members cheerful and carefree. When he sees Mimi he rells her he is going back home but he will be in Calcuta soon at which Mimi tells him that he better concentrate on his studies. ==Cast== [[File:Kalki Koechlin and Gulshan Devaiah.jpg|thumb|270px|Koechlin and Devaiah have important roles in the film.]] *[[Vikrant Massey]] as Shyamal Chatterjee (Shutu) *[[Ranvir Shorey]] as Vikramjit Chaudhary *[[Kalki Koechlin]] as Mitali (Mimi) *[[Tillotama Shome]] as Bonnie Bakshi *[[Gulshan Devaiah]] as Nandan Bakshi (Nandu) *[[Tanuja]] as Anupama Bakshi, Nandu's mother *[[Om Puri]] as O.P Bakshi, Nandu's father *[[Jim Sarbh]] as Brian McKenzie *Arya Sharma as Tania Bakshi, Nandu's daughter (Tani) *[[Aparna Sen]] as Shutu's mother *Virginia Vacho as Mrs Curney *Canteen Majid as Mr Curney *Promila Pradhan as Purnima Chaudhary, Vikram's wife *Ashok Pathak as Mania, Bakshi's servant *Saraswati Devi Vishwakarma as Manjari, Bakshi's maid servant *Shimanti Kumari as Manjari's friend *Chandram Bhagat as Maniya's friend *Nina Sharma as Mrs McKenzie *Kitty Texeira as Kitty *Uttam Mishra as Post Office clerk ==Music== The background score is given by Sagar Desai. The soundtrack which includes 5 three folk songs was released by [[Sony Music]]. {{tracklist | headline =Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | total_length= | title1 = Into the Gunj | extra1 = | lyrics1 = | length1 = 2:42 | title2 = Toothe Gachhe Bhoot Nache (Traditional) | extra2 = Simanthi Kumari & Chandram Bhagat | lyrics2 = | length2 = 2:06 | title3 =Jiri Jiri | extra3 = Promila Pradhan | lyrics3 = | length3 =3:55 | title4= The Sweater | lyrics4= | extra4= | length4= 1:31 | title5= Planchette | length5= 1:09 | extra5= | lyrics5= | title6= Shutu Mimi | length6= 2:21 | extra6= | lyrics6= | title7= Raiyo Raiyo | length7= 0:42 | extra7= Simanthi Kumari | lyrics7= | title8= Kabaddi | length8= 1:44 | extra8= | lyrics8= | title9= Shutu's Pain | length9= 1:56 | extra9= | lyrics9= | title10= Shutu's Dilemma and the Sister's Letter | length10= 1:55 | extra10= | lyrics10= | title11= A Death in the Gunj | length11= 7:09 | extra11= | lyrics11= | title12 = Toothe Gachhe Bhoot Nache | extra12 = Simanthi Kumari | lyrics12 = | length12 = 1:26 }} ==Release== ''A Death in the Gunj'' was launched by [[Gulzar]] and [[Vishal Bhardwaj]] at a press conference on 13 January 2016.<ref>{{cite news|author1= |title=Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj launch Konkana's directorial debut 'A Death in the Gunj' |url=http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Cinema/2016-01-06/Gulzar-and-Vishal-Bhardwaj-launch-Konkanas-directorial-debut-A-Death-in-the-Gunj/198308 |accessdate= |agency= |date=6 January 2016 }}</ref> The film's World premiere took place at the 21st annual [[2016 Toronto International Film Festival]] on 10 September 2016. Its Asian premiere was held at the [[21st Busan International Film Festival]] on 7 October 2016. It was chosen as the Opening Film for the 18th [[Mumbai Film Festival]] where it was screened on 21 October 2016 and where director Konkona Sensharma received the 'MasterCard Best India Female Filmmaker 2016 Award'. A Death in the Gunj also had its US premiere as the Opening Film of its 13th South Asian International Film Festival on the night of 30 November 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://m.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/konkona-s-a-death-in-the-gunj-premieres-at-18th-mumbai-film-fest/story-8ormhiYSvXUJ5dFwfk21pL.html|title=Konkona’s A Death in the Gunj premieres at 18th Mumbai Film Fest|date=2016-10-22|newspaper=Hindustan Times|access-date=2016-10-23}}</ref> The film released in Indian theatres on June 2, 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/konkona-sen-s-a-death-in-the-gunj-to-release-on-june-2/story-JKulNIMXKAaJqPECRDbzhK.html|title=Konkona Sen’s A Death In The Gunj to release on June 2|date=2017-05-13|work=hindustantimes.com/|access-date=2017-05-13|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=A Death In The Gunj Movie Review: A Beautiful Tragedy|url=http://www.movietalkies.com/movies-reviews/a-death-in-the-gunj/|website=[[Movie Talkies]]|accessdate=1 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=A Death In The Gunj movie review: Experimental, surreal and successful|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/a-death-in-the-gunj-movie-review-experimental-surreal-and-successful/story-XtQm5Ff3buS0iYo4I8ZT1O.html|website=[[Hindustan Times]]|accessdate=12 March 2016}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|title=Review: Expect the Unexpected from ‘A Death In The Gunj’|url=https://www.thequint.com/movie-reviews/2017/06/01/a-death-in-the-gunj-movie-review/|website=[[The Quint]]|accessdate=12 March 2016}}</ref> ===Box office=== ''A Death in the Gunj'' released in India on a meagre 100 screens and had an average opening. It collected a total of {{INR}}5.2 million in its opening week. With a limited theatrical release, the film earned around {{INR}}10 million during its entire run at the box-office.<ref name="bo">{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=3540|title=A Death In The Gunj|publisher=[[Box Office India]]|accessdate=23 July 2017}}</ref> ==Film festivals== ''A Death in the Gunj'' opened to positive response at various film festivals. It started its' festival run by being invited to screen at [[2016 Toronto International Film Festival]] by festival programmer and film critic, [[Cameron Bailey]]. There on, ADITG has been screened at over 30 film festivals, domestic as well as internationally. ADITG has received 7 nominations in various film festivals and received 5 awards.<ref name="uma">{{cite web|last1=Ramasubramanian|first1=Uma|title=Exclusive: When Konkona found no backers for her debut A Death in the Gunj|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/150217/a-death-in-the-gunj-to-release-in-april.html|website=[[Deccan Chronicles]]|accessdate=5 June 2017|date=16 February 2017}}</ref> ==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Date of Ceremony !Award !Category !Recipient(s) and nominee(s) !Result !Ref. |- |2016 |18th Jio MAMI Film Festival |MasterCard Best Indian (Female) |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Won}} | |- | rowspan="12" |2017 | rowspan="2" |New York Indian Film Festival |Best Director |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Won}} | |- |Best Film |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Nom}} | |- |Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival |Best Fiction Film |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Won}} | |- | rowspan="2" |Indian Film Festival of Melbourne |Best Director |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Indie Film |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Nom}} | |- | rowspan="7" |Caleidoscope Indian Film Festival | rowspan="2" |Best Performance by a Male Actor |[[Vikrant Massey]] |{{Won}} | |- |[[Ranvir Shorey]] |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Performance by a Female Actor |[[Kalki Koechlin]] |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Audience Choice |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Won}} | |- |Best Director |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Feature Film |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Technical Excellence |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Nom}} | |- | rowspan="14" |16 January 2018 | rowspan="14" |Films of India Online Awards | Best Feature Film | ''A Death In The Gunj'' | {{Won}} | rowspan="14" |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foionlineawards.com/3rd-foi-online-awards/|title=Winners & Nominations: 3rd FOI Online Awards, 2018|publisher=FOI Online Awards}}</ref> |- | Best Direction |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] | {{Won}} |- |Best Actor In A Leading Role | [[Vikrant Massey]] | {{Nom}} |- |rowspan="2" |Best Actress In A Supporting Role |[[Kalki Koechlin]] |{{Nom}} |- |[[Tillotama Shome]] |{{Nom}} |- |Best Performance By An Ensemble Cast |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Won}} |- |Best Adapted Screenplay |Disha Rindani, [[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Won}} |- |Best Background Score |Sagar Desai |{{Won}} |- |Best Cinematography |Sirsha Ray |{{Won}} |- |Best Editing |Arif Sheikh & Manas Mittal |{{Nom}} |- |Best Sound Design |Kunal Sharma |{{Nom}} |- |Best Production Design |Siddharth Sirohi |{{Nom}} |- |Best Costume Design |Rohit Chaturvedi |{{Nom}} |- |Best Make-Up & Hair Styling |Kaushal D'souza, Prashant Doiphode |{{Nom}} |- | rowspan="9" |[[63rd Filmfare Awards|20 January 2018]] | rowspan="9" |[[Filmfare Awards]] |Best Debut Director |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Won}} | |- |Best Cinematography |Sirsha Ray |{{Won}} | |- |Best Costume Design |Rohit Chaturvedi |{{Won}} | |- |Best Film (Critics) |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Nom}} |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-2018/nominations/critics-best-film-2018|title=Critics Best Film 2017 Nominees {{!}} Filmfare Awards|website=filmfare.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-20}}</ref> |- |Best Actor (Critics) |[[Vikrant Massey]] |{{Nom}} |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-2018/nominations/critics-best-actor-male|title=Critics Best Actor in Leading Role Male 2017 Nominees {{!}} Filmfare Awards|website=filmfare.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-20}}</ref> |- |Best Supporting Actress |[[Tillotama Shome]] |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Background Score |Sagar Desai |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Production Design |Siddharth Sirohi |{{Nom}} | |- |Best Editing |Aarif Sheikh, Manas Mittal |{{Nom}} | |- | rowspan="4" |6 March 2018 | rowspan="4" |Bollywood Film Journalists Awards |Best Director |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Won}} | rowspan="4" |<ref>{{Cite book|title=|last=|first=|publisher=|year=|isbn=|location=|pages=http://www.powerbrands360.com/images/bollywoodawards/FinalVoteCount.pdf}}</ref> |- |Best Story (Adapted) |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Won}} |- |Best Editing |Aarif Sheikh, Manas Mittal |{{Won}} |- |Best Costume Design |Rohit Chaturvedi |{{Won}} |- | rowspan="10" |20 March 2018 | rowspan="10" |News18 Reel Movie Awards |Best Cinematography |Sirsha Ray |{{Won}} |<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/bollywood/reel-movie-awards-2018|title=‘Newton’ & ‘Mukti Bhawan’ Win Big at the REEL Movie Awards|work=The Quint|access-date=2018-03-21|language=en}}</ref> |- |Best Film |''A Death In The Gunj'' |{{Nom}} | rowspan="6" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/reel-movie-awards-2018/on-screen-awards/|title=Reel Movie On Screen Awards 2018 {{!}} Best Film, Actor, Actress, Director and More|website=News18|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-21}}</ref> |- |Best Director |[[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Nom}} |- |Best Actor |[[Vikrant Massey]] |{{Nom}} |- |Best Supporting Actor |[[Ranvir Shorey]] |{{Nom}} |- | rowspan="2" |Best Supporting Actress |[[Kalki Koechlin]] |{{Nom}} |- |[[Tillotama Shome]] |{{Nom}} |- |Best Art / Production Design |Siddharth Sirohi |{{Nom}} | rowspan="3" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/reel-movie-awards-2018/behind-the-scenes-awards/|title=Reel Movie Behind The Scenes Awards 2018 {{!}}Best Cinematography, Sound, Art / Production Design, Editing, Music, Screenplay, Dialogues|website=News18|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-21}}</ref> |- |Best Editing |Aarif Sheikh, Manas Mittal |{{Nom}} |- |Best Screenplay |Disha Rindani, [[Konkona Sen Sharma]] |{{Nom}} |- | | | | | | rowspan="3" | |- | | | | | |} ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== * {{IMDb title|5918074}} {{Portal bar|India|2010s|Film|Bengali}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Death In The Gunj}} [[Category:2016 films]] [[Category:2010s drama films]] [[Category:Indian films]] [[Category:English-language films]] [[Category:Bengali-language films]] [[Category:English-language Indian films]] [[Category:Indian drama films]] [[Category:Indian art films]] [[Category:Directorial debut films]] [[Category:Films set in the 1970s]]'