Chatrak (Bengali: ছত্রাক; English: Mushroom ) is a 2011 Indian Bengali-language art drama film directed by the internationally acclaimed filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki . Unlike mainstream Bengali commercial cinema, Chatrak stands out for its surreal narrative, unconventional storytelling, and bold exploration of modern urban alienation. The film is a Bangladesh-India co-production, starring Bangladeshi superstar Chanchal Chowdhury alongside the prolific Indian actor Rudranil Ghosh and acclaimed actress Locket Chatterjee .
| Actor | Role | Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Sheikh Rubel | The wandering protagonist, representing disillusioned modernity. | | Rudranil Ghosh | Mohan | The obsessive brother; a tragic figure trapped by his own fantasy. | | Locket Chatterjee | Panchi | Mohan’s long-suffering, pragmatic wife caught between two broken men. | | Faruk Ahmed | — | A local mystic figure. | | Titas Zia | — | A supporting role adding to the urban milieu. | Chatrak 2011 Bengali Movie Wiki
If you are looking for a conventional plot or happy ending, skip this film. But if you want to see what Bengali cinema can achieve when it breaks all rules — watch Chatrak. Chatrak 2011 Bengali Movie Wiki, Cast, Story, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Chanchal Chowdhury, Rudranil Ghosh. | Actor | Role | Description | |
Both. The characters speak a mixture of Kolkata and Dhaka dialects, reflecting the co-production nature. | | Faruk Ahmed | — | A local mystic figure
Chatrak is now considered a cult classic of Bengali independent cinema. It inspired a wave of low-budget, realism-focused Bengali films in both Bangladesh and West Bengal. Film students frequently analyze its use of silence, spatial storytelling, and the “mushroom” as a semiotic object.
Unlike glossy urban dramas, Chatrak was shot entirely in real slums and under-construction bridges in Kolkata . Cinematographer Kamrul Hasan Khosru used natural lighting and handheld cameras to give the film a raw, documentary-like texture. The gray concrete landscape contrasts sharply with the organic, almost alien, growth of mushrooms.
Director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has since stated: “Chatrak was my most personal film. It is about my own fear of returning home and finding everything changed, yet nothing new.” Q: Is Chatrak a horror film? No. While it has surreal and unsettling sequences, it is a psychological drama.