The Cloud and the Man
The Cloud and the Man (also known as Manikbabur Megh) is a Bengali film directed by debutant director Abhinandan Banerjee and produced by Buaddhayan and Monalisa Mukherji. Actor Chandan Sen who portrayed the title role bagged the Best Actor Award at the 19th Pacific Meridian Film Festival, Russia. The film got selection at the 2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 under the Eikhoigi Montage section.
Cast
- Chandan Sen as Manik Babu
- Debesh Roychowdhury as Kali
- Bratya Basu as Dr. Sadhan
- Nimai Ghosh as Madhab
- Arun Guhatharkurta
- Arya Mallick
Plot
Using monochrome cinematography, The Cloud and the Man is a surreal and philosophical reflection on one recently-bereaved middle aged man and his accidentally complex yet meaningful relationship with a cloud. It is about Manik Babu, who makes friends with a cloud which he feels, keeps following him. In the beginning, he is terrified but with time, he feels a strange bonding with the same cloud which strips him of his utter isolation, his loneliness and his alienation from the world around him. This surreal relation brings out a new Manik in him and propels him into a roller coaster journey of faith, betrayal, belief, and warmth.
Release
The film released in theaters in West Bengal on 12 July 2024.
Awards and Nominations
It had its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival where it opened the First Feature competition in Nov 2021. The Indian Premiere was at IFFI, Goa and the North American Premiere took place at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
The film finds place in the coveted list of FIPRESCI India's Top 10 Films of 2021 and has won the NETPAC award for the Best Asian Film at the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival, 2022. It also bagged the Chidananda Dasgupta Award and a citation for a feature film by a debut director for the 2nd year of the Chidananda Dasgupta Centenary Awards.