Until recently, Pandora’s Reel saw itself as a band of stubborn millennials fighting all odds to keep the magic of our childhood alive. Printing T-shirts of our favourite heroes, designing posters that echoed the stories we grew up with and celebrating everything we loved about Bengali pop-culture. But we were uncertain if the current generation of Bengali Youth would share our love for it. So we were skeptic. But one visit to Qadam 2.0 changed everything. Suddenly, it felt like we were not alone preserving this — the love for Bengali Pop Culture is still alive and ready to evolve with the next generation.
It all started with a few Instagrams reels catching our eyes. They were not only energetic, but fun and innovative. We were curious about Qadam and found out that this was the departmental literary fest organised by the Department of Language and Culture Studies of Adamas University. What started as creative curiosity led to a chain of reactions we had not quite imagined but are so glad that it happened – Pandora’s Reel participated in Qadam 2.0 and we are richer for that.
Most of us at Pandora’s Reel left college more or less 10 years ago. But we refused to give up the spirit of college life and the essence of our childhood. We always aspired to create an oasis of stories, fantasy, culture in the middle of the desert that is the adult world. That’s how Pandora’s Reel was born. It’s a place where we celebrate the stories we have loved in every medium – be it cinema or comics, novels or audio stories.
When the English Department of Adamas University invited us to participate in Qadam 2.0 and bring our merchandise at the Book fair of their Literary fest, we had no idea what a wholesome experience was in store for us. The three days of Qadam, took us back to the excitement of our own college days. It was a grand celebration of Music, Dance, Drama, Comics, Cosplay, and Cinema from November 10th to 12th at the Adamas University campus.
The students of the intra-departmental Drama Club performed their hearts out in a brave, two-hour-long stage play, paying tribute to one of the legends of Bengali Cinema, Ritwik Ghatak. Not only were we moved by their performances, but we were truly inspired by their sincerity and warmth. Qadam even helped us announce our dream project, Comic Battle, which is going to be the biggest competition for comic book artists to be held in our city. Finally, we could screen our award-winning short film, The Counterpart, in their auditorium.
We never thought that the current generation of youngsters would find so much resonance with our work. They flocked to our stall celebrating the icons of Bengali Pop Culture. To learn that Bengali Pop Culture is still alive and thriving made this event all the more special. It was at Qadam that we realised that Pandora’s Reel is on the right track. The celebration of art only needs a little spark, a small step – a small qadam towards our cultural roots and it was heartwarming to see Bengali Culture, Art, Music, Cinema being nurtured in a liberal environment by the School of Liberal Arts and Culture Studies of Adamas University. To more of such beautiful collaborations! To taking yet another Qadam together.
First Qadam of Pandora’s Reel at Qadam 2.0 Read More »
