Haami
Haami is a 2018 Indian Bengali-language children's drama film directed and produced by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee under their Windows Production banner.[1] The narrative centers on the platonic friendship between two primary school students, Bhutu—a boy from a rising affluent family—and Chini—a girl from a modest background—whose bond faces societal backlash after Bhutu impulsively kisses Chini on the cheek, prompting accusations of impropriety and exposing tensions around class differences and premature adult judgments on childhood innocence.[1] Starring child actors Broto Banerjee as Bhutu and Koushani Mukherjee in a supporting role, the film critiques overzealous parental and communal reactions that disrupt untainted juvenile relationships.[1] Released on 20 April 2018, it received acclaim for its sensitive portrayal of child psychology and social norms, earning a 7.9 rating on IMDb from over 1,500 users and sparking discussions on child autonomy versus cultural conservatism in Bengal.[1]Synopsis
Plot Summary
Haami centers on Bhutu, a charismatic Class I student at a prestigious co-educational school in Kolkata, and Chini, a newcomer to the class who has relocated from Gurgaon with her family.[2][3] The two children quickly form a close, innocent friendship, sharing everyday school experiences despite their differing family backgrounds—Bhutu from an upwardly mobile business family and Chini from a household led by her single mother, a successful author.[4][5] The narrative escalates when Bhutu, in a spontaneous act of affection, kisses Chini on the cheek, an gesture rooted in their platonic bond.[1][3] This childlike expression triggers widespread outrage among parents, teachers, and school authorities, who interpret it through an adult lens of propriety and scandal, leading to investigations, media involvement, and societal debates on children's interactions.[6][5] Through the ensuing turmoil, the film examines the disconnect between the unfiltered worldview of young children and the overreactions of grown-ups, questioning accountability in preserving innocence amid institutional and cultural pressures.[1][2]Cast and Characters
Principal Cast
Broto Banerjee portrays Bodhiswata "Bhutu" Biswas, a curious child from a working-class family facing societal pressures over his innocent friendship.[1] Tiyasha Pal plays Tanuruchi "Chini" Sen, Bhutu's schoolmate from an upper-class household, highlighting class contrasts central to the narrative.[1] Shiboprosad Mukherjee, who also co-directs, stars as Laltu Biswas, Bhutu's supportive father, embodying everyday parental dilemmas.[7][2] Gargee Roychowdhury depicts Mitali Biswas, Bhutu's mother, navigating emotional family conflicts.[7][2] Sujan Mukherjee assumes the role of Srinjoy Sen, Chini's strict father, representing elite societal expectations.[8] Churni Ganguly portrays Rina Sen, Chini's mother, who grapples with maintaining family decorum amid the scandal.[5]| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Broto Banerjee | Bodhiswata "Bhutu" Biswas[1] |
| Tiyasha Pal | Tanuruchi "Chini" Sen[1] |
| Shiboprosad Mukherjee | Laltu Biswas[7] |
| Gargee Roychowdhury | Mitali Biswas[7] |
| Sujan Mukherjee | Srinjoy Sen[8] |
| Churni Ganguly | Rina Sen[5] |
Supporting Cast
Aparajita Adhya portrays the vice-principal, a school administrator involved in addressing the central conflict arising from the children's interaction.[9][10] Tanushree Shankar plays the school principal, overseeing disciplinary matters at the institution attended by the protagonists.[9] Abhiraj Karan acts as Ajatshotru Rakshit, nicknamed Kuchu, the young brother of one of the lead child characters.[9][11] Koneenica Banerjee features as Shyamoli Rakshit, a parental figure navigating the fallout from the incident.[9][10] Kharaj Mukherjee appears as Dilip Rakshit, contributing to the family dynamics explored in the narrative.[10] Sujan Mukherjee plays Srinjoy Sen, another family member reacting to the events.[11] Additional supporting performers include Gargee Roychowdhury, Churni Ganguly, and Masood Akhtar as Chacha Jaan, each appearing in roles that depict societal and familial responses to the children's friendship.[9][10]Production
Development and Writing
The screenplay for Haami was originally conceived by directors Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee during the production of their 2014 film Ramdhanu, drawing from anecdotes shared by teachers and students about school dynamics, trust issues, and interpersonal conflicts among children.[12] These real-life incidents, rather than a single event or literary source, formed the basis of the story, which the directors adapted into an original narrative exploring innocent friendships amid adult misinterpretations, without sensationalizing educational shortcomings.[13] A subplot involving a school bus attendant was similarly inspired by documented real-life occurrences in educational settings, integrated to highlight systemic vulnerabilities without dominating the central child-focused plot.[14] Although the directors had been preparing another project titled Konttho, the development of Haami accelerated in 2017 following an audition for that film, where child actor Brata Banerjee, cast as the lead Bhutu, recited a poem by Shakti Chattopadhyay titled Abani Bari Achho, profoundly impressing Roy and Mukherjee with his natural talent.[15] This prompted them to shelve Konttho temporarily and pivot immediately to scripting Haami around Banerjee's persona, ensuring the story's protagonist embodied his energetic, unscripted charm to authentically capture the innocence of early childhood bonds.[15] The writing process emphasized returning characters Laltu Biswas and Mitali from Ramdhanu to create narrative continuity, positioning Haami as a thematic extension that critiques overprotective parenting and institutional overreactions through a lens of realism derived from observed behaviors.[12] Roy and Mukherjee, who co-wrote the screenplay as is customary in their collaborations, finalized the draft coincidentally around the time of a high-profile 2017 incident at a Kolkata school, though they clarified the script predated it and was not directly modeled on that event.[12] This approach allowed the film to address broader societal tendencies toward exaggeration in minor child interactions, grounded in empirical observations from their prior work rather than fabricated drama.[13]Casting Process
The directors, Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, conducted open auditions for the child roles, including visits to schools to scout talent.[16][17] For the lead role of Bodhisattwa "Bhutu" Biswas, Broto Banerjee, then a Class III student, forged his identity by claiming to be in Class II to participate in an audition targeted at younger children, ultimately securing the part.[16] Tiyasha Pal was similarly selected as Tanuruchi "Chini" Sen through these auditions, marking her debut without industry connections.[17] Adult principal roles were largely pre-determined to leverage established chemistry from prior collaborations. Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Gargee Roychowdhury reprised parental dynamics akin to their roles in Ramdhanu (2014), portraying Bhutu's parents.[18] Supporting adults, including Koneenica Banerjee as Shyamoli Rakshit and Churni Ganguly in a similar capacity, were chosen mutually by the directors to fit the ensemble of urban middle-class parents.[18] Other roles, such as the school principal by Tanushree Shankar, filled out the cast via targeted selections emphasizing natural performances over star power.[15]Filming and Technical Aspects
Principal photography for Haami occurred primarily in Kolkata, India, reflecting the film's setting in an urban private school environment.[2] The production incorporated real locations to blend authentic urban and school settings with the narrative, as highlighted in behind-the-scenes footage exploring the interplay between scripted scenes and actual sites.[19] Directors Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee emphasized on-location shooting to capture the everyday dynamics of childhood friendship amid adult misunderstandings.[12] The filming process involved significant collaboration with child actors, including Broto Banerjee (aged 6) as Bhutu and Tiyasha Pal (aged 7) as Chini, who formed the core of the story's innocent relationship.[12] Roy noted that the children trusted the directors implicitly, delivering lines naturally by imitating scenes after quick learning, which facilitated authentic performances without over-rehearsal.[12] Challenges arose in handling sensitive themes like parental overreaction to child interactions while shielding young performers from heavier content, ensuring scenes remained focused on narrative integrity rather than sensationalism.[12] Making-of materials underscore the rewarding yet demanding nature of directing children, prioritizing their comfort to elicit spontaneous reactions.[20] Technical details for Haami are sparse in available production records, with the film running 133 minutes in duration.[1] Cinematography aimed for a realistic portrayal of school life, leveraging natural lighting and handheld techniques common in the directors' style to maintain intimacy in child-centric sequences, though specific equipment such as camera models remains undocumented in primary sources.[12] The production, handled by Windows Pictures, adhered to standard digital workflows typical of mid-budget Bengali cinema in 2018, emphasizing efficient shoots to accommodate child actors' schedules.Music and Soundtrack
Composition
The music for Haami was composed by Anindya Chatterjee, a singer-songwriter who had previously provided scores for films directed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, including Belaseshe (2015), Praktan (2016), and Posto (2017).[21] Chatterjee also penned the lyrics for all tracks, aligning them closely with the film's themes of childhood innocence, friendship, and everyday school life.[21] The composition process involved creating tailor-made songs in collaboration with the directors, often by sharing preliminary song sequences or, in some cases, developing music ahead of final visuals to integrate seamlessly with the narrative.[21] A key directive was to advance the storyline through the music, with tracks designed to evoke the unfiltered emotions of young protagonists.[21] Mukherjee emphasized that "songs tell stories too—they take the narrative forward," reflecting a deliberate choice to prioritize thematic cohesion over standalone hits.[21] Uniquely, the entire soundtrack album features vocals exclusively by child artists, a decision Chatterjee described as fulfilling his long-held ambition to produce a dedicated children's album, noting that "children’s voices have a certain innocence in them."[21] This approach amplified the film's focus on youthful perspectives, with compositions incorporating playful rhythms and simple melodies to mirror the protagonists' world, such as in tracks highlighting friendship dynamics like "Bhutu Bhaijaan."[21] A separate promotional title track, sung by Babul Supriyo, was composed by Chatterjee but excluded from the film's runtime.[22]Track Listing and Release
The soundtrack album Haami (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), composed entirely by Anindya Chatterjee, consists of six tracks and was released digitally in 2018 through platforms including Spotify and JioSaavn.[23] [24] The songs emphasize child-centric themes aligning with the film's narrative on school life and friendship, with promotional singles issued progressively from March onward to build anticipation for the film's theatrical debut on May 11, 2018.[25]| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Notes/Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haami (Title Track) | Babul Supriyo, Anindya Chatterjee | Promotional single; March 23, 2018[26] |
| 2 | Bhutu Bhaijaan | Shreyan Bhattacharya | Upbeat track; March 30, 2018[27] |
| 3 | Tiffin Box (Happy) | Aruna Das | Joyful version tied to film's tiffin motif[28] |
| 4 | Khola Tiffin Box (Sad) | Child artists (e.g., Swamantak Mukherjee, Aruna Das) | Melancholic counterpart; April 14, 2018[25] |