December 05, 2025 05:00 pm (IST)
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First fictional show themed on cooking in Bengali hits tele-screens
Kolkata, June 22 (IBNS) In the first fictional show in Bengali themed on cooking, 'Jhanjh Lobongo Phool', a teleserial based on a culinary skilled woman's fight in home and outside is being aired on a premier TV channel.
"We will be hosting elaborate cooking session during episodes where the characters will discuss typical Bengali grandma kitchen's recipes and do real life cooking before camera. A cross between non-fiction format cooking show and TV soap where the principal character only knows and talks about cooking," the director Abira Majumder tells IBNS during an on-location interaction.
"There will be two strands. The cooking tradition in rural Bengal and the culinary trends in urban Kolkata both of which will be gradually projected in the serial through the journey of the principal character Lobongo who has to fight opposition and scepticisim when she sets on her journey to make cooking her way of attaining success after hearing praises about her skill from guests and members of family.
"Then gradually as she enters the professional field and sets up a restaurant she is facing all sorts of negative vibes as a woman entrepreneur. While depicting her life's journey both cooking genres will be vividly depicted in the episodes with both rural household kitchen and urban modular kitchen settings. Our R&D team is already unearthing little known delicacies of Bangladesh districts, erstwhile East Bengal to our ancestors, and different parts of West Bengal and hope the concept clicks with the viewers," Abira, known for several popular mega soaps earlier, explains.
"Our show aims to explore Bengal's love for food through authentic traditional Bengali cuisines and delving into their recipes through the eyes of a woman and so it will sure strike a chord with the audience whose taste buds will be tickled with Lobongo's fingertips. The involvement of we - two women - creative director Sahana (of Patal Kumar Gaanwala fame) and me - perhaps helped in making the script ticking," Abira says.
Sahana says "Yes the name of the title is metaphorical as Lobongo is usually inseparable from our cooking to ensure Jhanj (punchiness). She is also a woman who can speak her mind in the story. She has that jhanj. Phool denotes the humble delicacy 'kumro phool, bok phool bhanja etc' which is also gradually vanishing from the plate of today's urban Bengali. In a way the serial depicting a woman's fightback story also aims at reviving the lost tradition of Bengali cooking.
To a question if Lobongo's character in the later half as a restaurant owner is modeled on any real life woman entrepreneur in Kolkata, or bear any references with them, Abira says: "Not esactly. But yes, we know many such women businessmen having set up their own ventures and been inspired by their journey."
Sahana, however, asserts in a separate interview there had been no such references..
Produced by Shree Venkatesh Films, Jhang Lobongo Phool will be telecast on Star Jalsha from June 20 - Monday to Saturday, 8:30 pmonwards.
While newcomer Isha will be Lobongo, Rajdeep Gupta portrays the role of suave Neel Sen Sharma, Lobongo's better half.
"Tell me which girl does not love to cook? The concept is fresh and it is a big break," Isha says.
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