The Quest

The film-script of The Quest (Moner Manush) is much more than a biography of Lalon Fakir. It reveals the stages of a simple young man’s emergence as Lalon Fakir, the prevailing social scenario, a disciple’s faith in his Guru and a man’s endless journey in quest of the single entity that his heart craved for. Lalon’s songs were devotional lyrics-poetic and passionate, carrying deep philosophical annotations-in tune with the music of the Baul community of rural Bengal. The baul community renounced all recognised institutional religions and revolted against long-established rites, customs and faiths. Breaking down the barriers of the narrow confines of communal faith they had found a large expanse under the sky, which had served as bountiful meeting place for many religions. In Lalon’s words, they were like ‘a rudderless raft in a shore-less river’, a ‘hidden current’ where ‘those who wanted to get lost can get lost.’