Goopy–Bagha is a series of Indian Bengali fantasy adventure comedy films. The series is based on a story by Satyajit Ray's grandfather Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. The first two films Gupi Gain Bagha Bain and its sequel Heerak Rajar Deshe were directed by Satyajit Ray, and the third Gupi Bagha Phire Elo was directed by his son Sandip Ray. The trilogy starred Tapen Chatterjee and Rabi Ghosh as Goopy and Bagha respectively. An animated film Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya was made in Hindi, based on the story Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne. The film is directed by Shilpa Ranade.
Satyajit Ray series
Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne (1969)
The story revolves around Gopinath Gayin (alias Gupi, played by Tapen Chatterjee), the son of a poor grocer Kanu Kyne from a village called Amloki. Goopy wants to become a singer but has a hoarse voice. Persuaded by village elders to sing for the king, he does so and is driven out of Amloki on a donkey for waking the king with his terrible singing. Exiled into a forest, he meets Bagha (Rabi Ghosh), another exile from nearby Hortuki sent to the forest – in Bagha's case, due to playing the drum badly. They start singing and drumming, initially to scare off a roaming tiger, and in the process, they attract a group of ghosts who are fascinated by their music. The king of ghosts grants them three boons:
They can get food and clothes whenever needed by clapping their hands. They are given a pair of magic slippers with which they can travel anywhere. They gain the ability to hold people in awe (literally, their music renders people motionless) with their music.
They travel to Shundi, where a benevolent king appoints them court musicians. However, the king of Halla (the long lost brother of the king of Shundi) is planning to attack Shundi, after being poisoned with magic potion that makes him evil, given to the king of Halla by his self-centered prime minister. Goopy and Bagha travel to Halla in an attempt at preventing the attack, but are captured instead. Since they have now lost their slippers, they can't escape by magic, but manage to do so instead by strategy. They arrive singing and drumming when the soldiers are about to launch their attack, capturing the king of Halla, who is returned to Shundi. The two brothers are reunited and Goopy and Bagha marry the daughters of the two kings.
Hirak Rajar Deshe (1980)
The magically musical duo of Goopy Gyne and Bagha Byne make a comeback in this sequel, where they are invited to the court of the Hirak Raja (The Diamond King), for their musical skills. They are to perform at the kingdom's Jubilee Celebrations.
Goopy and Bagha are bored with their lives as crown princes of Shundi and Halla. They are looking for a change, which comes in the form of a chance to visit Hirak Rajya (Land of Diamonds), known for its huge diamond mines. They jocundly set out for Hirak Rajya. They are unaware of the machinations of Aishik Rehman (Utpal Dutt). The king is a tyrant. Diamonds and riches get pent up in his treasuries, while his subjects suffer. Those who protest are taken care of in the 'Jantarmantar', a chamber for brainwashing devised by the scientist (Santosh Dutta), who the king mocks calling as "Gobeshok Gobochondro Gyanotirtho Gyanorotno Gyanambudhi Gyanochuramoni". His ministers are mere puppets. The only enemy the king has in his land is Udayan Pandit (Soumitra Chatterjee). He is a school teacher and, more than that, he is a believer of values. The king forcefully closes his school down. Udayan flees to hide in the mountains.
Meanwhile, Goopy and Bagha are on their way to Hirok Rajya. By coincidence, they meet Udayan, who intimates them of the king's true nature. The two impress Udayan with their magical powers, who plans to use them against the tyrant. Goopy and Bagha agree. The duo then head into Hirok Rajya, where they are welcomed with grandeur. They entertain the rogue king, fooling him into believing that they think he is great. They rob the treasury (which was guarded by a tiger) using their magical music, for bribing the guards.
The king has his tricks, too. He captures Udayan and all his students, and takes them to the Jantarmantar for brainwashing. But Goopy Bagha have already reached there using their magical powers. They have also bribed the Gobeshok onto their side, with the guards. On reaching the laboratory, the king and his ministers are stunned magically by Goopy's singing and then pushed into the Brainwashing machine. After the king is brainwashed he turns to goode, he then along with the villagers pull down his own statue situated at the center of the village, and everything goes back to normal in the land of Hirak Raja.
Goopy Bagha Phire Elo (1992)