The Kolkata Derby in the Durand Cup 2025 quarter-final saw Mohun Bagan fans display a tifo inspired by Satyajit Ray’s film Jana Aranya
East Bengal defeated Mohun Bagan 2-1 with a first-half brace from Dimitrios Diamantakos
The win sent East Bengal into the Durand Cup semi-final, where they will face Diamond Harbour
Matches between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal are rarely limited to football, as it is a clash of fans, cultures, and histories that often spills beyond the pitch. The same happened during the Kolkata Derby match at the Durand Cup 2025 quarter-final fixture at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 17 August.
During the derby match, Mohun Bagan fans unfurled several tifos across the Salt Lake Stadium, one of which caught particular attention with its reference to the legendary director Satyajit Ray.
Inspired by a scene from Ray’s 1976 movie ‘Jana Aranya’, the tifo showed a man remembering a scene from the movie with the words, “O dada pass na honours?” (Oh brother, Pass or Honours?), with a line below that read, “Proshner uttor aaj-o Mohun Bagan” (The answer to that question is still Mohun Bagan).
In an iconic scene from the movie, a young man is repeatedly questioned about his educational qualifications, with the question of whether he is pursuing a Pass or an Honours course. In response, the man says, “Mohun Bagan”, showing how the club became synonymous with a person’s identity and pride.
Interestingly, Satyajit Ray – one of the greatest film directors to come out of Asia – was an ardent football fan and a supporter of Mohun Bagan.
East Bengal Overcome Mohun Bagan In Durand Cup Derby
On the pitch, the pre-season derby at Salt Lake Stadium made for a spectacular display of Indian football. East Bengal won 2-1, courtesy of a first-half brace from substitute Dimitrios Diamantakos. After replacing the injured Hamid Ahadad, the Greek striker scored a penalty in the 38th minute before doubling the lead right before half-time.
Anirudh Thapa led a fightback with his 68th-minute effort, but the Red and Gold Brigade held on to book their place in the Durand Cup 2025 semi-final, where they will face Diamond Harbour FC.
