A guide to Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal and Bengali culture.
Satyajit Ray
Ritwik Ghatak
Mrinal Sen
Tapan Sinha
Uttam Kumar
Suchitra Sen
Aparna Sen
Soumitra Chatterjee
Buddhadev Dasgupta
Rituparno Ghosh
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Bengali Cinema
Saumitra Chatterjee
Saumitra Chatterjee is one of the most talented actor and probably the most acknowledged one internationally from Bengal. The later is due to his appearance in many of Satyajit Ray's movies. He is to the films of Satyajit Ray what Toshiro Mifune was to the films of Akira Kurosawa or Marcello Mastroianni to Federico Fellini. Saumitra appeared in 15 of the 34 films made by Ray.
             Born in 1935, Saumitra graduated from Calcutta University with honors in literature. First appeared in film in 1959; it was Apu-r Sansar (The World of Apu), the final film of Satyajit Ray's 'Apu Trilogy'. Saumitra acted in the role of a young man 'Apu' who experiences the turmoil of life. His work in this film gave him a distinct place in the heart of cinema lovers. This place was evenly firmed when he portrayed the ever popular character of Feluda in Ray's thriller Sonar Kella in the mid seventies. Ray made three films based on the works of Tagore and incidentally Saumitra acted in all of them - Charulata, Samapti (in Teen Kanya) and Ghare Baire. Apart from Ray, Saumitra acted with other prominent film directors such as Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha. Saumitra displayed same level of excellence in regular commercial movies as well as in parallel film.
                Saumitra acts, writes and directs plays in Bengali theatre. He had the honor of sharing stage with legendary stage personalities like Sisir Kumar Bhaduri in the early days (role of Suresh in Prafulla) of his career. Saumitra reads and writes poetry and has a distinct place in the arena of Bengali poetry recitation. He also acts in television and in folk dramas (Jatra s).
              Saumitra received the 'The Officier des Arts et Metiers', the highest award for arts from France, lifetime achievement award from Italy. He is probably the only Indian actor to have a full-length documentary devoted to him by any Westerner - French director Catherine Berge made a documentary film titled 'Tree' on his life. He refused 'Padmasree' from India Govt. in the seventies. Recently he was awarded with 'Padma Bhusan' by President of India. But the best award for him is probably the love and the special place in the heart of film lovers.


Filmography:
Year Film Dir
1959 Apur Sangsar Satyajit Ray
1960 Debi Satyajit Ray
1960 Khudhito Pashan Tapan Sinha
1961 Teen Kanya Satyajit Ray
1961 Punascha Mrinal Sen
1961 Jhinder Bandi Tapan Sinha
1961 Swaymbara Asit Sen
1961 Swaralipi Asit Sen
1962 Abhijan Satyajit Ray
1962 Agun Asit Sen
1962 Atal Jwaler Ahobhan Ajay Kar
1962 Benarasi Arup Guhathakurta
1962 Shaasti Daya Bhai
1963 Barnali Ajay Kar
1963 Saat Paake Badha Ajay Kar
1963 Sesh Prahar Prantik
1964 Charulata Satyajit Ray
1964 Kinu Gowalar Gali O C Ganguly
1964 Pratinidhi Mrinal Sen
1965 Akash Kusum Mrinal Sen
1965 Bakso Badal Nityananda Dutta
1965 Kapurush Satyajit Ray
1965 Ek i ange eto rup Harisadhan Dasgupta
1965 Ektuku Basa Tarun Majumdar
1966 Monihar Salil Sen
1966 Kaanch Kata Hirey Ajay Kar
1966 Joradighir Chaudhuri Paribar Ajit Lahiri
1967 Prastar Saakkhar Salil Dutta
1968 Baghini Bijoy Bose
1969 Tin Bhubaner Paare Asutosh Banerjee
1969 Parineeta Ajay Kar
1969 Chena Achena Hiren Nag
1970 Aranyer Dinratri Satyajit Ray
1970 Pratham Kadam Phool Indar Sen
1970 Aprichitaa Salil Dutta
1972 Stree Salil Dutta
1972 Jiban Saikate Swadesh Sarkar
1973 Ashani Sanket Satyajit Ray
1973 Basanta Bilap Dinen Gupta
1974 Sonar Kella Satyajit Ray
1975 Sangsar Simante Tarun Majumdar
1976 Datta Ajay Kar
1977 Mantramugdha Arabinda Mukherjee
1978 Pranay Pasha Mangal Chakrabarty
1979 Joy Baba Felunath Satyajit Ray
1979 Debdas Dilip Ray
1979 Ganadevota Tarun Majumdar
1980 Hirak Rajar Deshe Satyajit Ray
1980 Darpachurna Dilip Ray
1981 Pratisodh Sukhen Das
1981 Nyay Anyay Sukhen Das
1981 Father Dilip Mukherjee
1982 Bijoyini Palash Banerjee
1982 Khelar Putul Tarun Majumdar
1983 Agradani Palash Banerjee
1983 Indira Dinen Gupta
1984 Amargeeti Tarun Majumdar
1985 Boikunther Will Sushil Mukherjee
1985 Ghare Baire Satyajit Ray
1986 Koni Saroj Dey
1986 Shyam Saheb Salil Dutta
1986 Atanka Tapan Sinha
1988 La Nuit Bengali Nicholas Klotz
1990 Ganashatru Satyajit Ray
1992 Sakha Prosakha Satyajit Ray
1992 Mahaprithibi Mrinal Sen
1993 Pashanda Pandit Shibaprasad Sen
1994 Uttaran Sandip Ray
1994 Wheel Chair Tapan Sinha
1994 Sopan Ajay Banerjee
1995 Kakababu Here Gelen Pinaki Choudhuri
1998 Aatmiyo Swajan Raja Sen
1999 Asukh Rituparno Ghosh
2000 Paramitar Ekdin Aparna Sen
2001 Cancer Pinaki Choudhuri
2001 Dekha Gautam Ghosh
2002 Saanjhbaatir Rupkathara Anjan Das
2003 Abar Aranye Gautam Ghosh
2003 Patalghar Abhijit Choudhury
2005 Faltu Anjan Das
2005 Nishi Japon Sandip Ray
2005 Krantikaal Sekhar Das
2006 MLA Fatakesto Swapan Saha
2006 Bhalobasar Anek Naam Tarun Majumdar
2006 15 Park Avenue Aparna Sen
2007 Padokhhep Suman Ghosh
2007 Minister Fatakesto Swapan Saha
2007 Krishnakanter Will Raja Sen
2007 Jara Brishtite Bhijechhilo Anjan Das
2007 Chaader Baari Tarun Majumdar
2007 Ballygunge Court Pinaki Choudhury
2008 10:10 Arin Paul