Tapan Sinha

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Tapan Sinha
Born	2 October 1924(1924-10-02) Kolkata, India
Died	15 January 2009 (aged 84) Kolkata, India
Spouse(s)	Arundhati Devi

Tapan Sinha (Bengali: তপন সিন্‌হা), (2 October 1924 – 15 January 2009) was a Bengali Indian film director. He was arguably the most uncompromising filmmaker outside the orbit of Parallel Cinema.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Personal life and background 2 Career 3 Awards 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Personal life and background

Sinha was born in Kolkata. He studied physics at the Presidency College, Calcutta.

He married Bengali Indian actress Arundhati Devi. Their son is Indian scientist Professor, Anindya Sinha. On 15 January 2009, he died of pneumonia and septicaemia.^[1]

[edit] Career

Tapan Sinha went to London in 1950s to learn filmmaking. On reaching London, he contacted CryHearsth, Manager of Pinewood Studios. Through his help, he managed to obtain his first assignment. He got to work in director Charles Cryton's unit as a Sound Engineer. Cryton, who made some British comedies like Lavender Hill Mob etc. was then working for a film called The Hunted.

Though he was primarily based in the Bengali film industry, Sinha also made films in different languages like Hindi and Oriya.

His films have also won laurels in International Film Festivals of Berlin, Venice, London, Moscow, San Francisco, Locarno, Cork Festival in Ireland, Kampuchea and Seoul. He has also served as a member of the jury in film festivals at Tashkent and San Francisco among others.

The Charles Dickens's novel, A Tale of Two Cities and the cinematic version of this novel featuring Ronald Colman inspired Sinha to join films. Sinha started as a Sound Recordist and gradually shifted to Direction.

In his youth, Sinha was greatly influenced by contemporary American and British Cinema. Among his favorite directors were John Ford, Carol Reed and Billy Wilder. They provided him the incentive to venture into filmmaking. He used to think that he had to make films on those lines. Rabindranath Tagore's work had been a great source of inspiration to him as well. Each Tagore work had a special significance in various moments of his life. No individual has ever influenced him on a personal level. But his strong and profound belief in God has been a constant source of inspiration.

Sinha's first film Ankush was based on the Narayan Ganguly story Sainik, which had an elephant in the central character. His next Uphaar featured Uttam Kumar, Manju Dey and others. His Aadhar Periye featured Madhabi Mukherjee, Subhendu Chaterji, Sumitra Mukherjee, Anil Chaterji, Nirmal Kumar, Subrota Chaterji, Bikash Roy, Kalyan Chaterji, Chinmoy Roy and others. It was a middling work of Sinha, and was based on a story by Chittaranjan Maity. Sinha's Hatey Bazare was based on an autobiographical story by Banophool. Ashok Kumar and Vyjantimala Bali were the central performers.

Sinha's Ek Je Chilo Desh was a fantasy film. It was based on a story by Sankar. It was about a mad scientist who discovered a drug that could reveal the past dishonest life of an individual. The evil traders, politicians whose life were endangered due to this conspired to kill the scientist. Dipankar De, Sumitra Mukherji, Kali Banerji, Anil Chaterji and others featured in the cast.

Sinha's Louho Kopat was based on the story of the Bengali writer Jorasanho. The film starred Kamal Mitra, Nirmal Kumar as the jailer and Anil Chaterji in a character role. Sinha's Sabuj Deeper Raja was shot in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and was a children's film. It was based on a story by Sunil Ganguly. Sinha's Hansuli Banker Upakatha was based on a story by Tara Shankar Banerji and starred Lily Chakravorty.

Sinha's Kabuliwallah was based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore. Chabi Biswas, Radhamohan Bhattacharji, Kali Banerji and Manju De were the performers. Tinku Thakur played the role of the small girl in the film, and Jiban Bose had a role as well as a jailer, who has good faith in the Kabulliwallah. Rabindrasangeet Khoro Bayu Boy Bege Chari Dik Chaye Meghe was used in the film. The film portrayed Tapan Sinha's personality, a child at heart. The same trait is reflected in films like Galpo Hollo Satti, Harm and Safed Hathi.

Sinha's Kabulliwallah was subsequently made in Hindi by Bimal Roy and directed by Heman Gupta, featuring Balraj Sahani. Oerdellin was cast as the child lead in Kabulliwallah. Kabullliwallah (1956) won the Music Award at the Berlin Film Festival. Kabullliwallah (Balraj Sahani) who is dreaded by children turns out to love children. Kabulliwallah won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Sinha made a few documentaries, and one such was a biographical film on scientist Jagadish Bose. He also made use of Rabindrasangeet in other films. The Rabindrasangeet Keno Choker Jole Bijeye Dile Na, Sukhno Dulo Joto was used in his film Ekhoni. The film featured Swaroop Dutta, Aparna Sen, Moushumi Chaterji, Nirmal Kumar, Chinmoy Roy, Padda Devi, Subhendu Chaterji, N.Vishwanathan and others. The film was based on a novel by Ramapada Choudhury.

Khoniker Atithe featured Nirmal Kumar, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Anil Chaterji, Tulsi Lahiri, Radhamohan Bhattacharjee and others. The film was based on a story of Tagore.

Sinha's Arohi had actors like Kali Banerji, Bikash Roy, Sipra and Bhanu Banerji. This was remade in Hindi by Hrishikesh Mukherji as Arjun Pandit.Arohi was based on a story by Banophool. Sinha's Safed Hathi featured Shatrughan Sinha and Mala Jaggi. The film also starred Gayatri. The story was written by Sinha himself. Kalyan Chaterji essayed a cameo role as a postman. This children's film was made in Hindi.

Sinha's Zindagi Zindagi was a Hindi film with Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman. It fared badly because Sinha was too subtle for Hindi audience in his narration.^{[citation needed]}. Sinha's Atithe is possibly based on the life of Rabindranath Tagore and featured Partha Mukherjee, Smita Sinha and Ajitesh Banerji. Sinha's Tonsil was a comedy film, where Madhabi Mukherjee made her debut.

His Jhinder Bandi (a desi Prisoner of Zenda) was based on a story of Saradindu Banerji, the well-known crime writer from Bengali. Uttam Kumar, Sandhya Roy, Soumitro Chaterji, Radhamohan Bhattacharji, Tarun Kumar, Dilip Roy and Arundhuti Mukherji were the performers. The first film in which Uttam and Soumitra starred together was Sinha's Jhinder Bandi in which Soumitra was, for the first time, cast as the villain. He had worked in barely a handful of films until then, aside from starting off as the struggling Apu buffeted by waves of tragedy. The film was a success without giving Soumitra the permanent mark of a villain as it might have been apt to do with other actors.^{[citation needed]}

Sinha's Sagina Mahato might be ategorize Sagina Mahato as a political film, although human drama and relationship lies at the heart of this magnum opus.^{[citation needed]} Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu played the central characters. Anil Chaterji also acted in a supporting role. The Bengali version of this film starred Uttam Kumar.

Sinha's Kalamati was the first film to deal with life in creches in coalmine areas. Made in 1957, it was a film made much ahead of its time. Anil Chaterji had a role in the film. Sinha's Raja starred Debraj Ray, Samit Bhanja, Arati Bhattacharji, Mahua Roy Choudhury, Anil Chaterji, Santu Mukherji and others.

Sinha's Apanjan was a story of young unemployed youths, which starred Swaroop Dutta and Samit Bhanja. It was an early film of Sinha, and here he has focused on a movement similar to Naxalism in later days. Sinha's Apanjan was remade in Hindi by Gulzar as Mere Apne. The film also featured Chaya Devi, Rabi Ghosh, Bhanu Banerji, Kalyan Chaterji, Partha Mukherjee, Nirmal Kumar and others.

Sinha's Aaj Ka Robinhood, a children's film funded partly by the government and a producer, Jalan, has been screened at the maximum number of International film festivals viz 12 International Festivals at Tashkent, Berlin, Sofia and others. The film has a running time of 80 minutes. Dubbed in English, it is entitled Return of Robin Hood. This is a 1987 film where Sinha returned to the world of children in Hindi.

Sinha's Nirjan Saikate had performers like Anil Chaterji, Sharmila Tagore, Chaya Devi, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Bharati, Renuka, Robi Ghosh, Pahari Sanyal, Nabadip Haldar and Jahar Ganguly. It was a film about five widows and was based on a story by Kalkut (pen-name of Samaresh Basu). In an interview, Tapan Sinha said "He believes that widows have a right to get married. Great social reformers like Vidyasagar and Vivekanda strived ceaselessly to bring about this practice."^{[citation needed]} Sinha's Harmonium featured Durgadas Banerji, Anil Chaterji, Satya Banerji, Arati Bhattacharji, Swaroop Dutta, Kali Banerji and Samit Bhanja and Chaya Devi.

Sinha's Bancharamer Bagan contained a performance by Manoj Mitra as an old gardener. Chaplinesque in its approach, the film depicts the tragedy of a small man in this big world. In Tapan Sinha's Khudito Pasan, Dilip Roy gave a performance as a moghul king. Khudito Pasan was based on a story by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. The film also starred Soumitra Chaterji.

Tapan Sinha's Jatugriho (Uttam and Arundhuti Devi) was a fascinating film on an incident drawn from everyday life. What happens when two known individuals (Uttam & Arundhuti) meet, quite unexpectedly, after a long gap in a train. It was one of the finest film of Tapan Sinha. The subject of marital discord has rarely been dealt with more finesse in Indian films.

Sinha's Golpo Holo Satti was a satirical film on how a heaven-sent servant (played by Robi Ghosh) brings order and peace in a quarreling disorganised family. Bhanu Banerji and some small-time actors with the exception of Bharati and Chaya Devi comprised the cast. This was remade in Hindi by Hrishikesh Mukherji as Bawarchi, with Rajesh Khanna in the lead role.

Sinha's Atanka was based on a true. The director based his film on real-life facts which appeared on newspapers. Soumitro, Satabdi and Prasenjit were the central performers. The story was about a teacher who as witness to a murder, and the subsequent torture and harassment on him by the group of hoodlums who committed the crime. Nirmal Kumar and Manoj Mitra were the other performers. Nimu Bhowmick and Bhishnu Guha Thakurtha played the villains. Anil Chaterji had arole as a well wisher of the teacher.

Sinha's Aadmi Aur Aurat was based on a story by Prafulla Roy. Amol Palekar and Mahua Roy Choudhury acted in this piece. Sinha's telefilm Aadmi Aur Aurat was remade in Bengali as Manush (Samit Bhanja, Devika Mukherjee) by the director himself. Sinha made another telefilm Didi with Deepti Naval as the central character.

Sinha's Ek Doctor Ki Maut was based on a story "Abhimanyu" by Ramapada Choudhury. Ek Doctor Ki Maut had Shabana Azmi, Pankaj Kapoor, Irfan Khan and Anil Chaterji in the cast. In Ek Doctor Ki Maut there is an Ibsenian touch. Dipankar Roy invents a vaccine for leprosy, but the entire community turns against him. In this work, Sinha reacts to the way society responds to talent.Ek Doctor Ki Maut won the Rajat Kamal for the second best feature film of the year, besides earning him the Best Directors Award. "Talent is subject to ridicule. The more you excel the more number of enemies you seem to have : Why this animosity towards Excellence?" That is the anguish Tapan Sinha projects in Ek Doctor Ki Maut where a young doctor's scholastic pursuits and invention become the ridicule of others. "I based this story on the suicide of a young scientist in Delhi" said the director.{fact|date=January 2009}} Vijeyandra Ghatge, Vasant Choudhury and Deepa Sahi had cameos in the film.

Sinha's Wheelchair had a cast of Soumitro Chaterji, Laboni Sarkar, Arjun Chakravorty and Ruma Guha Thakurta. Sarkar gave a performance as a handicapped confined to a wheelchair. The film was based on a story by the director himself, although it was inspired by the life of a crusading doctor. Wheelchair is about a young woman who is molested late one evening in office. While fighting off the three men, she sustains injuries and is bed-ridden for a while. She is fortunate enough, however, to receive proper medical care and also emotional support, and in the end, she can look forward to a better life.

Sinha's Adalat O Ekti Mey (Bengali/1981) featured Tanuja, Biplab Chaterji and Manoj Mitra. The film departs from Sinha's usual style. Urmila (Tanuja), a young teacher on a holiday, is raped by a gang of wealthy young men. The culprits are arrested, but Urmila is shunned by her friends, fiancé and even parents. She is an outcast like Dr Roy in Ek Doctor Ki Maut. The difference is that while Urmila is ostracized for no fault of hers, Roy faces social wrath because of his talent.

Sinha's Antardhaan had a cast of Soumitro Chaterji, Madhabi, Manoj Mitra, Sabyasachi Chakravorty, Satabdi Roy, Riku Dutta, Bhisma Guha Thakurtha, Ramen Roy Choudhury, Nirmal Chakravorty and Arjun Chakravorty. It dealt with the subject of disappearance of a girl with her lover and was based on a story by Dibyendu Palit. Tapan feels a sort of fictionalization of a real-life incident or even a newspaper report, from which the source of the original story is supposed to be derived, becomes necessary for cinematic dramatization. Riku Dutta, a newcomer to films, who is regularly seen in television serials, was excited to act in this film of Sinha who, she says, is the mentor of many new artistes.^{[citation needed]}

In the series of films that Tapan made in the last eight years of his life, a trusting and idealistic man, assailed by unfortunate circumstances or hostile and scheming persons, stands out as an example of indomitable individualism. "I have always believed in individual courage and effort. I think, collective system or life hardly allows an individual to discover the infinite strength within him. I like the individual who has the courage to face any untoward situation, which is why I have shown an individual as a relentless fighter against all hazards in Aadmi Aur Aurat, Atanka and Ek Doctor Ki Maut. My protagonists in these films have practically done miracles by their own strength and self-confidence. In Antardhaan also, the Professor takes up the job of finding out his missing daughter. He depends only on himself and on none else, sais the Director.^{[citation needed]}

Sinha's Boydurjer Rahasya was a detective film. Manoj Mitra, Bhishnu Guha Thakurtha, Tapas Pal, Alpana Goswami, Moonmon Sen and Premansu Bose with Basant Choudhury formed the cast. Sinha presented five hit films in succession: Kshudita Pasan, Kabuliwallah, Hatey Bazare, Apanjan and Ekhani. This created a record that is thus far unsurpassed^{[citation needed]}

Sinha shifted his attention to the small screen for the first time in 1996. He made a film called Daughter of the Century with Shabana Azmi, Jaya Bhaduri, Deepa Sahi and Sulabha Deshpande in the central character, based on a Tagore story. Stories of other notable Bengali writers like Sarat Chandra Chaterji, Tarashankar Banerji, Gour Kishore Ghosh, Dibyendu Palit, have also been featured in the film. The film has six actress, each playing a central role in the stories of the six renowned writers. The director wanted to convey the message that in spite of tremendous scientific advancements, the attitude towards women has not changed much. One of the episode that Sinha has shot for Daughters of the Century is called Charu, based on the short story Ei Daho by Gour Kishore Ghosh.

Raja Sen made a documentary on Tapan Sinha entitled Filmmaker for freedom. Sinha made a TV Serial (detective genre) Hutumer Naksa casting Soumitra Chaterji, Manoj Mitra, Dhiman Chakravorty, Robi Ghosh and others. Sinha's wife, filmmaker Arundhuti Devi died in 1990.

Aajab Gayer Aajab Katha was based on a novelette by eminent Bengali writer Shirsendu Mukhopadhay. This film, in Sinha's own words "is a semi-fantasy designed for all, including children." Aajab Gayer Aajab Katha "is a strange story of a strange village." The message is, it is necessary to have a community drive to get anything done in today's society. "We must not look at the Government for everything," says the Director. "In the west and also in the far east, there is a system of community initiatives. I believe, we should have this same kind of approach too." He adds, "According to this story, a person has to prepare himself to confront any adversary."^{[citation needed]} The cast of Aajab Gayer includes Debasree Roy in the lead. She plays a light-hearted "village girl." Debasree has not done such a role before and I found her absolutely suitable for it," said the director.^{[citation needed]} It is the only female character in the film, which also has a new face on the big screen, Debesh Roy Choudhury. His role in the film requires him to do a lot of "physical labor, including sprinting." The rest of the cast has Soumitra Chaterji, Manoj Mitra, Nirmal Kumar and Bibhas Chakravorty. A ten day shooting has been done at Falta, on the banks of the Ganga, starting on December 7, 1997. Next in January, some shots were taken in a village house.^{[citation needed]}

Sinha's final venture, Anokha Moti, was being made by the director. The film features Arjun Chakravorty, and is being made in Hindi. It is a children's film.

[edit] Awards

His works have won 19 National Film Awards in various categories.

• Kabuliwala (1956), based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore, won the Music Award at the Berlin Film Festival, demonstrating his sharp sensitivity.
• Ek Doctor Ki Maut(Death of a Doctor)(1991), won National Award for Second Best Film, Best Director, 1991/ Special Jury Award for Best Actor, 1991/ BFJA Awards - Best Film, Best Director, 1991/ 37th Film Fare Award for Best Screenplay, 1991/ Red Cross Film Festival, Sofia (Bulgaria), 1991
• He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2008 for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema on 21 July 2008.

[edit] Filmography

• Ankush (1954)
• Upahaar (1955)
• Tonsil (1956)
• Kabuliwala (1957)
• Lauha Kapat (1958)
• Kala Mati (1958)
• Khaniker Atithi (1959)
• Khudhito Pashan (1960)
• Jhinder Bandi (1961)
• Hansuli Banker Upakatha (1962)
• Nirjan Saikate (1963)
• Jatugriha (1964)
• Arohi (1964)
• Atithi (1965)
• Galpo Holeo Satti (1966)
• Hate Bazare (1967)
• Aapan Jon (1968)
• Sagina Mahato (1970)
• Sasina (1970)
• Ekhani (1971)
• Zindagi Zindagi (1972)
• Aandhar Periye (1973)
• Raja (1975)
• Harmonium (1976)
• Ek Je Chhilo Desh (1977)
• Safed Haathi (1978)
• Sabuj Dwiper Raja (1979)
• Banchharamer- Bagan (1980)
• Adalat O Ekti Meye (1982)
• Admi Aur Aurat (1982)
• Manush (1983)
• Didi (1984)
• Baidurya Rahasya (1985)
• Atanka (1986)
• Aaj Ka Rabinhood (1987)
• Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1991)
• Antardhaan (1992)
• Wheel Chair (1994)
• Satabdir Kanya (1996)
• Ajab Gnayer Ajab Katha (1999)
• Anokhi Moti (2000)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Tapan Sinha at the Internet Movie Database
• Tapan Sinha: Saluting The Indomitable Human Spirit
• The Films of Tapan Sinha
• Tapan Sinha at calcuttaweb.com
• Tapan Sinha passes away

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v • d • e Films directed by Tapan Sinha 1950s Ankush(1954) • Upahaar (1955) • Tonsil (1956) • Kabuliwala (1957) • Lauha Kapat (1958) • Kala Mati (1958) • Khaniker Atithi (1959) 1960s Khudhito Pashan (1960) • Jhinder Bandi (1961) • Hansuli Banker Upakatha (1962) • Nirjan Saikate (1963) • Jatugriha (1964) • Arohi (1964) • Atithi (1965) • Galpo Holeo Satti (1966) • Hate Bazare (1967) • Aapan Jon (1968) 1970s Sagina Mahato (1970) • Sasina (1970) • Ekhani (1971) • Zindagi Zindagi (1972) • Aandhar Periye (1973) • Raja (1975) • Harmonium (1976) • Ek Je Chhilo Desh (1977) • Safed Haathi (1978) • Sabuj Dwiper Raja (1979) 1980s Banchharamer- Bagan (1980) • Adalat O Ekti Meye (1982) • Admi Aur Aurat (1982) • Manush (1983) • Didi (1984) • Baidurya Rahasya (1985) • Atanka (1986) • Aaj Ka Rabinhood (1987) • 1990s Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1991) • Antardhaan (1992) • Wheel Chair (1994) • Satabdir Kanya (1996) • Ajab Gnayer Ajab Katha (1999) • 2000s Anokhi Moti (2000)