Ashok Kumar, was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He was considered the first big star of Hindi cinema as well as the first lead actor to play an anti-hero. He also became the first star to reinvent himself, enjoying a long and hugely successful career as a character actor. He was a member of the cinematic Ganguly family. He was honoured in 1988 with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest national award for cinema artists, by the Government of India. He also received the Padma Bhushan in 1999 for his contributions to Indian cinema.
Uttam Kumar, widely known as Mahanayak, was an Indian film actor, producer, director, screenwriter, composer, and playback singer who predominantly worked in Bengali cinema. His career spanned three decades, from the late 1940s until his death in 1980. Kumar is regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema and also the most popular and successful film star in Bengal.
Shakti Samanta was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films such as Anand Ashram (1977), Anusandhan /Barsaat Ki Ek Raat (1981), Anyay Abhichar (1985), Howrah Bridge (1958), Insan Jaag Utha (1959), China Town (1962), Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), An Evening in Paris (1967), Aradhana (1969), Kati Patang (1971), and Amar Prem (1972), Amanush (1975).
The Filmfare Award for Best Story is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a writer who wrote a film's story.
Shaukeen (transl. Enthusiast) is a 1982 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Basu Chatterjee based on story Ram Nam Kewalam by Samaresh Basu. The movie stars Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt, A.K. Hangal, Rati Agnihotri and Mithun Chakraborty.
Amar Prem is a 1972 Indian Hindi romantic drama film directed by Shakti Samanta. It is a remake of the Bengali film Nishi Padma (1970), directed by Arabinda Mukherjee, who wrote screenplay for both the films based on the Bengali short story Hinger Kochuri by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The film portrays the decline of human values and relationships and contrasts it by presenting an illustrious example of a boy's innocent love for a neighbourhood tawaif (courtesan). The movie is about a school boy, who is ill-treated by his step mother, and becomes friends with a courtesan neighbour. The film stars Sharmila Tagore playing a hooker with a heart of gold, with Rajesh Khanna in the role of a lonely businessman and Vinod Mehra as adult Nandu, the young child, who they both come to care for.
Anuraag is a 1972 Indian Hindi-language drama film, directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Moushumi Chatterjee, in her debut as a heroine, and Vinod Mehra in lead roles. The Shakti Samanta fixture Rajesh Khanna, having earlier made Aradhana (1969) and Kati Patang (1971) with Samanta, makes a special appearance. The music is by S. D. Burman. Initially, Samanta was unsure if the distributors would buy a film with such a storyline and had shared the idea with Rajesh Khanna, who encouraged Samanta and volunteered to make an extended appearance for the film, and also distributed the film under the banner "Shakti-Raj".
Lal Patthar is a 1971 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by F. C. Mehra, and directed by Sushil Majumdar. The film is a remake of the Bengali film, Lal Pathar which was released in 1964 starring Uttam Kumar and Supriya Devi. The film stars Raaj Kumar, Hema Malini, Raakhee, Vinod Mehra, Ajit. The film is one of the rare films where lead actress Hema Malini played a negative role, being a jealous mistress of a zamindar who tries to frame his young wife as an adultress. Her performance received accolades. The music of the film was composed by Shankar–Jaikishan.
Amanush is a 1974 Indian bilingual action masala film simultaneously shot in Bengali and Hindi languages, produced and directed by Shakti Samanta, under his banner Shakti Films. Based on Shaktipada Rajguru's novel Naya Basat which he wrote plotting on Sundarbans, the film stars Uttam Kumar in the titular role, alongside Sharmila Tagore, Utpal Dutt, Anil Chatterjee, Manik Dutta and Asit Sen in supporting roles. The soundtrack and background score was composed by Shyamal Mitra, while the screenplay and additional dialogues were written by Prabhat Roy, who was also the assistant director of the film. The film's plot line is simple enough, but it's the complexity of human emotions depicted that makes it a classic. It is a flood that restores faith in boundless human spirit. 'Amanush' that means half human, and half beast to marvel scope of the his trionic capabilities.
Anurodh is a 1977 Hindi musical drama film, based on the 1963 Bengali film Deya Neya, produced by Girija Samanta and directed by Shakti Samanta.
Shyamal Mitra was an Indian versatile playback singer and music director along with Hemanta Mukherjee and Manna Dey. Mitra had also worked in many Hindi and Bengali films as a music director and film producer. He was the most notable musician of the golden era of Bengali music industry. His baritone voice reflected a range of emotions. Besides recording a huge number of popular Bengali basic songs, he also worked as a playback singer in more than a hundred Bengali films and directed music in more than fifty Bengali films. He also sang in various other Indian languages, like Hindi, Assamese, and Oriya.
The 23rd Filmfare Awards were held on March 30, 1976.
Teen Bhubaner Paare is a Bengali movie, inspired by Samaresh Basu's novel, released in 1969. The songs "Hoyto Tomari Jonno"(হয়তো তোমারই জন্য) & "Jibone Ki Pabo Na"(জীবনে কি পাবো না) sung by Manna Dey are still very famous among Bengali youth. The film was a big hit of the Bengali Cinema.
Sudhin Dasgupta was a prolific Bengali music director, lyricist, and singer. He worked in various other Indian languages, such as Hindi, Assamese and Oriya. His contribution opened a new horizon to the Bengali music for both the arenas of Bengali basic song as well as Bengali film song.
Rajkanya is a 1965 Bengali film directed by Sunil Bandyopadhyay. The movie was based on a story and screenplay by legendary film director Ritwik Ghatak. Uttam Kumar, Rina Ghosh, Bhanu Bandopadhyay, and Tarun Kumar portray the main characters.
Bhranti Bilas is a 1963 Bengali-language comedy film based on the 1869 play of the same name by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, which is itself based on William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. The film was produced by Uttam Kumar and he played double roles. Others in the film are Bhanu Banerjee who also played dual roles, Sabitri Chatterjee and Sandhya Roy. The film was made under the banner of Uttam Kumar Films Pvt Ltd. The music of the film composed by Shyamal Mitra. The film was remade in Bollywood thrice as Do Dooni Char, Angoor and Cirkus.
Deya Neya is a Bengali film directed by Sunil Bandopadhyay and starring Uttam Kumar and Tanuja in lead roles. This is a romantic comedy film which portrays a man's struggle on a light note and ends with a happy ending. The film was produced and composed by Shymal Mitra. The film was also loosely inspired by Shymal Mitra's real life. The film is noted for its outstanding music and generally the film became an all-time blockbuster hit.
Nishan is a Bengali language action drama film directed by S.S. Balan. This film was released on 4 August 1978 in the banner of Gemini Production Circuit Private Limited.
Stree is a 1972 Indian Bengali language romantic action film directed by Salil Dutta. Based on the novel of Bimal Mitra as same title and the era of the plot showing during the Second World War. Produced by Baby June Productions marking their second venture, it stars Uttam Kumar, Soumitra Chatterjee and Arati Bhattacharya in lead roles. The soundtrack of the film was composed by Nachiketa Ghosh, with the lyrics penned by Gauriprasanna Mazumder and Pulak Bandyopadhyay.
