Aparna Sen is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actress who is known for her work in Bengali cinema. She has received several accolades as an actress and filmmaker, including nine National Film Awards, five Filmfare Awards East and thirteen Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. For her contribution in the field of arts, the Government of India honoured her with Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award.
Utpal Dutt was an Indian actor, director, and writer-playwright. He was primarily an actor in Bengali theatre, where he became a pioneering figure in Modern Indian theatre, when he founded the "Little Theatre Group" in 1949. This group enacted many English, Shakespearean and Brecht plays, in a period now known as the "Epic theatre" period, before it immersed itself completely in highly political and radical theatre. His plays became an apt vehicle for the expression of his Marxist ideologies, visible in socio-political plays such as Kallol (1965), Manusher Adhikar, Louha Manob (1964), Tiner Toloar and Maha-Bidroha. He also acted in over 100 Bengali and Hindi films in a career spanning 40 years, and remains most known for his roles in films such as Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome (1969), Satyajit Ray’s Agantuk (1991), Gautam Ghose’s Padma Nadir Majhi (1992) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's breezy Hindi comedies such as Gol Maal (1979) and Rang Birangi (1983). He also did the role of a sculptor, Sir Digindra Narayan, in the episode Seemant Heera of Byomkesh Bakshi on Doordarshan in 1993, shortly before his death.
Tarun Majumdar was an Indian film director, documentary filmmaker, Author, illustrator and screenwriter who is known for his work in Bengali cinema. He received five National Awards, seven BFJA Awards, five Filmfare Awards and an Anandalok Award. In 1990, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award. He is recognized as one of the greatest influential filmmakers of India. His few movies were restored and digitized by the National Film Archive of India, along with his Contemporaries Arabinda Mukhopadhyay, Goutam Ghose. Filmmaker Raj Chakraborty and Avijit Sen inspired by Majumdar's Cinematic Sensibility.
Prosenjit Chatterjee is an Indian actor and producer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading actors in modern Bengali cinema. He predominantly works in Bengali cinema. He is the son of veteran Bollywood actor Biswajit Chatterjee. He began his acting career as a child actor in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Chotto Jigyasa, for which he won the Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Most Outstanding Work of the Year Award. Following this he appeared in other films as a child actor. But unable to concentrate on his studies, Prosenjit took a break from acting and returned after completing his graduation from Xavier's University and his first leading role came through Bimal Roy's Duti Pata.
Antarjali Jatra, also known as Antarjali Yatra, is a 1987 film directed by Kolkata-based Indian film director Goutam Ghose based on a novel, Mahayatra, by Kamal Kumar Majumdar. It documents the institution of Kulin Brahmin polygamy in nineteenth century Bengal. The film got National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali in 1988. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.
Ranjit Mallick is an Indian actor who works mainly in Bengali cinema. Though he has starred in parallel films like Interview, Calcutta 71, Shakha Proshakha and romantic comedy like Mouchak; he is particularly known for appearing in action films such as Shatru, Guru Dakshina, Amader Songsar, Indrajit, Jibon Niye Khela, Nabab etc. In later years, he has further received praise for playing supporting roles in Sathi, Nater Guru, Gyarakal, Chander Bari and Bajimaat. He was also the Sheriff of Kolkata for the year 2014. He is one of the most anticipated actors of Bengali cinema and has been a part of more than 100 films as of now. Megastar in Bengali film industry
Padma Nadir Majhi is an Indo-Bangladesh joint production feature film directed by Goutom Ghosh from the novel of the same name, Manik Bandopadhyay's Padma Nadir Majhi, shows life of fishermen of the Padma River.
Paoli Dam is an Indian actress who started her career with the Bengali television serial Jibon Niye Khela (2003). She then worked in Bengali television serials such as Tithir Atithi and Sonar Harin; the former ran for six years on ETV Bangla. Dam spent her childhood in Kolkata, earning a postgraduate degree in chemistry from Rajabazar Science College. Initially, she wanted to become a chemical researcher or a pilot. Her debut Bengali film—Teen Yaari Katha, directed by Sudeshna Roy and Abhijit Guha—began in 2004, but was not released until 2012. Dam's first film release was Agnipariksha, directed by Ravi Kinagi. Between 2006 and 2009, she appeared in five Bengali films, coming into prominence with the 2009 Kaalbela, directed by Goutam Ghose.
Moner Manush is a 2010 India-Bangladesh joint venture Bengali-language biographical musical drama film based on the life and philosophy of Lalon, a noted spiritual leader, poet and folk singer of Bengal in the 19th century. Directed by Goutam Ghose, who also wrote the screenplay, the film has Prosenjit as the lead actor portraying the character of Lalan Fakir. Paoli Dam plays the character of Komli, the key female disciple of Lalan. Moner Manush has been critically and commercially successful.
Manoj Mitra is an Indian theatre, film and television actor, director and playwright.
Asaduzzaman Mohammad Raisul Islam is a Bangladeshi freedom fighter and an actor in radio, theatre, television and film. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor four times for his roles in the films Padma Nadir Majhi (1992), Anya Jibon (1995), Dukhai (1997) and Lalsalu (2001). Besides, he won Best Supporting Actor award twice for the roles in Ghani: The Cycle (2006) and Mrittika Maya (2013). As of 2016, he acted in more than 50 films. He was a member of the Crack Platoon an elite urban guerilla, intelligence and commando unit of the Mukti Bahini.
Dekha is a 2001 Bengali drama film directed by Goutam Ghose. This was Ghose's ninth feature film and it was a successful one. At the 48th National Film Awards, the film was awarded Best Feature Film in Bengali, while Soumitra Chatterjee was awarded the Special Jury Award.
Ajoy Kar was an Indian film director and cinematographer. He directed 26 films between 1949 and 1983. His 1961 film Saptapadi was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival. Ajoy Kar provided a whole new expression to Bengali cinema. His 1971 film Malyadan won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali. Kar made Harano Sur which film was based on 1942 Oscar nominated film Random Harvest which itself based on the novel of same name written by James Hilton.His contemporary filmmakers are Asit Sen
Prosenjit Chatterjee is an Indian actor, producer and television presenter, who works predominantly in Bengali and Hindi language films. He debuted as a child actor in the Hrishikesh Mukherjee-directorial Chotto Jigyasa, for which he has won the Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Most Outstanding Work of the Year Award. After a string of films where he acted as a child actor, he made his debut as a lead actor in Duti Pata, which was a critically and commercially unsuccessful.
Arka Sinha/Orko Sinha is an Indian film maker, actor, writer, lyricist, singer, composer, producer and a former computer science engineer from the movie industry of West Bengal, Kolkata. He marked his debut with Aamar Aami in December 2013. The script-screenplay-lyrics-dialogues and direction of the film were all by Orko.
Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya was an Indian folk singer and researcher. He was born and raised in Silchar, Assam. He went on to study comparative literature at Jadavpur University. His musical inspiration was his uncle Ananta Bhattacharya. In 1999, he co-founded the band Dohar with the intent to revive the folk music tradition of Northern and Eastern Bengal. He also contributed music to a number of movies. His last movie was Bhuban Majhi (2017). He was associated with the popular Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, a renowned Bengali music reality show. His last concert was in the Baguihati Krishi Mela.
The 41st International Film Festival of India was held from 22 November – 2 December 2010 in Goa. Veteran director Yash Chopra was the chief guest for this edition. The "Cannes Kaleidoscope 2010" was the highlight of the 41st edition. The "Best Actress" and "Best Actor" awards were re-instituted from this edition. The 41st edition paid homage to veteran French filmmaker Eric Rohmer. Six of his feature films were part of the festival. The platinum jubilee of Oriya Cinema was Commemorated and 26 Feature Films were screened. The edition also marked the commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of the Film & Television Institute of India.
Abdur Rahman is a Bangladeshi make-up artist. He received National Film Award for Best Make-up Artist twice for the films Nekabborer Mohaproyan (2014) and Moner Manush (2010). He worked in over 300 films.
Ishaan Ghose is an Indian film director, editor, writer and cinematographer from West Bengal, India. He is the son of an Indian filmmaker Goutam Ghose who works primarily in Bengali cinema.
Raja Mitra is an Indian film director and music director who mainly works in Bengali cinema. His first feature film, Ekti Jiban, had won the National Award for Best Debut Film of a Director in 1987 at the 35th National Awards. He had received a Swarna Kamal for "a very courageous first attempt of a director in tackling the subject of an individual unwavering in his conviction in the cultural value of his language and single handedly making available its enriching value to the generation of his people who will come after him".
