Asit Sen (director)

Asit Sen (director) Biography

Asit Sen was a famous director of Bengali and Hindi cinema. He directed 17 feature films in Hindi and Bengali, most known for films, Deep Jweley Jai (1959) and Uttar Falguni (1963) in Bengali, Mamta (1966) , Khamoshi (1969), Anokhi Raat (1968) and Safar (1970) in Hindi. Mamta was the Hindi remake of Uttar Falguni in which Suchitra Sen reprised her role in Bengali once again. In 1963, he received National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali for the hit - Uttar Falguni.

Sen started his career as assistant director of all-time greatest Bollywood film maker, Bimal Roy at New Theatres in Kolkata. When Kolkata film industry witnessed a decline, he moved to Mumbai. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Nabendu Ghosh, Kamal Bose and later Salil Chowdhury were a few Bengali celebrities who moved to Mumbai that time. His second innings was started with the movie, Maa in 1952. Then he made Assamese film, Biplabi in the year 1948. Once again, he shifted to Hindi. He made his Hindi film debut with Parivaar (1956), produced by Bimal Roy and starring Kishore Kumar and Usha Kiran. Later he continued Bengali movies, working as assistant of Bimal Roy. Movies are Parineeta (1953) and Biraj Bahu (1954).

His second Bengali movie as a director was Chanchal (1956). Years later, he made the same movie in Hindi titled – Safar, starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in leading roles. He received Filmfare best director for this movie. Earlier, he received nomination for the movie, Mamata, though he couldn’t win at last. Rahen Na Rahen Hum sung by Lata Mangeshkar and her hit duet, Chuppa Lo Yun Dil Mein Pyar Mera with Hemant Kumar are still remembered by melody lovers. 1969 movie Khamoshi, with Rajesh Khanna and Waheeda Rehman was the remake of his Bengali movie, Deep Jwele Jaai (1959) – pivot role played by Suchitra Sen. Other noted Hindi movies are Maa aur mamta, Sharafat and Annadatha.

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Updated: January 16, 2014