Basu Chatterjee

Basu Chatterjee Biography

Basu Chatterjee is a Bengali director who has given significant contributions to Bollywood as well. He is most known to stories related to middle classes and in many scenarios he resembles Hrishikeh Mukherjee a lot. His most popular Bollywood movies include – Ragniganda, Piya ka ghar, Do Ladke Dono Kadke, Swami, Manzil, Chakravyooh, Jeena yahan, Dillagi, Ek ruka hua faisla, Chameli ki shaadi, Sheesha, Shaukeen, Man pasand, Pasand apna apna, Khatta meeta, Hamari bahu Alka, Chitchor and Choti si baat.  He has also acted as a dialogue writer, screenplay writer as well as producer for many successful movies. Actor Amol Palekar became immensely popular through his movies Ragniganda, Chitchor and Choti si baat.  He has also used veteran singer Yesudas’ voice to sing many songs for Amol Palekar and still remembered as Yesudas’ best Bollywood songs. Yesudas debut Bollywood through Chitchor, singing for Amol Palekar, won National awards as well. Teena Munim has also worked in a few movies like Man pasand, Batom batom mein etc. His daughter Rupali Guha is also a film director and has directed several television serials as well. His Bengali films include - Hochheta Ki, Trishanku, Tak Jhal Mishti, Chupi Chupi and Hothat Brishti.

Basu Chatterjee was born in Ajmer, Rajasthan in the year 1930. He joined industry as an assistant director during late 1960’s.  He has become a part of many critically well accalimed movies of 60’s like Teesri kasam and Saraswathi Chandra. He switched on to direction with Sara Akash in the year 1969. This movie was regarded as one among those Indian movies that started Indian new wave. This movie starring Rakesh Pandey, Madhu Chakravarty, Nandita Thakur and A.K.Hangal in the leading roles received national award for cinematography as well. This black and white movie was the debut work of K.K.Mahajan. Basu Chatterjee was the screenplay writer and producer of the movie along with direction as well.

Then it took 5 years to direct next movie – Ragnigandha. His movies are always remembered for excellent camera work, realistic actors as well as realistic stories that seem like next door incident. Each and every movie of Basu Chatterjee has a distinct finger mark of his own. He has directed a few television serials and has directed a few movies also. He has won best screenplay writer award in Filmfare thrice for Sara Akash, Choti si baat and Kamla ki maut. He has won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie twice - Jeena Yahan and Ragniganda. He has won best director award at Filmfare for the movie ‘Swami’ as well.

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Updated: April 08, 2014