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Tapan Sinha

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For the Indian Navy vice admiral, seeTapan Sinha (admiral).

Tapan Sinha
Sinha on a 2013 stamp of India
Born(1924-10-02)2 October 1924
Calcutta,Bengal Presidency,British India
(present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India)
Died15 January 2009(2009-01-15)(aged 84)
Kolkata,West Bengal,India
Alma materUniversity of Patna(B.Sc.)

Rajabazar Science College(M.Sc.)

University of Calcutta
Years active1946–2001
SpouseArundhati Devi
ChildrenAnindya Sinha
AwardsDadasaheb Phalke Award(2006)
Signature
Tapan Singa signature

Tapan Sinha(2 October 1924 – 15 January 2009)[1]was one of the most prominent Indian film directors of his time forming a legendary quartet withSatyajit Ray,Ritwik GhatakandMrinal Sen.He was primarily a Bengali filmmaker who worked both inHindi cinemaandBengali cinema,directing films likeKabuliwala(1957),Louha-Kapat,Sagina Mahato(1970),Apanjan(1968),Kshudhita Pashanand children's filmSafed Haathi(1978) andAaj Ka Robinhood.Sinha started his career in 1946, as a sound engineer withNew Theatresfilm production house in Kolkata, then in 1950 left for England where he worked atPinewood Studiosfor next two years,[2]before returning home to start his six decade long career in Indian cinema, making films in Bengali, Hindi and Oriya languages, straddling genres from social realism, family drama, labor rights, to children's fantasy films. He was one of the acclaimed filmmakers ofParallel Cinemamovement of India.[3][4][5]

Personal life and background[edit]

Sinha was born inKolkata,West Bengal.His empathy for films began from his student life. He was admitted in the Durgacharan M. E. School ofBhagalpurin the fifth standard. Later it went on to become a secondary school. His Principal was Surendranath Gangopadhyay who happened to beSarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's maternal uncle.[6]He studied physics at theUniversity of Patnaand later earned an M.Sc at theRajabazar Science College,University of Calcutta.[7]

He marriedIndianactressArundhati Devi.Their son is Indian scientist professor,Anindya Sinha.

On 15 January 2009, he died ofpneumoniaandsepticaemia.[8]

Career[edit]

Charles Dickens's novel,A Tale of Two Citiesand the cinematic adaptation featuringRonald Colmaninspired Sinha to get involved in film-making. Tapan Sinha went to London in the 1950s to learn film-making. 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 directorCharles Crichton's unit as asound engineer.Cryton, who made some British comedies likeThe Lavender Hill Mobetc. was then working for a film calledThe Hunted.Sinha started as a sound recording engineer and gradually shifted to directing.

Tapan Sinha was greatly influenced by contemporary American and British Cinema, in his youth. Among his favourite directors were John Ford, Carol Reed, and Billy Wilder. He used to think that he had to make films on the lines of his favourites.Rabindranath Tagore's work had been a great source of inspiration to him as well. Different Tagore works had special significance to him in various moments of his life.[9]

Sinha's first film,Ankush,is based on theNarayan Ganguly's storySainik,which had an elephant as the central character.[10]Sinha'sEk Je Chilo Deshis a fantasy film, based on a story byShankar.He made a few documentaries, including a biographical film on scientist Jagadish Bose. He also usedRabindrasangeetin other films. Sinha'sSagina Mahatomight be categorized as a political film, although it wasreactionaryin nature and was a direct attack onleft-wing politics.It tried to disrepute organized struggle by championing the individual heroism of a worker. The Hindi version of the film, named "Sagina", also stars Dilp Kumar as the central character. The film was entered into the7th Moscow International Film Festival.[11]

Sinha's 5 part feature filmDaughter of this Centurymarked a new beginning in Indian Cinema. StarringShabana Azmi,Jaya Bachchan,Nandita Das,Deepa Sahi,andSulabha Deshpandein central roles.

Raja Sen's documentary on Tapan Sinha is entitledFilmmaker for Freedom.

Sinha's wife, filmmaker Arundhuti Devi, died in 1990.

Sinha's final venture, the children's filmeAnokha Moti,was incomplete. The film stars Arjun Chakravorty, and is being made in Hindi.[12]

Death[edit]

On 15 January 2009, he died ofpneumoniaandsepticaemia.[8]

Legacy[edit]

In January 2010, the then railway ministerMamata Banerjee,laid the foundation stone of the Tapan Sinha Memorial Metro Hospital, atTollygunge,Kolkata.[13] Tapan's works left an impact and influence on Bollywood filmmakers likeHemen Gupta,Hrishikesh Mukherjee,Gulzar,[14]Ashutosh Gowariker[15][16] and Bengali filmmakers likeRaja Sen,Kamaleshwar Mukherjee.[17]His work highly influence and impact and popular culture by Bengali filmmakerTarun Majumdarand Nowadays,Suman Ghosh (director).While in London, he was exposed to the works of Italian directors Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica and Roberto Rossellini. Tapan Sinha has also served as a member of the jury in the popular film festivals at Tashkent and San Francisco among others.[18]Tapan Sinha has been selected for theDada Saheb Phalke Awardfor the year 2006 for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.

Television career[edit]

Aadmi Aur Auratis based on a story by Prafulla Roy.Amol PalekarandMahua Roy Choudhuryact in this piece. Sinha's telefilm Aadmi Aur Aurat was remade in Bengali asManush(starring Samit Bhanja and Devika Mukherjee) by the director himself.[19]Sinha made another telefilmDidiwith Deepti Naval as the central character.[20][21]Sinha made a detective TV serialHutumer Naksa.

Awards[edit]

Civilian award
National Film Awards
International Awards
  1. Best Film-Cork festival, Ireland forKhudhita Pashan
  2. Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury at 7thBerlin International Film FestivalforKabuliwala
  3. Jury Award-Sanfransisco Film Festival forHansuli Banker Upokotha
  4. Silver Peacock-2nd best film, International Film Festival of India & Audience Award,Sydney Film FestivalforNirjan Saikate
  5. International Certificate of Merit,Venice Film FestivalforAtithi
  6. Diploma of Merit,London Film Festivalfor Aarohi
  7. Silver Leopard,Locarno Film Festivalfor Aarohi
  8. Award for Best Film-Royal Cup, Cambodia Asian Film festival forHatey Bazarey
  9. Award for Best film in 13thAsia Pacific Film FestivalforHatey Bazarey
  10. Silver trophy (Cup of honour) in Phnom Penh Film Festival forHatey Bazarey
  11. Afro-Asian Award, Moscow Film Festival forSagina Mahato
  12. Golden Crown for Best Music,Seoul Asian Film FestivalforHarmonium
  13. Special Award 'Child of our Time',Vii Film Festival,Milano forSafed Haathi
  14. UNICEF Award(Honorable Mention), Berlin Film festival forAaj Ka Robin Hood

Filmography[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Award-winning Indian film-maker influenced by Capra and Wilder".The Guardian.12 May 2009.
  2. ^"Tapan Sinha's first film 'Ankush' was based on which story?".www.gktoday.in.Retrieved24 April2024.
  3. ^Gokulsing, K. Moti;Dissanayake, Wimal(2004).Indian Popular Cinema: A Narrative of Cultural Change(New rev. ed.). Stoke-on-Trent, UK: Trentham Books. p. 17.ISBN978-1-85856-329-9.
  4. ^Sharpe, Jenny (2005). "Gender, Nation, and Globalization in Monsoon Wedding and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge".Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism.6(1): 58–81 [60 & 75].doi:10.1353/mer.2005.0032.S2CID143666869.
  5. ^Gooptu, Sharmistha (July 2002). "Reviewed work(s):The Cinemas of India(1896–2000) by Yves Thoraval ".Economic and Political Weekly.37(29): 3023–4.
  6. ^"Never Have I Made the Same Kind of Film: An Interview With Tapan Sinha (Part-I) – Learning and Creativity".Learning and Creativity.2 October 2014.Retrieved3 March2016.
  7. ^"Ankush (1954)".Indiancine.ma.Retrieved24 April2024.
  8. ^ab"Top Indian filmmaker Sinha dies".BBC News.
  9. ^"Saluting Indomitable Human Spirit: Tribute to Tapan Sinha".Learning and Creativity. 29 August 2013.Retrieved3 February2014.
  10. ^"Master-prints of Tapan Sinha's classics go missing".The Indian Express.9 April 2010.Retrieved24 April2024.
  11. ^"7th Moscow International Film Festival (1971)".MIFF.Archived fromthe originalon 3 April 2014.Retrieved23 December2012.
  12. ^"Sinha's never-seen-before stories, script thrill cinephiles".The Times of India.2 November 2023.ISSN0971-8257.Retrieved24 April2024.
  13. ^"Tension with Suman palpable on dais".The Times of India.9 January 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 29 September 2011.Retrieved18 March2013.
  14. ^"Remakes of Bengali films: What's new in this trend? - Times of India".The Times of India.27 November 2019.
  15. ^Narayan, Hari (15 August 2016)."The family as a microcosm of the nation".The Hindu.
  16. ^Mathur, Arti (30 December 2001)."Sony closes Hindi film distrib biz".Variety.Retrieved18 March2022.
  17. ^"Film Director Raja Sen Speaks About His New Movie (Interview)".VOA News.29 October 2007.
  18. ^চিরতরুণ.Ei Samay(in Bengali).Archivedfrom the original on 4 July 2022.Retrieved3 January2021.
  19. ^Nag, Amitava (8 November 2023)."Revisiting Bengali master Tapan Sinha's undervalued Hindi movies".Scroll.in.Retrieved24 April2024.
  20. ^"Eight segments to showcase Indian Films at IFFI - 07"(Press release).Press Information Bureau.15 November 2007.Archivedfrom the original on 1 March 2012.
  21. ^"A number of golden oldies at IFFI for movie buffs".The Navhind Times.21 November 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 27 May 2007.Retrieved30 December2007.
  22. ^"Padma Awards"(PDF).Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 15 October 2015.Retrieved21 July2015.
  23. ^ab"4th National Film Awards"(PDF).Directorate of Film Festivals.Retrieved2 September2011.
  24. ^"5th National Film Awards"(PDF).Directorate of Film Festivals.Retrieved2 September2011.
  25. ^"8th National Film Awards".International Film Festival of India.Archived fromthe originalon 12 October 2013.Retrieved7 September2011.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tapan_Sinha&oldid=1226775614"