| 4 | | Lead actor in late 40s Bengali melodramas, débuting in Bengali version of Nitin Bose’s bilingual Nauka Dubi/Milan (Dilip Kumar took the role in Hindi). Worked at New Theatres (Yatrik) and in independent productions of former New Theatres directors Nitin Bose, Debaki Bose and Bimal Roy (Biraj Bahu). Played the upright hero, evoking the Westernised liberal stereotype often used to characterise pre-WW2 Bengali urban upper middle class. Introduced this image into the Hindi cinema, notably in Hrishikesh Mukherjee films (e.g. Anuradha), extending it into a tragic dimension (e.g. Sohrab Modi’s Jailor). This image was later used to devastating effect by Ghatak in Subarnarekha, where he played the upright Ishwar. Acted extensively with Satyen Bose as well as in Shakti Samanta’s Aradhana and his Hindi-Bengali bilinguals (e.g. Amanush). Also featured regularly in mythologicals by S. Fattelal (Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Ayodhyapati), Babubhai Mistri (Mahabharat, Har Har Gange) and Ashish Kumar devotionals. |
| | 4 | Lead actor in late 40s Bengali melodramas, débuting in Bengali version of [[Nitin Bose]]’s bilingual [[Nauka Dubi]]/[[Milan]] ([[Dilip Kumar]] took the role in Hindi). Worked at [[New Theatres]] ([[Yatrik]]) and in independent productions of former New Theatres directors Nitin Bose, [[Debaki Bose]] and [[Bimal Roy]] ([[Biraj Bahu]]). Played the upright hero, evoking the Westernised liberal stereotype often used to characterise pre-WW2 Bengali urban upper middle class. Introduced this image into the Hindi cinema, notably in [[Hrishikesh Mukherjee]] films (e.g. [[Anuradha]]), extending it into a tragic dimension (e.g. [[Sohrab Modi]]’s [[Jailor]]). This image was later used to devastating effect by [[Ghatak]] in [[Subarnarekha]], where he played the upright Ishwar. Acted extensively with Satyen Bose as well as in [[Shakti Samanta]]’s Aradhana and his Hindi-Bengali bilinguals (e.g. [[Amanush]]). Also featured regularly in mythologicals by [[S. Fattelal]] (Jagadguru Shankaracharya, [[Ayodhyapati]]), [[Babubhai Mistri]] (Mahabharat, Har Har Gange) and Ashish Kumar devotionals. |