Dinen Gupta, (b. 1932)

Bengali director and cameraman born in Calcutta into a family in the film business. Member of the 50s generation of Calcutta cineastes (Ghatak?, Sen? et al.) influenced by the IPTA, the Calcutta Film Society (Est: 1941) and Italian neo-realism (screened in India at the International Film Festival in 1952). Early work as assistant to cameraman Ramananda Sengupta: shot some of Ghatak’s early films (e.g. Ajantrik, 1957; Bari Theke Paliye, 1959), Tarafdar?’s Ganga (1960) and Harisadhan? Dasgupta?’s work. Directorial début with Natun Pata locates him, somewhat belatedly, in the post-Pather Panchali (1955) tradition of rustic lyricism. Pratham Pratisruti was based on Ashapurna Devi’s famous novel. Ajker Nayak belonged to the ‘ lumpen rebel’ genre that emerged in 70s Bengali cinema after the Naxalite uprising, but it stuck closer to e.g. Sinha?’s version of events rather than the better-known M. Sen iconography. Later made some comic melodramas (e.g. Basanta Bilap, Raag Anuraag, etc.). Shoots his own films as well as those of other film-makers.

FILMOGRAPHY: 1969: Banajyotsna; Natun Pata; 1971: Pratham Pratisruti; 1972: Ajker Nayak; Basanta Bilap; Marjina Abdallah; 1973: Pranta Rekha; 1974: Debi Choudhrani; Sangini; 1975: Raag Anuraag; Nishi Mrigaya; 1977: Rajani; Sanai; Proxy; 1978: Tilottama; 1979: Srikanter Will; 1980: Priyatama; 1981: Kalankini; 1982: Sathe Satyam; Jwain Pua; 1983: Indira; Sagar Balaka; 1984: Rashifal; 1985: Abasheshe; 1987: Mahamilan; Sargam; 1988: Antaranga; 1990: Bakulbasar (TV); Tero Sandhyar Galpo (TV); 1991: Kato Bhalobasha; 1994: Nati Binodini.

Director

Camera