'''Pramathesh Chandra Barua (1903-51)''' Major, still undervalued Bengali-Hindi director of Assamese origin, and one of the first major movie stars in India. Born into aristocratic family as the big game-hunting son of the Maharajah of Gauripur. Promising amateur sportsman and art-lover. Graduated from élite Presidency College, Calcutta (1924). Visited Europe and saw films (esp. René Clair and Lubitsch). Entered film as actor in silents; shareholder in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhiren_Ganguly|Dhiren Ganguly]]’s [[British Dominion Films]] (1928). Spent a few months at Elstree to learn film-making and started Barua Pics in Calcutta (1929), producing e.g. [[Debaki Bose]]’s Aparadhi (1931) and Nishir Dak (1932). Joined Chittaranjan Das’ Swarajya Party (1928) which represented Hindu zamindar interests after the Hindu-Muslim riots of 1926. Prominent member of Assam Legislative Assembly (1928-36) when his Party piloted the anti-tenant and anti-Muslim Tenancy Act (1928) through Bengal Legislative Council. Joined [[New Theatres]] (1932-39),
freelanced thereafter. His [[Zindagi]] was remade in Bengali (1943). Making melancholic love
stories set amid a nihilistically portrayed
aristocracy, he evolved a unique melodramatic
style, drawing from the literary traditions
against which [[Kallol]] defined itself. The static
stories and the mask-like actorial postures are
counterpointed by the most mobile subjective
camera in the Indian cinema of his time, the
visual excess of his sweeping pans announcing 1986: Antony Mor Naam. the landscapes of later Bengal School painting. Wrote and starred in his productions, but remembered best for his Bengali version of [[Devdas(1955)|Devdas]] ([[Saigal]] starred in the Hindi one), remade by [[Bimal Roy]] in 1955, and for [[Mukti]]. Died in Calcutta, leaving his last feature unfinished. '''Filmography: ''' 1931: Aparadhi*; 1932: Bhagya Lakshmi* (all St); Bengal 1983**; 1934: Rooplekha/ Mohabbat Ki Kasauti**; 1935: Abasheshe*; Devdas**; 1936: Grihadah/Manzil**; Maya; 1937: Mukti**; 1938: Adhikar**; 1939: Rajat Jayanti**; 1940: Shapmukti**; Zindagi; 1941: Mayer Pran**; Uttarayan**; 1942: Shesh Uttar/Jawab**; 1943: Chandar Kalanka/Rani**; 1944: Subah Shyam; 1945: Amiri; 1946: Pehchan; 1949: Iran Ki Ek Raat; 1953: Maya Kanan**. [[Director]]