Basu Chatterjee is one of Indian cinema"s most prolific screenwriter and director. He is famous for his films which were a realistic representation of middle class and urban India. The content of Basu"s films mainly focussed on familial bonds and martial relationships of the middle class in an urban setting.
Early Life of Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee was born on 10th January, 1930 in Ajmer in the state of Rajasthan in erstwhile Ajmer- Merwara of British India. He is mostly remembered for his feel good classics, which were also wholesome entertainers in their own way.
Career of Basu Chatterjee
Before getting his big break, Basu Chatterjee worked 18 years as a cartoonist and illustrator for the famous weekly tabloid, "Blitz". He also assisted Basu Bhattacharya on his film, "Teesri Kasam" (1966), which later won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film. Eventually, Basu Chatterjee himself turned to direction and made his directorial debut with "Sara Akash" in 1969, which won him the Filmfare Best Screenplay Award.
Basu"s "Sara Akash" along with the directorial ventures of Mani Kaul and Mrinal Sen ushered in the era of New Cinema. However, "Sara Akash" was perhaps the first and last of Basu Chatterjee`s films that was in vein of the New Cinema. His later films were more commercial yet they differed from the usual Hindi movies. His protagonists always seem to be realistic and relatable to the normal audience viewing it.
Movies like "Ruka Hua Faisla" (1986) and "Kamla ki Maut" (1989) were a little different from his usual films as these two delved into society`s skewed set of morals and social customs. Some of Basu"s more popular films were "Us Paar" (1974), "Chhoti Si Baat" (1975), "Chitchor" (1976), "Rajnigandha" (1974), "Piya Ka Ghar" (1972), "Khatta Meetha" (1978), "Chakravyuha" (1978), "Baton Baton Mein" (1979), "Priyatama" (1977), "Man Pasand" (1980), "Hamari Bahu Alka"(1982), "Shaukeen" (1982), and "Chameli Ki Shaadi" (1986), which was his last commercially successful movie.
Basu also directed popular stars of that era in unique roles that they were not usually portraying on screen. He directed the actors like Vinod Mehra, Jeetendra, Neetu Singh, Dev Anand with Tina Munim, Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini with Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan, etc.
He has also directed many Bengali films such as "Hothat Brishti", "Hochcheta Ki" and "Hothat Shei Din". Basu also directed television serials like "Byomkesh Bakshi" and the popular Doordarshan series called "Rajani". Both of these series were a major success.
Achievements of Basu Chatterjee
In his directorial lifetime, Basu Chatterjee has won several accolades and awards from critics and audiences alike. Listed below are some of Basu"s awards:
| Year |
Award |
Movie |
| 1972 |
Filmfare Best Screenplay Award |
Sara Akash |
| 1975 |
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie |
Rajnigandha |
| 1976 |
Filmfare Best Screenplay Award |
Chhoti Si Baat |
| 1978 |
Filmfare Best Director Award |
Swami |
| 1980 |
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie |
Jeena Yahan |
| 1991 |
Filmfare Best Screenplay Award |
Kamla ki Maut |
| 1992 |
National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare |
Durga |
| 2007 |
IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award |
- |
Other than these, Basu Chatterjee was also a member of the jury at the 10th Moscow International Film Festival in 1977. He was also a member of the International Film and Television Club of the Asian Academy of Film & Television. And in February 2011, he had his retrospective as part of the Kala Ghoda Art Festival in
Mumbai.
Filmography of Basu Chatterjee
Listed below are the various films of Basu Chatterjee as a director, screenwriter and also as a producer:
| Year |
Movies Directed |
Movies Produced |
Screenplay |
| 1969 |
Sara Akash |
|
Yes |
| 1974 |
Us Paar |
Yes |
Yes |
| 1974 |
Rajnigandha |
|
Yes |
| 1976 |
Chitchor |
|
|
| 1976 |
Chhoti Si Baat |
|
|
| 1977 |
Khatta Meetha |
|
Yes |
| 1977 |
Priyatma |
|
|
| 1977 |
Safed Jhooth |
|
Yes |
| 1977 |
Swami |
|
|
| 1978 |
Tumhare Liye |
|
|
| 1978 |
Dillagi |
|
Yes |
| 1979 |
Do Ladke Dono Kadke |
|
|
| 1979 |
Baton Baton Mein |
Yes |
|
| 1979 |
Manzil |
|
|
| 1979 |
Chakravyuh |
|
|
| 1979 |
Prem Vivah |
|
|
| 1979 |
Ratan Deep |
|
|
| 1980 |
Apne Paray |
|
|
| 1981 |
Jeena Yahan |
|
|
| 1982 |
Hamari Bahu Alka |
|
Yes |
| 1982 |
Shaukeen |
|
|
| 1983 |
Pasand Apni Apni |
Yes |
|
| 1986 |
Lakhon Ki Baat |
Yes |
Yes |
| 1986 |
Kirayedar |
|
|
| 1986 |
Chameli Ki Shaadi |
|
|
| 1986 |
Sheesha |
|
|
| 1990 |
Kamla Ki Maut |
|
|
| 1997 |
Triyacharittar |
|
|
| 1997 |
Udgudee |
|
|
| 2007 |
Prateeksha |
|
|
| 2007 |
Kuch Khatta Kuch Meetha |
|
|
| 2008 |
Hochheta Ki |
|
|
| 2011 |
Trishanku |
|
|
Personal Life of Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee"s daughter Rupali Guha is also a film director, who released her first directorial venture in September, 2009. It is a coming off age Hindi film called "Aamras" involving four schoolgirls.
