Tapan Sinha was born in Kolkata on 2nd October 1924. A well-respected Bengali Indian film director, Tapan Sinha is arguably the most uncompromising filmmaker outside the domain of parallel cinema. His awe-inspiring collection of work can in all probability be matched with directors like Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray.
Tapan Sinha`s directorial works have won 19 National Film Awards in diverse categories. His films have also won immense success in International Film Festivals of Berlin, Moscow, London, Venice, San Francisco, Locarno, Cork Festival in Ireland Kampuchea and Seoul.
Early Life of Tapan Sinha
Born in Kolkata, Sinha was the fifth child of Tridibesh and Pramila Sinha. He attended schools in Bhagalpur and Bankura. As a student at Patna University, Bihar, where he was studying physics, Sinha responded sympathetically to Mahatma Gandhi`s Quit India movement, launched against the British in 1942. However, when he moved to Kolkata where he earned an MSc at the Rajabazar Science College, Calcutta University, he fell under the spell of British and American film-makers, particularly John Ford, Billy Wilder, Frank Capra and Carol Reed. He later claimed that it was Jack Conway`s 1935 version of Dickens`s A Tale of Two Cities that motivated him to become a film-maker.
Career of Tapan Sinha
After gaining his master`s in 1946, Sinha joined the New Theatres studio, Kolkata, as a trainee sound engineer. Two years later, he moved to the Kolkata Movie tone studio and, in 1950, he received an invitation to the London film festival and an opportunity to work at Pinewood studios, near London, where he took a job in the director Charles Crichton`s unit as a sound engineer. 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. Although Tapan Sinha is basically focused in the Bengali film industry, he made films in different languages like Hindi and Oriya in the past.
Awards and Recognition of Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha was conferred with several awards for the superb film "Kabulliwalaah" (1956), based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore. The film mainly received the Music Award at the Berlin Film Festival, demonstrating his prominent sensitivity. His another film "Ek Doctor Ki Maut" (1991), won National Award for Second Best Film, 1991 Special Jury Award for Best Actor, Best Director, 1991 Red Cross Film Festival, 1991 BFJA Awards - Best Film, 1991 37th Film Fare Award for Best Screenplay and award from Sofia (Bulgaria). Tapan Sinha was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for his exceptional contribution to Indian cinema in the year 2006.
Awards achieved by Tapan Sinha
Following are some of the national and international awards won by the legendary film director Tapan Sinha:
Awards at National Level:
•Padma Shri (1992)
•National Film Award for Best Feature Film - Kabuliwala (1956)
•National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali - Kabuliwala (1956)
•National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali - Louha-Kapat (1957)
•National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film - Kshudhita Pashan (1960)
•National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film - Atithi (1965)
•National Film Award for Best Feature Film- Hatey Bazarey (1967)
•National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali- Apanjan (1968)
•Best Screenplay - Ekhonee (1971)
•Best Direction - Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1990)
•National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film- Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1990)
•Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2006)
Awards at International Level:
•Best Film-Cork festival, Ireland for Khudhita Pashan
•Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury at 7th Berlin International Film Festival for Kabuliwala
•Jury Award-Sanfransisco Film Festival for Hansuli Banker Upokotha
•Silver Peacock-2nd best film, International Film Festival of India & Audience Award, Sydney Film Festival for Nirjan Saikate
•International Certificate of Merit, Venice Film Festival for Atithi
•Diploma of Merit, London Film Festival for Aarohi
•Silver Leopard, Locarno Film Festival for Aarohi
•Award for Best Film-Royal Cup, Cambodia Asian Film festival for Hatey Bazarey
•Award for Best film in 13th Asia Pacific Film Festival for Hatey Bazarey
•Silver trophy (Cup of honour) in Phnom Penh Film Festival for Hatey Bazarey
•Afro-Asian Award, Moscow Film Festival for Sagina Mahato
•Golden Crown for Best Music, Seoul Asian Film Festival for Harmonium
•Special Award `Child of our Time`, Vii Film Festival, Milano for Safed Haathi
•UNICEF Award(Honorable Mention), Berlin Film festival for Aaj Ka Robin Hood
Filmography of Tapan Sinha
| Ankush -1954 | Galpo Holeo Satti -1966 | Adalat O Ekti Meye -1982 |
| Upahaar -1955 | Hate Bazare -1967 | Admi Aur Aurat -1982 |
| Tonsil -1956 | Aapan Jon -1968 | Manush -1983 |
| Kabuliawala -1957 | Sagina Mahato -1970 | Didi -1984 |
| Lauha Kapat -1958 | Sasina -1970 | Baidurya Rahasya -1985 |
| Kala Mati -1958 | Ekhani -1971 | Atanka -1986 |
| Khaniker Atithi -1959 | Zindagi Zindagi -1972 | Aaj Ka Rabinhood -1987 |
| Khudhito Pashan -1960 | Aandhar Periye -1973 | Ek Doctor Ki Maut -1991 |
| Jhinder Bandi -1961 | Raja -1975 | Antardhaan -1992 |
| Hansuli Banker Upakatha -1962 | Harmonium -1976 | Wheel Chair -1994 |
| Nirjan Saikate -1963 | Ek Je Chhilo Desh -1977 | Satabdir Kanya -1996 |
| Jatugriha -1964 | Safed Haathi -1978 | Ajab Gnayer Ajab Katha -1999 |
| Arohi -1964 | Sabuj Dwiper Raja -1979 | Anokhi Moti -2000 |