Basu Chatterjee

{{Infobox person

| name = Basu Chatterjee

| image = Basu Chatterjee image.jpg

| imagesize = 240px

| caption = Chatterjee in October 2012

| nationality = Indian

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1927|01|10}}

| birth_place = Ajmer, Ajmer-Merwara, British India

| occupation = Film director

| children = 2 daughters

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2020|06|04|1927|01|10}}

| death_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

}}

Basu Chatterjee (10 January 1927 – 4 June 2020) was an Indian film director and screenwriter in Hindi Cinema. Through the 1970s and 1980s, he became associated with what came to be known as middle cinema or middle-of-the-road cinema filmmakers, such as Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya, whom he assisted on Teesri Kasam (1966). Like their films, his films dealt with light-hearted stories of middle-class families often in urban settings, focusing on marital and love relationships.

The exceptions such as Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986) and Kamla Ki Maut (1989), which delved into social and moral issues. He is best known for his films Us Paar, Chhoti Si Baat (1975), Chitchor (1976), Rajnigandha (1974), Piya Ka Ghar (1972), Khatta Meetha, Swami (1977), Baton Baton Mein (1979), Priyatama (1977), Man Pasand, Hamari Bahu Alka, Shaukeen (1982),{{cite web | title = Classics should be taken on, but correctly: Basu Chatterjee | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Classics-should-be-taken-on-but-correctly-Basu-Chatterjee/articleshow/19253612.cms |date=28 March 2013| access-date = 28 April 2014 | work = The Times of India}} and Chameli Ki Shaadi (1986).{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/celebrities-mourn-the-demise-of-basu-chatterjee-6442148/|title=Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and others remember Basu Chatterjee|date=4 June 2020}}

Chatterjee directed the Bengali film Hothath Brishti (1998), which featured actors from both Bangladesh and India. The film featured Ferdous Ahmed from Bangladesh, and Priyanka Trivedi and Sreelekha Mitra from West Bengal. Chatterjee continued to cast Ahmed in subsequent Indian-Bengali films, including Chupi Chupi (2001), Tak Jhal Mishti (2002) and Hotath Shedin (2012), another joint production of Bangladesh and India. He wrote the script for the Bangladeshi film Ek Cup Cha, directed by Noyeem Imtiaz Neamul.

Early life

Basu Chatterjee was born in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India, in a Bengali family. His middle class upbringing reflected in his movies that explored areas which were far removed from the glitz and glamour of the blockbusters of the time.{{cite web |title=Basu Chatterjee Obituary |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2020/jun/4/25913 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625091739/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2020/jun/4/25913 |url-status=live |archive-date=25 June 2020 |website=Cinestaan}}

Career

In 1950s, Chatterjee arrived in Bombay (now Mumbai) and started his career as an illustrator and cartoonist for the weekly tabloid Blitz published by Russi Karanjia. He worked there for 18 years before changing career paths to filmmaking, when he assisted Basu Bhattacharya in the Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman starrer Teesri Kasam (1966), which later won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film. Eventually, he made his directorial debut with {{Lang|hi-latn|Sara Akash}} in 1969, which won him the Filmfare Best Screenplay Award.{{cite web |title=Director Profile: Basu Chatterjee |publisher=Cinemas of India, NFDC |url=http://www.cinemasofindia.com/director/view/33 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726223123/http://www.cinemasofindia.com/director/view/33 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 July 2013 |access-date=28 April 2014 |df=dmy-all }}

Some of his most critically acclaimed films are {{Lang|hi-latn|Sara Akash}} (1969), Piya Ka Ghar (1971), Us Paar (1974), Rajnigandha (1974), Chhoti Si Baat (1975), Chitchor (1976), Swami (1977), Khatta Meetha, Priyatama, Chakravyuha (1978 film), Jeena Yahan (1979), Baton Baton Mein (1979), Apne Paraye (1980), Shaukeen and Ek Ruka Hua Faisla.

Other films include Ratnadeep, Safed Jhooth, Man Pasand, Hamari Bahu Alka, Kamla Ki Maut and Triyacharitra.

He has also directed many Bengali films such as Hothat Brishti, Hochcheta Ki and Hothat Shei Din.

Chatterjee directed the television series Byomkesh Bakshi and Rajani for Doordarshan. He was a member of the jury at the 10th Moscow International Film Festival in 1977{{cite web|url=http://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/miff34/eng/archives/?year=1977 |title=10th Moscow International Film Festival (1977) |access-date=7 January 2013 |work=MIFF |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116194935/http://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/miff34/eng/archives/?year=1977 |archive-date=16 January 2013 |df=dmy }} and a member of the International Film And Television Club of the Asian Academy of Film & Television. A retrospective of Chatterjee's work was held as part of the Kala Ghoda Art Festival Mumbai in February 2011.

A book on the work of Basu Chatterji, titled Basu Chatterji: And Middle of the road cinema, written by author and music historian Anirudha Bhattacharjee, has been published by Penguin Random House in 2023.

Awards

2007: IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award
1992: National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare - Durga
1991: Filmfare Best Screenplay Award – Kamla Ki Maut
1980: Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie – Jeena Yahan
1978: National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment - Swami
1978: Filmfare Best Director Award – Swami
1977: Filmfare Best Screenplay Award - Chitchor Nominee
1976: Filmfare Best Screenplay Award – Chhoti Si Baat
1975: Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie – Rajnigandha
1972: Filmfare Best Screenplay Award – {{Lang|hi-latn|Sara Akash}}{{cite web|title=Best Screenplay Award |url=http://recipeguide.indiatimes.com/awards2001/ex_screenplay.htm |publisher=Filmfare Award Official Listings, Indiatimes |access-date=28 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429080308/http://recipeguide.indiatimes.com/awards2001/ex_screenplay.htm |archive-date=29 April 2014 |df=dmy }}

Filmography

class="wikitable"
rowspan="2" \| Year ! rowspan="2" \| Title ! colspan="2" \| Credited as ! rowspan="2' \| Producer ! rowspan="2' \| Notes
width=65 \| Director ! width=65 \| Writer
1969 \| {{Lang\|hi-latn\|Sara Akash}} \|{{yes}}	{{yes}}	\|{{cite book\|author=Asha Kasbekar\|title=Pop Culture India!: Media, Arts, And Lifestyle\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sv7Uk0UcdM8C&pg=PA198\|access-date=29 October 2012\|year=2006\|publisher=ABC-CLIO\|isbn=978-1-85109-636-7\|pages=198–}}
1971 \| Piya Ka Ghar \|{{yes}}	\|Tarachand Barjatya \|
rowspan="2" \|1974 \| Rajnigandha \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|Suresh Jindal, Kamal Saigal \|
Us Paar \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	{{yes}} \|
rowspan="2" \|1976 \| Chitchor \|{{yes}}	\|Tarachand Barjatya \|
Chhoti Si Baat \|{{yes}}	\|B. R. Chopra \|
rowspan="3" \|1977 \| Safed Jhooth \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	Ashim Kumar \|
Swami \|{{yes}}	\|Jaya Chakravarthy
Priyatama \|{{yes}}	\|T C Dewan
rowspan="3" \|1978 \| Khatta Meetha \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	Gul Anand, Romu Sippy \|
Dillagi \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	Bikram Singh Dehal, Kanwar Ajit Singh \|
Tumhare Liye \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	Raj Tilak \|
rowspan="6" \|1979 \| Do Ladke Dono Kadke \|{{yes}}	\|Jayant Mukherjee, Hemant Kumar
Manzil \|{{yes}}		\|
Chakravyuha \|{{yes}}		\|
Prem Vivah \|{{yes}}		\|
Ratnadeep \|{{yes}}		\|
Baton Baton Mein \|{{yes}} \| \|{{yes}}
rowspan="2" \|1980 \| Man Pasand \|{{yes}}	\|Amit Khanna
Apne Paraye \|{{yes}}	\|Mushir Alam
1981 \| Jeena Yahan \|{{yes}}	\|N.P. Ali
rowspan="2" \|1982 \| Hamari Bahu Alka \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	Shyamsunder Seksaria \|
Shaukeen \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	Senmit Movie Visuals \|
1983 \| Pasand Apni Apni \|{{yes}} \| \|{{yes}}
1984 \| Lakhon Ki Baat \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}
rowspan="4" \|1986 \| Ek Ruka Hua Faisla \|{{yes}} \| \|{{yes}} \|
Kirayadar \|{{yes}}	\|B. R. Chopra \|
Chameli Ki Shaadi \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	Ramesh Ningoo, Sushil Gaur \|
Sheesha \|{{yes}}	\|Sattee Shourie \|
1989 \| Kamla Ki Maut \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}	NFDC \|
1990 \|Hamari Shadi \|{{Yes}} \|{{Yes}} \| \|
rowspan="2" \|1997 \| Triyacharittar \|{{yes}}	\| \|
Gudgudee \|{{yes}}	\|Mahesh Bhatt \|
1998 \| Hothat Brishti \|{{yes}}	\|Bangladesh and India joint production \| rowspan="3" \|Bengali language film
2001 \| Chupi Chupi \|{{yes}}	\|
2002 \| Tak Jhal Mishti \|{{yes}}	\|
rowspan="2" \|2007 \| Prateeksha \|{{yes}}	\| \|
Kuch Khatta Kuch Meetha \|{{yes}}	\| \|
2008 \| Hochheta Ki \|{{yes}}	\| \| rowspan="3" \|Bengali language film
rowspan="2" \|2011 \|Kalidas o Chemistry \|{{Yes}} \| \|
Trishanku \|{{yes}} \|

class="wikitable"

rowspan="2" | Year

! rowspan="2" | Title

! colspan="2" | Credited as

! rowspan="2' | Producer

! rowspan="2' | Notes

width=65 | Director

! width=65 | Writer

1969

| {{Lang|hi-latn|Sara Akash}}

|{{yes}}

|{{cite book|author=Asha Kasbekar|title=Pop Culture India!: Media, Arts, And Lifestyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sv7Uk0UcdM8C&pg=PA198|access-date=29 October 2012|year=2006|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-85109-636-7|pages=198–}}

1971

| Piya Ka Ghar

|{{yes}}

|Tarachand Barjatya

rowspan="2" |1974

| Rajnigandha

|{{yes}}

|Suresh Jindal, Kamal Saigal

Us Paar

|{{yes}}

rowspan="2" |1976

| Chitchor

|{{yes}}

|Tarachand Barjatya

Chhoti Si Baat

|{{yes}}

|B. R. Chopra

rowspan="3" |1977

| Safed Jhooth

|{{yes}}

Ashim Kumar

Swami

|{{yes}}

|Jaya Chakravarthy

Priyatama

|{{yes}}

|T C Dewan

rowspan="3" |1978

| Khatta Meetha

|{{yes}}

Gul Anand, Romu Sippy

Dillagi

|{{yes}}

Bikram Singh Dehal, Kanwar Ajit Singh

Tumhare Liye

|{{yes}}

Raj Tilak

rowspan="6" |1979

| Do Ladke Dono Kadke

|{{yes}}

|Jayant Mukherjee, Hemant Kumar

Manzil

|{{yes}}

Chakravyuha

|{{yes}}

Prem Vivah

|{{yes}}

Ratnadeep

|{{yes}}

Baton Baton Mein

|{{yes}}

rowspan="2" |1980

| Man Pasand

|{{yes}}

|Amit Khanna

Apne Paraye

|{{yes}}

|Mushir Alam

1981

| Jeena Yahan

|{{yes}}

|N.P. Ali

rowspan="2" |1982

| Hamari Bahu Alka

|{{yes}}

Shyamsunder Seksaria

Shaukeen

|{{yes}}

Senmit Movie Visuals

1983

| Pasand Apni Apni

|{{yes}}

1984

| Lakhon Ki Baat

|{{yes}}

rowspan="4" |1986

| Ek Ruka Hua Faisla

|{{yes}}

Kirayadar

|{{yes}}

|B. R. Chopra

Chameli Ki Shaadi

|{{yes}}

Ramesh Ningoo, Sushil Gaur

Sheesha

|{{yes}}

|Sattee Shourie

1989

| Kamla Ki Maut

|{{yes}}

NFDC

1990

|Hamari Shadi

|{{Yes}}

rowspan="2" |1997

| Triyacharittar

|{{yes}}

Gudgudee

|{{yes}}

|Mahesh Bhatt

1998

| Hothat Brishti

|{{yes}}

|Bangladesh and India joint production

| rowspan="3" |Bengali language film

2001

| Chupi Chupi

|{{yes}}

2002

| Tak Jhal Mishti

|{{yes}}

rowspan="2" |2007

| Prateeksha

|{{yes}}

Kuch Khatta Kuch Meetha

|{{yes}}

2008

| Hochheta Ki

|{{yes}}

| rowspan="3" |Bengali language film

rowspan="2" |2011

|Kalidas o Chemistry

|{{Yes}}

Trishanku

|{{yes}}

= Dialogue writer =

colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"\|Dialogue writer
class="wikitable"
Year	Film	Producer	Notes
1972 \| Piya Ka Ghar \|Tarachand Barjatya \|
1974 \| Rajnigandha \|Suresh Jindal, Kamal Saigal \|
rowspan="2" \|1978 \| Khatta Meetha \|Gul Anand, Romu Sippy \|
Dillagi \|Bikram Singh Dehal, Kanwar Ajit Singh \|
1982 \| Hamari Bahu Alka \|Shyamsunder Seksaria \|
1984 \| Lakhon Ki Baat \|Basu Chatterjee \|

= Screenplay =

class="wikitable"
colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"\|Screenplay
Year	Film	Producer	Notes
1969 \| {{Lang\|hi-latn\|Sara Akash}} \|Basu Chatterjee \|
rowspan="2" \|1974 \| Rajnigandha \|Suresh Jindal, Kamal Saigal \|
Us Paar \|Self \|
1977 \| Safed Jhooth \|Ashim Kumar \|
rowspan="2" \|1978 \| Khatta Meetha \|Gul Anand, Romu Sippy \|
Dillagi \|Bikram Singh Dehal, Kanwar Ajit Singh \|
1982 \| Hamari Bahu Alka \|Shyamsunder Seksaria \|
1984 \| Lakhon Ki Baat \|Basu Chatterjee \|

class="wikitable"

colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"|Screenplay

Year

Film

Producer

Notes

1969

| {{Lang|hi-latn|Sara Akash}}

|Basu Chatterjee

rowspan="2" |1974

| Rajnigandha

|Suresh Jindal, Kamal Saigal

Us Paar

|Self

1977

| Safed Jhooth

|Ashim Kumar

rowspan="2" |1978

| Khatta Meetha

|Gul Anand, Romu Sippy

Dillagi

|Bikram Singh Dehal, Kanwar Ajit Singh

1982

| Hamari Bahu Alka

|Shyamsunder Seksaria

1984

| Lakhon Ki Baat

|Basu Chatterjee

= Producer =

colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"\|Producer
class="wikitable"
Year	Film	Director	Notes
1979 \| Baton Baton Mein \| rowspan="2" \|Self \|
1983 \| Pasand Apni Apni \|
1984 \| Lakhon Ki Baat \|Basu Chatterjee \|
1986 \| Ek Ruka Hua Faisla \|Self \|TV film

=Director (TV series)=

class="wikitable"
colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"\|Director TV series or film
Year	Show	Channel	Notes
rowspan="2" \|1985 \| Rajani \| rowspan="4" \|DD National \|
Darpan \|
1986 \| Ek Ruka Hua Faisla \|(TV film)
1988 \| Kakaji Kahin \|
1988 \|Jodi Emon Hoto \|DD Bangla \|
1990-91 \| Bheem Bhavani \| rowspan="3" \|DD National \|
1993 & 1997 \| Byomkesh Bakshi \|2 seasons 32 episodes
2005 \| Ek Prem Katha \|26 episodes

class="wikitable"

colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"|Director TV series or film

Year

Show

Channel

Notes

rowspan="2" |1985

| Rajani

| rowspan="4" |DD National

Darpan

1986

| Ek Ruka Hua Faisla

|(TV film)

1988

| Kakaji Kahin

1988

|Jodi Emon Hoto

|DD Bangla

1990-91

| Bheem Bhavani

| rowspan="3" |DD National

1993 & 1997

| Byomkesh Bakshi

|2 seasons 32 episodes

2005

| Ek Prem Katha

|26 episodes

= Assistant director =

colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"\|Assistant director
class="wikitable"
Year	Film	Producer	Notes
1966 \| Teesri Kasam \|Shailendra \|Directed by Basu Bhattacharya
1968 \| Saraswatichandra \|Vivek \|Directed by Govind Saraiya

Death

Chatterjee died due to an age-related illness at his house in Mumbai on 4 June 2020. He was 93 years old.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52919810|title = Basu Chatterjee: Bollywood's 'chronicler of simple romances' dies at 93|work = BBC News|date = 4 June 2020}}

References

External links

{{IMDb name|id=0154113|name=Basu Chatterjee}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20061205051045/http://basuchatterji.com/ Official website]
[https://penguin.co.in/book/basu-chatterji/ Basu Chatterji: And middle of the road cinema]

Category:1930 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:Film directors from Rajasthan

Category:Bengali film directors

Category:Hindi-language film directors

Category:People from Ajmer

Category:Filmfare Awards winners

Category:University of Calcutta alumni

Category:Indian television directors

Category:Indian male screenwriters

Category:20th-century Indian screenwriters

Category:21st-century Indian people

Category:Directors who won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award

Category:Directors who won the Best Film on Family Welfare National Film Award

colspan="4" style="background:#bfd7ff"\|Dialogue writer
class="wikitable"
Year	Film	Producer	Notes
1972 \| Piya Ka Ghar \|Tarachand Barjatya \|
1974 \| Rajnigandha \|Suresh Jindal, Kamal Saigal \|
rowspan="2" \|1978 \| Khatta Meetha \|Gul Anand, Romu Sippy \|
Dillagi \|Bikram Singh Dehal, Kanwar Ajit Singh \|
1982 \| Hamari Bahu Alka \|Shyamsunder Seksaria \|
1984 \| Lakhon Ki Baat \|Basu Chatterjee \|