Dibakar Banerjee
{{short description|Indian film director}}
{{distinguish|text=Indian Army officer, Dipankar Banerjee or Indian metallurgist, Dipankar Banerjee}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Dibakar Banerjee
|image = Dibakar Banerjee at 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' screening 12.jpg
|caption = Banerjee at the screening of Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|06|21|df=yes}}
|birth_place = New Delhi, India
|nationality =
| alma_mater = National Institute of Design
|occupation = {{hlist|Filmmaker|screenwriter|lyricist|musician}}
|years_active = 2006–present
}}
Dibakar Banerjee (born 21 June 1969) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer and advertisement-filmmaker known for his work in Hindi films. Banerjee started his career in advertising, being a feature filmmaker, he still continues to be an ad-filmmaker.{{cite news|title=Imran Khan makes debut in Coke ad|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/imran-khan-makes-debut-in-coke-ad/71911|work=Mid-Day|date=11 February 2010|access-date=31 May 2015}} He also runs his own film production company, Dibakar Banerjee Productions.{{cite news|url=http://www.caravanmagazine.in/arts/jump-cut|title=Jump Cut|author=Jai Arjun Singh|work=The Caravan|date=1 January 2013|access-date=31 May 2015}}
As a filmmaker, he is known for Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), both of which won National Film Awards.{{cite news|title=The first rush|url= http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061014/asp/weekend/story_6841164.asp|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080801184902/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061014/asp/weekend/story_6841164.asp|url-status= dead|archive-date= 1 August 2008|work=The Telegraph (Kolkata)|date=14 October 2006|location=Calcutta, India}}{{cite news |title=Dibakar gets lucky with Oye Lucky.... |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Dibakar-gets-lucky-with-Oye-Lucky/articleshow/5494926.cms |work=The Times of India|date=25 January 2010|first1=Aparajita |last1=Mukherjee}} His next film was the experimental Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010). It was followed by the political drama Shanghai (2012) and Bombay Talkies (2013), which was made as a celebration of the centenary year of Indian cinema. In 2015, he directed Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, a film based on the fictional character Byomkesh Bakshi.
Personal life
Dibakar Banerjee was born and brought up at New Rohtak Road near Karol Bagh, in West Delhi, and studied at Bal Bharati Public School, Delhi.{{cite news|title=Out to steal hearts|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/11/29/stories/2008112952970800.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107175610/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/11/29/stories/2008112952970800.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 November 2012 |work=The Hindu|date=29 November 2008}}{{cite news|title=Cut To Delhi|last=Dutta|first=Amrita|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cut-to-delhi/422666/0|work=The Indian Express|date=15 February 2009}}{{cite news|title=The quiet riot|last=Gupta|first=Trisha|url=http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main43.asp?filename=hub200210the_quiet.asp|work=Tehelka|date=20 February 2010|access-date=11 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194912/http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main43.asp?filename=hub200210the_quiet.asp|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}} After finishing his schooling, he joined the National Institute of Design, at Ahmedabad to study visual communications and graphic design, but left it two and a half years later. Back in New Delhi, he worked briefly with audio-visual filmmaker Sam Mathews.{{cite news |title=You have to create a believable reality|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2235849.cms|first1=Shambhu|last1=Sahu|work=The Times of India|date=23 October 2006}}
He is married to Richa Puranesh, who has an FMCG marketing background, and the couple lived in Delhi for many years. After the success of Khosla Ka Ghosla, they moved to Mumbai and live in Parel, Mumbai with their two daughters.
Career
Banerjee joined advertising as a copywriter first with Shems Combit, TBWA Anthem, and then he joined Contract Advertising, Delhi, where he worked with Pradeep Sarkar, who was then a creative director at the agency. Screenwriter Jaideep Sahni was also one of his colleagues, who later penned Khosla Ka Ghosla's story, screenplay, dialogues and lyrics.{{cite web|url=http://www.koimoi.com/director/dibakar-banerjee/|title=Dibakar Banerjee Biography|publisher=Koimoi|access-date=25 September 2015}} In 1997, he left Contract to launch his own company named 'Watermark', with two ex- NID friends, to develop promos for Channel V and MTV and Ad films for major brands.
With friend and ex-colleague Jaideep Sahni he conceptualised his debut film "about Delhi, based in Delhi", Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006) starring Anupam Kher and Boman Irani, shot in locations in and around New Delhi. The film was a critical and commercial success and won the National Film Award.{{cite news |title=Movie review: Khosla Ka Ghosla, Rocky |author=Taran Adarsh |url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=74272 |publisher=The Indian Express |date=22 September 2006 |access-date=6 January 2010 |archive-date=10 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010101136/http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=74272 |url-status=dead }} The film brought Banerjee in the list of new filmmakers who were bringing about a marked shift in Bollywood themes, which typically focuses on stories & characters from in and around Mumbai.{{cite magazine|title=Bollywood Changes Its Tune|url= http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1670547,00.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071016072400/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1670547,00.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= 16 October 2007|last=Singh|first=Madhur|magazine=Time|date=11 October 2007}}{{cite news|title=The old in the new: By subverting popular idioms, a new wave of filmmakers are redefining Hindi cinema |url=http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-old-in-the-new/507468/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910183733/http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-old-in-the-new/507468/|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 September 2012|work=Screen |date=28 August 2009 }}
Banerjee then co-wrote and directed his second feature, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), which was also set in his hometown Delhi. The film starring Abhay Deol, Neetu Chandra and Paresh Rawal, premiered at the International Film Festival of India, Goa, along with Museum of Modern Art, New York.{{cite news|title=I plan to do a political thriller: Dibakar|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/I-plan-to-do-a-political-thriller-Dibakar/articleshow/4617183.cms |date=5 June 2009 |work=The Times of India |first1=Priyanka |last1=Dasgupta}} It was released in the 2008 Mumbai attacks weekend to positive reviews and went on to become a sleeper hit.{{cite web|title=Go watch 2008's finest and unluckiest film|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/dec/09watch-the-years-finest-film.htm|work=Rediff.com|author=Raja Sen}}{{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|title=Expectations Vs results: How top directors fared in 2015|last=Vijayakar|first=Rajiv|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/8571|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626033233/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/8571|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 June 2015|website=Bollywood Hungama|date=25 June 2015|access-date=11 September 2015}} Rachel Saltz of The New York Times described the film as "a breezy mix of satire and realism".{{cite news|title=The Variety of Life, Real and Imagined, in Movie-Mad India|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/movies/05indi.html|date=4 June 2009|work=The New York Times|last=Saltz|first=Rachel}} Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film.{{cite news|title=National Film Awards: Priyanka gets best actress, 'Antaheen' awarded best film |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/National-Film-Awards-Priyanka-gets-best-actress-Antaheen-awarded-best-film/articleshow/5492275.cms |work=The Times of India|date=23 January 2010 }}
In 2010, Banerjee directed India's first film shot entirely on Digital Camera, and to be presented in the found footage style, Love Sex Aur Dhokha. The film was shown through Handycams, CCTV cameras and mobile cameras.{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/slide-show-1-interview-with-dibakar-banerjee/20100311.htm|title=Love Sex Aur Dhokha will leave you shocked|work=Rediff.com|date=11 March 2010|access-date=31 May 2015}} Dealing with Issues like honour killings, MMS scandals, and sting operations,{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/love-sex-aur-dhokha-director-unplugged/article1-520442.aspx|title=Love Sex aur Dhokha director unplugged!|work=Hindustan Times|date=18 March 2010|access-date=31 May 2015}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} the film was released on 19 March 2010 to positive reception and strong box office results.{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/boxoffice/id/525520|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105060236/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/boxoffice/id/525520|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2012|title=Love Sex aur Dhokha|website=Bollywood Hungama|access-date=31 May 2015}} Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN rated it 4 out of 5, stating " Dibakar Banerjee's Love, Sex aur Dhoka is the most riveting Hindi film in recent memory. [...] You will be shocked, you will be startled, but walking out of the theatre, you know you have just seen what is possibly the most important Hindi film since Satya and Dil Chahta Hai. Not only does it redefine the concept of "realistic cinema", it opens a world of possibilities in terms of how you can shoot films now."{{cite web|title=Masand's Verdict: LSD provocative and disturbing|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/lsd-is-consistently-gripping-335668.html|publisher=CNN-IBN|date=19 March 2010}}
Banerjee's next directorial venture was Shanghai (2012), a political drama involving an assassination of a social activist. Starring Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin and Emraan Hashmi, the film was based on the 1967 Greek novel Z written by Vassilis Vassilikos. Shanghai premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and released on 8 June 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-2012-bollywoods-dibakar-banerjee-370577|title=Toronto 2012: Bollywood's Dibakar Banerjee on Shooting the Action Thriller 'Shanghai' in a Haze|last=Vlessing|first=Etan|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=15 September 2012|access-date=31 May 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://archive.asianage.com/movie-reviews/dibakar-s-bharat-ki-khoj-147|title=Dibakar's Bharat ki khoj|last=Sharma|first=Suparna|work=The Asian Age|date=9 June 2012|access-date=31 May 2015}}
In 2013, Banerjee adapted Satyajit Ray's short story- Patol Babu, Film Star, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui for Bombay Talkies. It was the part of the anthology film made by four directors Including -Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar. The film was made as a celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema.{{cite news|title=Bollywood directors join hands to pay homage to Indian cinema|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Bollywood-directors-join-hands-to-pay-homage-to-Indian-cinema/articleshow/13020569.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622040500/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-07/news-interviews/31599052_1_cinema-karan-johar-indian-films|url-status=live|archive-date=22 June 2012|date=7 May 2012|work=The Times of India|access-date=28 January 2012}}{{cite news|last=Dubey|first=Bharati|title=Film industry to mark Phalke centenary|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Film-industry-to-mark-Phalke-centenary/articleshow/18165999.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419031257/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-25/news-interviews/36527754_1_film-industry-dadasaheb-phalke-indian-cinema|url-status=live|archive-date=19 April 2013|date=25 January 2012|work=The Times of India|access-date=28 January 2012}} Bombay Talkies under-performed at the box office,{{cite web|url=http://boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/bombay_talkies#.VS4Z-tyUfTo|title=Bombay Talkies Box office report|publisher=Box Office India|access-date=15 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317215806/http://boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/bombay_talkies#.VS4Z-tyUfTo|archive-date=17 March 2015|url-status=dead}} but was well received by critics; specially Banerjee's story. Anupama Chopra in her review mentioned: "Dibakar narrates his story with such tenderness and Siddiqui is so good that by the end, I was wiping away tears".{{cite news|last=Chopra |first=Anupama |title=Anupama Chopra's review: Bombay Talkies |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Reviews/Anupama-Chopra-s-review-Bombay-Talkies/Article1-1054502.aspx |access-date=4 May 2013 |work=Hindustan Times |date=4 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504010958/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Reviews/Anupama-Chopra-s-review-Bombay-Talkies/Article1-1054502.aspx |archive-date=4 May 2013 |df=dmy }}
Next Banerjee went on to adapt Byomkesh Bakshi, created by the Bengali writer Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, as Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015).{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-byomkesh-bakshi-gets-a-new-spelling-in-bollywood-2045941|title= 'Byomkesh Bakshi' gets a new spelling in Bollywood|work=Daily News & Analysis|date=21 December 2014 |access-date=25 December 2014}} The film starring Sushant Singh Rajput as the titular character was produced jointly by Yash Raj Films and his own film production company Dibakar Banerjee Productions. Set in the Kolkata of 1940s,{{cite news|title=BBD Bag back to 1943 for Byomkesh shoot|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/BBD-Bag-back-to-1943-for-Byomkesh-shoot/articleshow/29789055.cms|date=10 April 2014|work=The Times of India|access-date= 19 October 2014}} the film was released on 3 April 2015 and met with mixed to positive reviews from critics.{{cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/detective-byomkesh-bakshy-review-stylish-beautiful-and-yet-dibakars-most-underwhelming-film-so-far-2184271.html|title= Detective Byomkesh Bakshy review: Stylish, beautiful and yet Dibakar's most underwhelming film so far
|author=Deepanjana Pal|work=Firstpost|date=6 April 2015|access-date=31 May 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/detective-byomkesh-bakshy---movie-review/16111153|title='Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!' – Movie Review|work=Mid-Day|author=Shubha Shetty Saha|date=3 April 2015|access-date=31 May 2015}}
Banerjee co-produced Love Sex Aur Dhokha's co-writer Kanu Behl first film as a director, Titli, with Yash Raj Films. The film was selected to take part in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.{{cite news|title = After 'Titli', 'True Love Story' at Cannes film fest|work=Mint|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/PS4hLdTiq4cMnOwZBvRB3O/After-Titli-True-Love-Story-at-Cannes-film-fest.html|date=22 April 2014|access-date=25 April 2014}}{{cite web|title = 2014 Official Selection|publisher=Festival De Cannes|url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/60533.html|access-date = 13 May 2014}} It was released in India on 30 October 2015, to positive reviews.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/titli-review-roundup-this-what-critics-have-say-about-ranvir-shoreys-film-652495|title='Titli' review roundup: This is what critics have to say about Ranvir Shorey's film|last=Mehta|first=Ankita|work=International Business Times|date=29 October 2015|access-date=30 October 2015}} The same month he returned the National Award for Khosla ka Ghosla along with 12 other filmmakers, in protest against the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting refusing to roll back FTII's appointment of Gajendra Chauhan.{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/10-filmmakers-return-national-awards-over-growing-intolerance-ftii-row/story-9N1XOrEe1NAIDcZ4dLlNLP.html|title=12 filmmakers return national awards, protest 'growing intolerance'|last=Ansari|first=Humaira|work=Hindustan Times|date=29 October 2015|access-date=22 January 2016}}
In 2018, Banerjee again collaborated with Kashyap, Akhtar and Johar for the anthology film Lust Stories. Based on the theme of lust, it had stories told through female perspective.{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/lust-stories-trailer-netflix-5182062/|title=Lust Stories trailer: Netflix original film promises tales of love and desire from the female perspective|last=Rawat|first=Kshitij|work=The Indian Express|date=18 May 2018|access-date=18 May 2018}} Banerjee's story had Manisha Koirala and Sanjay Kapoor. The film was released on Netflix on 15 June 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/lust-stories-movie-review-netflix-anthology-is-another-step-forward-in-bollywoods-sexual-awakening-4510967.html|title=Lust Stories movie review: Netflix anthology is another step forward in Bollywood's sexual awakening|last=Ramakrishnan|first=Swetha|publisher=Firstpost|date=15 June 2018|access-date=15 June 2018}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ ! Year ! Film ! Director ! Producer ! Screenwriter | ||||
| style="text-align:center;" |2006 | Khosla Ka Ghosla | {{yes}} | ||
| style="text-align:center;" |2008 | Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | |
| style="text-align:center;" |2010 | Love Sex Aur Dhokha | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| style="text-align:center;" |2012 | Shanghai | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| style="text-align:center;" |2013 | Bombay Talkies | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | |
| style="text-align:center;" |2015 | Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| style="text-align:center;" |2015 | Titli | {{yes}} | ||
| style="text-align:center;" |2018 | Lust Stories | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | |
| style="text-align:center;" |2020 | Ghost Stories | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | |
| style="text-align:center;" |2021 | Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| style="text-align:center;" |2024 | Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Dibakar Banerjee}}
- {{IMDb name|1962313}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes person|dibakar_banerjee}}
{{Dibakar Banerjee}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Banerjee, Dibakar}}
Category:People from New Delhi district
Category:Film directors from Delhi
Category:Hindi-language film directors
Category:Indian male screenwriters
Category:Indian advertising directors
Category:21st-century Indian people