HUMANITIES INSTITUTE Stuart Blackburn, Ph.D.

BASU CHATTERJEE (1930 - )

LIFE Basu Chatterjee came from a middle-class family in Rajasthan, where his father worked for the railway department. While studying in Ajmer, he went to the cinema and fell in love with films. After graduating, he went to Bombay and worked there as a cartoonist and illustrator for the weekly magazine Blitz, while at the same time continuing to watch films. After a long 18 years on the magazine, he got a job as assistant director in 1966. In 1969, he directed The Whole Sky (Sara Akash), which won many awards and is still often ranked in the top fifty Indian films of all time. Over the 1970s and 1980s, Chatterjee became one of the most popular directors in Indian cinema, primarily by making films about the lives of ordinary people. He often focused on romance and marriage, always with a light touch but raising the level of the rom-com to new levels in India. Chatterjee also had a successful career directing shows for television.

He two daughters, one of whom, Rupali Guha, is also a film director. ACHIEVEMENTS Basu Chatterjee won many prizes at the National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi, including Best Director for Swami in 1978, Best Movie for Tuberose (Rajnigandha) in 1975, and Best Screenplay for The Whole Sky (Sara Akash) in 1972 and A Small Matter (Chhoti Si Baat) in 1976.

FEATURE FILMS (as director) 1969 The Whole Sky (Sara Akash) 1972 My Beloved’s House (Piya ka Ghar) 1974 Tuberrose (Rajnigandha)

1974 Beyond (Us Paar ) 1976 Heart Stealer (Chitchor ) 1976 A Small Matter (Chhoti Si Baat)

1977 Lie through the Teeth (Safed Jhooth ) 1977 Swami

1977 Sweetheart (Priyatama)

1978 Sweet and Sour (Khatta Meetha ) 1978 Heart Beats (Dillagi)

1978 For Your Sake (Tumhare Liye)

1979 Scripture (Manzil)

1979 Formation (Chakravyuha)

1979 Love Marriage (Prem Vivah)

1979 Jeweled Lamp (Ratnadeep)

1979 Chatterbox (Baton Baton Mein)

1980 Favourite (Man Pasand )

Relatives and Others (Apne 1980 Paraye)

I’ll Live Here (Jeena Yahan} 1981

1982 Daughter-in-Law Alka (Hamari Bahu Alka) 1982 Devotee (Shaukeen)

1983 Take your Pick (Pasand Apni Apni )

1986 A Pending Decision (Ek Ruka Hua Faisla)

1986 The Tenant (Kirayedaar)

1986 Chameli’s Wedding (Chameli Ki Shaadi) 1986 Hookha (Sheesha )

1989 Death of Kamla (Kamla Ki Maut )

1997 Unfathomable women (Triyacharittar ) 1997 Tickle (Gudgudee)

1998 Downpour (Hothat Brishti ) 2001 Silently (Chupi Chupi)

2002 Sweet and Sour (Tak Jhal Mishti) 2007 Waiting (Prateeksha)

A Little Sour, a Little Sweet

(Kuch Khatta Kuch Meetha ) 2007

2008 What’s Happening? (Hochheta Ki) 2011 Trident (Trishanku)