Arundhati Devi
Encyclopedia
Arundhati Devi was an India
n actress, film director
and writer
. She was also known as Arundhati Debi, as Arundhati Mukherjee and as Arundhati Mukhopadhyay.
, in British India (now in modern Bangladesh). Her father Bibhucharan Guha Thakurta was a scion of the Guha Thakurta family of Barisal – a family well known for its interest in and patronage of cultural activities. She studied at the Santiniketan
Ashram
founded by Rabindranath Tagore
and from a very early age received training in dance, theatre and singing. In 1955 she had a short–lived marriage with the director Prabhat Mukherjee. However in 1957 she met India
n film director Tapan Sinha
at the Berlin Film Festival and they eventually got married . Their son is Indian scientist Professor, Anindya Sinha
. She died in 1990 after a long illness.
Arundhati Devi also acted in a number of important films in the late 1950s and early 1960s which clearly were her heyday as an actor. Films like Shashi Babur Sansar and Pushpadhanu, (all released in 1959), Indradhanu (1960) were modest hits but her histrionic abilities received kudos from all. She turned producer for the first time with Bicharak(1959) directed by Prabhat Mukherjee and the film which had her and Uttam Kumar in the lead roles was awarded a Certificate of Merit as the 3rd Best Feature film at the National Awards in 1960. In Bijoy Bose’s Bhagini Nivedita (1962), she played the definitive role of her career and portrayed the role of Swami Vivekananda’s Irish disciple who dedicated her life for the cause of India with great élan. Admittedly the film the film was a simplistic study of this complex and fascinating woman, but the role suited Arundhati Devi just right and the film was a box office success.
After Bhagini Nivedita, Arundhati Devi cut down her screen appearances drastically and began to explore other facets of filmmaking. She had already turned producer with Bicharak, in 1962 she used her musical training and abilities to the hilt and composed the music of Shiulibari – a film by Piyush Bose which again had Uttam Kumar and Arundhati Devi in the lead roles.
Her first film as a director was Chhuti (1967) which won a Certificate of Merit at the 1967 National Awards.However her most popular film as a director is Padi Pishir Barmi Baksho (1972) – based on the popular children's novel by Leela Majumdar
.
As the Film Director (5 titles)
As the Script Writer (1 title)
As the Music Composer (1 title)
As the Music Director (1 title)
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n actress, film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. She was also known as Arundhati Debi, as Arundhati Mukherjee and as Arundhati Mukhopadhyay.
Personal life
Arundhati was born in Barisal, East BengalEast Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
, in British India (now in modern Bangladesh). Her father Bibhucharan Guha Thakurta was a scion of the Guha Thakurta family of Barisal – a family well known for its interest in and patronage of cultural activities. She studied at the Santiniketan
Santiniketan
Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata . It was made famous by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town that attracts thousands of visitors each year...
Ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
founded by Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
and from a very early age received training in dance, theatre and singing. In 1955 she had a short–lived marriage with the director Prabhat Mukherjee. However in 1957 she met India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n film director Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha , was a Indian film director. He was arguably the most uncompromising filmmaker outside the orbit of Parallel Cinema.-Personal life and background:...
at the Berlin Film Festival and they eventually got married . Their son is Indian scientist Professor, Anindya Sinha
Anindya Sinha
Anindya Sinha is an Indian primatologist. He is currently a professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies , India.-Early life:...
. She died in 1990 after a long illness.
Career
In Kolkata, Arundhati started doing her Master degree studies and wanted to become a journalist. There she came in contact with the scriptwriter Binoy Chatterjee, who was a family friend, and under his influence, she was selected to join the payroll of the New Theatres Studios, which at that time still held its position as the premier film production unit operating out of Kolkata. Arundhati made her cinematic debut in the seminal film Mahaprasthaner Pathey (1952) which also had a Hindi version named Yatrik. The film directed by Kartik Chatterjee, depicted a group of pilgrims on an arduous trek in the high Himalayas, was a smash hit. In Mahaprasthaner Pathey, Arundhati Devi essayed the role of Rani, strong-willed young widow who develops a soft corner for the young Brahmachari of the team played by Abhi Bhattacharya. Basanta Choudhury, another notable actor of the Bengali screen, also made his debut in this film which also boasted of actors of the calibre of Tulsi Chakraborty, Sisir Batabyal and Molina Devi.Arundhati Devi also acted in a number of important films in the late 1950s and early 1960s which clearly were her heyday as an actor. Films like Shashi Babur Sansar and Pushpadhanu, (all released in 1959), Indradhanu (1960) were modest hits but her histrionic abilities received kudos from all. She turned producer for the first time with Bicharak(1959) directed by Prabhat Mukherjee and the film which had her and Uttam Kumar in the lead roles was awarded a Certificate of Merit as the 3rd Best Feature film at the National Awards in 1960. In Bijoy Bose’s Bhagini Nivedita (1962), she played the definitive role of her career and portrayed the role of Swami Vivekananda’s Irish disciple who dedicated her life for the cause of India with great élan. Admittedly the film the film was a simplistic study of this complex and fascinating woman, but the role suited Arundhati Devi just right and the film was a box office success.
After Bhagini Nivedita, Arundhati Devi cut down her screen appearances drastically and began to explore other facets of filmmaking. She had already turned producer with Bicharak, in 1962 she used her musical training and abilities to the hilt and composed the music of Shiulibari – a film by Piyush Bose which again had Uttam Kumar and Arundhati Devi in the lead roles.
Her first film as a director was Chhuti (1967) which won a Certificate of Merit at the 1967 National Awards.However her most popular film as a director is Padi Pishir Barmi Baksho (1972) – based on the popular children's novel by Leela Majumdar
Leela Majumdar
Leela Majumdar , was a Bengali writer.-Early life:Born to Surama Devi and Pramada Ranjan Ray , Leela spent her childhood days at Shillong, where she studied at the Loreto Convent. Surama Devi had been adopted by Upendra Kishor Ray Choudhuri...
.
Filmography
As an Actress (16 titles):- 1976 Harmonium
- 1964 Jotugriha (as Madhuri)
- 1962 Bhagini Nivedita (as Bhagini Nivedita)
- 1961 Jhinder Bandi (as Arundhati Mukhopadhyay)
- 1960 Kshudista Pashan (as Arundhati Mukherjee)
- 1959 Bicharak
- 1959 Pushpadhanu (as Arundhati)
- 1958 Manmoyee Girls' School (as Niharika)
- 1956 Nabajanma
- 1955 Dashyumohan (as Chapala alias Miss Sandhya Ray)
- 1955 Du-janay
- 1955 Godhuli
- 1954 Chheley Kaar (as Mili)
- 1954 Nad-o-Nadi
- 1952 Mahaprasthaner Pathey (as Rani)
- 1952 Yatrik (as Rani)
As the Film Director (5 titles)
- 1985 Gokul
- 1983 Deepar Prem
- 1972 Padi Pishir Barmi Baksha
- 1969 Megh-o-roudra
- 1967 Chhuti
As the Script Writer (1 title)
- 1967 Chhuti
As the Music Composer (1 title)
- 1967 Chhuti
As the Music Director (1 title)
- 1967 Chhuti