Rituparno Ghosh (31 August 1963 – 30 May 2013) was a Bengali film director. After pursuing a degree in economics he started his career as an advertisement maker. In 1994, his debut film Hirer Angti released. In the same year his next film Unishe April released too which won National Film Award for Best Feature Film. In his career spanning almost two decades he won 12 national and some international awards. Ghosh died on 30 May 2013 in Kolkata after suffering a massive heart attack.

Early life and background

Ghosh was born on 31 August 1963 in Kolkata. Both his parents were related to films, his father was a documentary film maker. He completed his schooling from South Point High School, and pursued economics from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

Film career

Direction 1994—2003

Rituparno started his career in advertising. His directional debut film Hirer Angti released in 1994. In the same year his second film Unishe April released. The film depicted relationship between a mother and a daughter. This film got critical and commercial success and won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1995. After that he directed Dahan which released in 1997. Ghosh won National Film Award for Best Screenplay and Rituparna Sengupta and Indrani Halder shared the National Film Award for Best Actress in 1998 for this film. In 2003, Ghosh's film Chokher Bali released. The film was based on a novel written by Rabindranath Tagore. In this film Ghosh first worked with Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai.

2004—2013

In 2004 Ghosh's first Hindi film Raincoat released. This film was an adaptation of the short story The Gift of the Magi (1906) by O Henry. In this film he again worked with Aishwarya Rai. The shooting of the film completed in 17 days. This film received National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali award.

The 2007 film The Last Lear revolved around the life of a retired Shakespearean theatre actor. In this film Amitabh Bachchan played the lead role.

In the 2008 film Khela Ghosh dealt with human relationship. This was Manisha Koirala's debut film in Bengali cinema.

In 2009 Ghosh's film Abohoman starring Jishu Sengupta, Ananya Chatterjee, Dipankar Dey, Mamata Shankar released. He won the National film award for Best Director for his Bengali for this film.

Before death, he finished the work of his upcoming film Satwanweshi.

Acting career

He made his first screen presence in an Oriya film Katha Deithilli Ma Ku which was directed by Himanshu Parija and released in 2003. In 2011 he acted in two Bengali films— Arekti Premer Golpo directed by Kaushik Ganguly and Memories in March directed by Sanjoy Nag. Arekti Premer Golpo dealt with homosexual relationship.

Chitrangada (2012) was Ghosh's last released film. The film was loosely based on Rabindranath Tagore's work Chitrangada.

Television career

Ghosh hosted two celebrity chat shows, namely Ebong Rituporno on ETV Bangla and Ghosh and co. on Star Jalsha. He also was the scriptwriter of Gaaner Opare. An episode of Ghosh & co in which he interviewed Mir Afsar Ali was criticized by viewers.

Death

Ghosh was suffering from pancreatic diseases and he died following a massive heart attack in his Kolkata residence on 30 May 2013. He was 49 years old. Many Bengali film actors and directors went to Ghosh's residence to pay him last tribute. Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee said "I cannot believe that Rituparno is no more. It is very difficult to accept this news. We lost a very promising film director at a very early age."

Filmography

As Director Year Title Language Other notes 1994 Hirer Angti Bengali   1994 Unishe April Bengali National Film Award for Best Feature Film

National Film Award for Best Actress - Debashree Roy

1997 Dahan Bengali National Film Award for Best Screenplay - Rituparno Ghosh

National Film Award for Best Actress - Indrani Halder, Rituparna Sengupta

1999 Bariwali Bengali National Film Award for Best Actress - Kirron Kher

National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress - Sudipta Chakraborty

1999 Asukh Bengali National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali 2000 Utsab Bengali National Film Award for Best Direction 2002 Titli Bengali   2003 Shubho Mahurat Bengali National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress - Raakhee

National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali

2003 Chokher Bali Bengali National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali 2004 Raincoat Hindi National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi 2005 Antarmahal Bengali   2006 Dosar Bengali National Film Awards - Special Jury Award - Prosenjit Chatterjee 2007 The Last Lear English National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English 2008 Khela Bengali   2008 Shob Charitro Kalponik Bengali National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali 2010 Abohoman Bengali National Film Award for Best Direction- Rituparno Ghosh National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali National Film Award for Best Actress - Ananya Chatterjee 2010 Noukadubi Bengali   2012 Sunglass Hindi Unreleased 2012 Chitrangada Bengali National Film Awards - Special Jury Award 2013 Satyanweshi Bengali Unreleased Actor

• 2011 - Arekti Premer Golpo (Just Another Love Story)
• 2011 - Memories in March
• 2012 - Chitrangada

Awards

Won

• Kalakar Awards
  • 1997 – 5th Kalakar Award for Best Director – Unishe April
  • 2011 – 19th Kalakar Award for Best Actor – Arekti Premer Golpo

• Bombay International Film Festival
  • 1999 – FIPRESCI Prize (Special Mention) – Asukh (Malaise)
  • 2002 – FIPRESCI Prize (Jury Prize) – Titli (The First Monsoon Day)

• Berlin International Film Festival
  • 2000 – NETPAC Award – Bariwali (Lady of the House)

• National Film Awards
  • 1995 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film – Unishe April
  • 1998 – National Film Award for Best Screenplay – Dahan
  • 1998 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali - Asukh
  • 2001 – National Film Award for Best Direction – Utsab
  • 2003 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali – Shubho Mahurat
  • 2004 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali – Chokher Bali
  • 2005 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi – Raincoat
  • 2008 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English – The Last Lear
  • 2009 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali – Shob Charitro Kalponik
  • 2010 – National Film Award for Best Direction – Abohoman
  • 2010 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali – Abohoman
  • 2012 – National Film Awards - Special Jury Award – Chitrangada

Nominated

• Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
• 1998 – Crystal Globe – Dahan
• 2004 – Crystal Globe (Best Film) – Raincoat

• Locarno International Film Festival
  • 2003 – Golden Leopard (Best Film) – Chokher Bali (A Passion Play)
  • 2005 – Golden Leopard (Best Film) – Antarmahal (Views of the Inner Chamber)