Phani Majumdar

Phani Majumdar
Born(1911-12-28)28 December 1911
Faridpur, Bengal Presidency, British India[1]
Died16 May 1994(1994-05-16) (aged 82)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India[1]
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)film director, screenwriter
Years active1938–1986

Phani Majumdar was a pioneering Indian film director, who worked in Hindi cinema,[1] most known for his film Street Singer (1938) starring K.L. Saigal noted for its song, Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye, Meena Kumari classic Aarti (1962) and Oonche Log (1965). He also worked in Singapore, where he notably made Hang Tuah (1955) in Malay, which was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival.[2]

Career

Starting in 1930s, with leading film director P.C. Barua at New Theatres Studio of Calcutta founded by B. N. Sircar, who during this period made classics like Devdas (1935). He moved to Bombay in 1941 and worked with Bombay Talkies studio, he made Tamanna (1942) with Suraiya and Mohabbat (1943) with Shanta Apte and Andolan (1951). He made films in Punjabi, Magadhi (Bhaiya, 1961) and Maithili (Kanyadaan, 1965).[1] His Oonch Log was actor Feroz Khan's first hit and won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film.

Noted film director-producer Shakti Samanta assisted Majumdar in Tamasha, Baadbaan and Dhobi Doctor at Bombay Talkies before working independently.[3]

He was married to Monica Desai, sister of actress, Leela Desai.[4]

Filmography

Year Film Director Writer Notes
1938 Street Singer Yes No K.L. Saigal, Hindi
1938 Sathi Yes No K. L. Saigal, Bengali version of Street Singer
1943 Mohabbat Yes No
1948 Hum Bhi Insaan Hain Yes No
1952 Tamasha Yes Yes (screenplay) Dev Anand, Meena Kumari, Ashok Kumar, Kaushalya
1952 Goonj Yes No Suraiya (Heroine), Suresh(Hero), Producer: H.S Kwatra, Story & Lyrics: D. N. Madhok, Sardul Kwatra
1954 Baadbaan Yes Yes (story)
1956 Hang Tuah Yes No Malay language
Anak-ku Sazali Yes No Malay language
1958 Doktor Yes Yes (story) Malay language
1961 Bhaiyaa Yes Yes (story) Magahi
1962 Aarti Yes No Meena Kumari, Ashok Kumar
1965 Kanyadan Yes No Maithili language
Akashdeep Yes No
Kaajal No Yes[5]
Oonche Log Yes Yes National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film in Hindi[6][7]
Feroz Khan's first hit[8]
1978 Badalte Rishtey No Yes
1986 Ek Chadar Maili Si No Yes
Note:Films in Hindi-language unless mentioned otherwise.

Awards

National Film Awards

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Obituary: Phani Majumdar". The Independent. 22 June 1994. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
  2. ^ Awards IMDb
  3. ^ "Shakti Samanta his Aradhana came true". MiD DAY. 11 April 2009.
  4. ^ "Gentleman Extraordinaire: Phani Majumdar". thedailyeye.info. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Kaajal (1965)". The Hindu. 19 November 2010.
  6. ^ a b "13th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  7. ^ a b "13th National Film Awards (PDF)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals.
  8. ^ "Review: Blast from the past: Oonche Log (1965)". The Hindu. 1 May 2009. Archived from the original on 26 May 2009.
  9. ^ "9th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2011.