Quick Facts
Biography
Kaushik Ganguly is an Indian director, screenwriter and actor in Bengali cinema. He is known for his works that explore sexuality, like Ushnatar Janye (2003), which deals with a lesbian relationship, and Arekti Premer Golpo (2010), which examines transgender identity.
Life and career
Ganguly was born in Kolkata on 4 August 1968. He attended Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur and later Jadavpur University where he worked on a degree in Bengali literature. While at university he started a theatre troupe with his future wife actress Churni Ganguly and Suman Mukhopadhyay (who would later become a film director). In 1987, Ganguly began working as a screenwriter for Tollywood films. In 1995, he moved to ETV Bangla to direct telefilms like Ushnatar Janye, Ulka and Aatithi. These telefilms incorporated elements like lesbianism and sex determination that had not been depicted in Bengali television productions before.
In 2004 Ganguly directed his first feature film Waarish starring Debashree Roy and Sabyasachi Chakrabarty. It was a commercial failure, but he continued in cinema with Shunyo E Buke (2005) starring Kaushik Sen, Tota Roy Chowdhury and Churni Ganguly. It tells the story of an artist's unrealistic expectations regarding his wife's personal appearance. It was screened at London's Tongues on Fire Film Festival in February 2004 and at Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema. In 2009 he released the low-budget comedy Brake Fail inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee films. His next film Jackpot starring Koel Mallick and Hiran did very well at the box office. He cast director Rituparno Ghosh as the lead in his 2010 film Arekti Premer Golpo about a gay documentary filmmaker and a transgender Jatra actor. It won awards at the I-View Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India. On 9 September 2011 his latest film Rang Milanti released to positive reviews. Ganguly's next film Laptop starring Rahul Bose, Ananya Chatterjee, Rajesh Sharma, Saswata Chatterjee, Churni Ganguly and Gaurav Chakrabarty was selected for screening at the 42nd International Film Festival of India.
Ganguly's Shabdo (2013) won the 60th National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Bengali. He won the best director award at the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in November 2013 for Apur Panchali.
Filmography
Director
Films
| Year | Film | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Waarish | |||
| 2005 | Shunyo E Buke | |||
| 2005 | Ek Mutho Chabi | Co-director | ||
| 2009 | Brake Fail | |||
| 2009 | Jackpot | |||
| 2010 | Arekti Premer Golpo | Silver Peacock in IFFI 2010, Goa, Berlin Film Festival,2010, Best Film Award in NY Film Festival, 2010 | ||
| 2011 | Rang Milanti | |||
| 2012 | Laptop | National Award in 2011 for Background Music, IFFI 2011, Goa, Indian Panorama, Dubai Film Festival 2011 | ||
| 2012 | Shabdo | National Award for Best Bengali Film and Sound Design in 2012, KFF 2011, IFFI 2012, Goa, Dubai Film Festival, Singapore Film festival 2012. Released in Kolkata on 2013. | ||
| 2013 | C/O Sir | Singapore Film Festival 2013 | ||
| 2013 | Apur Panchali | Adaptation based on the real-life story of the actor acted as protagonist Apu in Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali | ||
| 2014 | Shabdo' in Hindi | A Anurag Basu Production, Under pre-production | ||
| 2014 | Khaad | Gargi Roy Choudhury, Kousik Gangully, Mimi, Saheb, Tanushree, Pallavi Chatterjee, Ardhendu Banerjee, Lily Chakraborty | ||
| 2015 | Chotoder Chobi | |||
| 2016 | Bastu Shaap | |||
| 2016 | Cinemawala | |||
| 2017 | Dhumketu | |||
| 2017 | Bishorjan |
Television
- Hariharan"
- Ulka
- Aatithi
- Shesh Kritya
- Collage
- Chhayachhobi
- Chhadmabeshi (Starring Rudranil Ghosh, Jisshu Sengupta, Srabanti Chatterjee)
- Diagnosis
- De-Ray
- 2003 Ghare O Bairey
- 2003 Ushnatar Janye
- 2010 Bandhobi
- 2010 Bagh Nokh
Screenwriter
- 2005 Shunyo E Bukey
- 2009 Jackpot
- 2010 Arekti Premer Golpo
- 2011 Rang Milanti
- 2012 Laptop
Awards
- Kalakar Awards
- 2012: 60th National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Bengali: Shabdo
- 2013 : "Best Director" Award for the movie "Apur Panchali" at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Awards.
- 2014 : Nominated for Best Director for Shabdo in Filmfare Awards East
- 2014 : Winner for Best Film Critic's Choice for Shabdoin Filmfare Awards East
- 2014 : Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Kangal Malsat in Filmfare Awards East
- 2015:National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues for Chotoder Chobi
- 2017:64th National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Bengali: Bisarjan