National Award-winning filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta passes away

Eminent film director Buddhadeb Dasgupta who had been battling kidney ailments for quite some time died at his residence here early on Thursday following a cardiac arrest family members said He was 77The national awardwinning director is survived by his wife and two daughters from a previous marriageExtending her condolences to the ace directors friends and family West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted Saddened at the passing away of eminent filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta Through his works he infused lyricism into the language of cinema His death comes as a great loss for the film fraternityDasgupta was found motionless by his wife Sohini at his residence in Kalikapur area of the city at 6 am according to the family members He suffered cardiac arrest in his sleep they addedAlso Read Former India boxer Dingko Singh passes away at 42 after prolonged illnessMourning his demise filmmaker Goutam Ghosh said Buddha da continued to make films write articles and stay active despite his failing health He had directed Tope and Urojahaz even when he was unwell It is a great loss for all of usActordirector Aparna Sen said Dasguptas films were soaked in surrealism I am sad that I wont be able to bid a final farewell to Buddhadeb da at the crematorium like I did in the case of Mrinal da It is upsetting that we cannot give due recognition to a director of his calibre due to this COVID pandemic and the lockdown Sen saidActor and theatre personality Kaushik Sen said Dasgupta was in the league of filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen who took Bengali cinema to global platforms He had often been accused of making cinema in a style that was not easily understood by the masses But he stuck to that style never deviated from what he believed in Sen saidBorn in 1944 in Purulia Dasgupta began his career as a lecturer in a college before taking a plunge into filmmaking in the 70s after having enrolled his name as a member of Calcutta Film Society He made his first feature film Dooratwa in 1978 leaving his mark as a poetlyricistdirector Prior to that he had made a short Samayer KacheSome of the notable films he has helmed include Neem Annapurna Grihajuddha Bagh Bahadur Tahader Katha Charachar Lal Darja Uttara Swapner Din Kaalpurush and JanalaHe had also directed Hindi films Andhi Gali and Anwar Ka Ajab KissaDasgupta who bagged 12 national awards in his lifetime was liberal in his views having criticized several political activities in recent times He stood by younger filmmaker Anik Dutta when antiestablishment Bhobisyoter Bhoot was withdrawn from theatres in the city one week after releaseA recipient of Venice film festival silver lion Locarno critics award and Locarno Special Jury award the auteur after one of his ventures did not get a commercial release a few years ago had told PTI It hurts me when my film gets recognized internationally but doesnt hit the theatres in Kolkata and the rest of Bengal But there is a strong distribution lobby at workAlso Read Boman Iranis mother Jerbanoo Irani passes away at 94This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever