Mrinal Sen is a noted film maker of Kolkata, who is much reputed for the Marxist orientation of his works. He has directed both feature films and short films. There are also a number of documentaries by Mrinal Sen, which deserve mention. Mrinal Sen had started off his film career with Raat Bhore in 1955. The film did not make it at the box office but he endeavored to work on his next project, 'Neel Akasher Neeche'. This movie was released in 1958 and Mrinal Sen gained the reputation of an intelligent film maker.
This was followed by a number of films, which expressed firm loyalty to the leftist school of thought. The Story of Ek Akasher Niche is about a Chinese silk trader, who is influenced and inspired by the wife of one of his clients to fight for the Chinese against the Japanese. Wang Lu, the merchant and the woman share the relation of brother and sister. After Ek Akasher Niche, Sen directed Baishey Sarban. Post Baishey Srabon, he could not live up to the expectation for some five years. He made his come back with Bhuvan Shome, which starred actor Utpal Dutta. The Political films of Mrinal Sen reached a height with the consecutive release of Interview, Calcutta 71 and Padatik. The three are collectively called the Calcutta Trilogy. The film, Akaler Shadhane portrays the real picture of the terrible famine that killed millions in 1942.
Awards Won by Mrinal Sen
The most prestigious of the awards won by Mrinal Sen include the Dada Saheb Phalke Award and the Padma Bhusan Award. Also, he has to his credit a number of national and international awards. The international awards, apart from the ones bagged at the film festivals include the titles of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters and the Order of Friendship from the French government and the Russian government respectively.
The Feature Films of Mrinal Sen
- Neel Akasher Neeche
- Mahaprithibi
- Protinidhi
- Baishe Sravana
- Punascha
- Raat Bhore
- Abasheshe
- Interview
- Calcutta 71
- Matira Manisha
- Akash Kusum
- Bhuvan Shome
- Oka Oori Katha
- Ek Adhuri Kahani
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- Amar Bhuban
- Padatik
- Chorus
- Mrigaya
- Ek Din Achanak
- Parashuram
- Akaler Shandhaney
- Chalchitra
- Antareen
- Kharji
- Khandahar
- Genesis
The Mrinal Sen Short Films
- Das Saal Baad
- Aparajit
- Shawl
- Saalgira
- Ajkaal
- Jit
- Do Bahene
- Ichhapuran
- Ajnabi
- Ravivar
- Aina
- Swanvar
- Tasveer Apni Apni
- Kabhi Door Kabhi Paas
Mrinal Sen Documentary Movies
- Moving Perspective (1967)
- Tripura Prasanga (1982)
- City Life – Calcutta My El Dorado (1989)
- And the Show Goes On – India (1999)
Apart from films, Mrinal Sen also wrote few books in Bengali and English. The Montage, Cinema, Adhunika, Charlie Chaplin, Views on Cinema and Always Being Born are the books penned by Mrinal Sen. The life, history and the plight of Calcutta comes alive in the works of Mrinal Sen.
Early Life of Mrinal Sen and His Political Preference
Mrinal Sen was born on May 14th, 1923 in Faridabad, now in Bangladesh. He moved to Calcutta for pursuing higher studies in Physics. For a living, he worked differently at different points of time as audio technician and medical representative. Though he was never an active political member, he always supported the idealism of Karl Marx and the Left government.
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