Kaushik Ganguly
Encyclopedia
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) that examines transgender
ed identity.
on August 4, 1968. He attended 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 Debasree Roy and Sabyasachi Chakraborty
. It was a commercial failure, but he continued in cinema with Shunyo E Bukey (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 transgendered Jatra actor. It won awards at the I-View Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India
. On September 9, 2011 his latest film Rang Milanti released to positive reviews. Ganguly's upcoming projects include Laptop with Rahul Bose
, Ananya Chatterjee
, Rajesh Sharma
, Saswata Chatterjee
, Churni Ganguly and Gaurav Chakrabarty
. Laptop has been selected for screening at the 42nd International Film Festival of India
to be held at Goa from Nov. 23rd - Dec. 3rd, 2011. It is also having an international premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival
2011, where it part of the Muhr AsiaAfrica Features section. He is also in the pre-production stage of a film titled Shobdo, which will explore the life of a folio artiste whose life becomes inextricably intertwined with the sounds that he has to produce for a living. A film on Taslima Nasreen's cat is in the works as well.
2011 Laptop
Arekti Premer Golpo
Arekti Premer Golpo is a 2010 India drama film directed by Bengali filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly, written by Ganguly and Rituparno Ghosh. It stars Rituparno Ghosh and Indraneil Sengupta in lead role, while Ghosh is playing as a gay filmmaker. This film will also be the first film on homosexuality to...
(2010) that examines transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
ed identity.
Life and career
Ganguly was born in KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
on August 4, 1968. He attended Jadavpur University
Jadavpur University
Jadavpur University , is a premier educational and research institution in India.It is located in Kolkata, West Bengal and comprises two campuses - the main campus at Jadavpur and the new campus at Salt Lake...
where he worked on a degree in Bengali literature
Bengali literature
Bengali literature is literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and the Indian provinces of West Bengal and Tripura. The history of Bengali literature traces back hundreds of years while it is impossible to separate the literary trends of the two Bengals during the...
. While at university he started a theatre troupe with his future wife actress Churni Ganguly and Suman Mukhopadhyay
Suman Mukhopadhyay
Suman Mukhopadhyay or Suman Mukherjee is a prominent contemporary Indian filmmaker and a theatre director.-Career:He has done theatre productions ranging from European drama to major adaptations of Bengali masterpieces. Among which are Teesta Paarer Brittanto and Samay Asamayer Brittanto,...
(who would later become a film director). In 1987, Ganguly began working as a screenwriter for Tollywood
Cinema of West Bengal
The cinema of West Bengal refers to the Tollygunge-based Bengali film industry in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The origins of the nickname Tollywood, a portmanteau of the words Tollygunge and Hollywood, dates back to 1932...
films. In 1995, he moved to ETV Bangla
ETV Bangla
ETV Bangla is a popular 24-hour, Bengali language, television channel. It is a part of the ETV Network group of channels owned by the Ramoji Group of Hyderabad, India...
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 Debasree Roy and Sabyasachi Chakraborty
Sabyasachi Chakraborty
Sabyasachi Chakraborty is a Bengali Indian male actor of TV and films. Sabyasachi Chakraborty is one of the most talented and prolific actors of Bengal whose acting prowess is well known all over India.-Early life:...
. It was a commercial failure, but he continued in cinema with Shunyo E Bukey (2005) starring Kaushik Sen, Tota Roy Chowdhury
Tota Roy Chowdhury
Tota Roy Chowdhury is a Bengali Indian male actor of TV and films. An alumnus of Goethals Memorial School, Kurseong; he was brought up in strict discipline by the Irish-Catholic brothers. He represented his school in football, basketball and athletics. In his final year, he won the schools Best...
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
Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema
Osian's-Cinefan, the largest film-festival devoted to Asian and Arab cinema, is part of Osian's Film House Division. The festival celebrated its 10th anniversary in July 2008.-History:...
. In 2009 he released the low budget comedy Brake Fail inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee ) was a famous Indian film director known for a number of films, including Satyakam, Chupke Chupke, Anupama, Anand, Abhimaan, Guddi, Gol Maal, Aashirwad, Bawarchi, and Namak Haraam.Popularly known as Hrishi-da, he directed 42 films during his career spanning over four decades,...
films. His next film Jackpot starring Koel Mallick and Hiran did very well at the box office. He cast director Rituparno Ghosh
Rituparno Ghosh
Rituparno Ghosh is a Bengali film director. He has won 8 National Film Awards in India and several awards at international film festivals abroad.- Early life and background :...
as the lead in his 2010 film Arekti Premer Golpo
Arekti Premer Golpo
Arekti Premer Golpo is a 2010 India drama film directed by Bengali filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly, written by Ganguly and Rituparno Ghosh. It stars Rituparno Ghosh and Indraneil Sengupta in lead role, while Ghosh is playing as a gay filmmaker. This film will also be the first film on homosexuality to...
about a gay documentary filmmaker and a transgendered Jatra actor. It won awards at the I-View Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India
International Film Festival of India
The International Film Festival of India , founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually in the beach town of Goa, in the Western Coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excellence of...
. On September 9, 2011 his latest film Rang Milanti released to positive reviews. Ganguly's upcoming projects include Laptop with Rahul Bose
Rahul Bose
Rahul Bose is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, social activist, and rugby union player.Bose has appeared in Hindi films such as Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Jhankaar Beats. Time magazine named him "the superstar of Indian arthouse cinema" for his work in parallel cinema films like English,...
, Ananya Chatterjee
Ananya Chatterjee
Ananya Chatterjee is a Bengali film actress known for her National Award-winning role in Abahoman. She started her career as a TV actress. She acted in several TV serials and films, including three directed by Anjan Dutt...
, Rajesh Sharma
Rajesh Sharma
Rajesh Sharma is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is currently Punjab Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.-Early life:Rajesh Sharma was born in Toronto in Canada, to Devinder and Ranbir Sharma...
, Saswata Chatterjee
Saswata Chatterjee
Saswata Chatterjee is a Bengali Indian male actor of television and films.-Career:Saswata started his career with a Hindi serial directed by Saibal Mitra, based on Samaresh Majumdar’s Kaalpurush. He gained popularity by portraying the character of Topshe in a television series directed by Sandip...
, Churni Ganguly and Gaurav Chakrabarty
Gaurav Chakrabarty
Gaurav Chakrabarty is an Indian actor best known for his portrayal of the character 'Prodipto Lahiri' in the Bengali megaserial Gaaner Oparey that aired on Star Jalsha from June 28, 2010 to April 16, 2011...
. Laptop has been selected for screening at the 42nd International Film Festival of India
International Film Festival of India
The International Film Festival of India , founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually in the beach town of Goa, in the Western Coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excellence of...
to be held at Goa from Nov. 23rd - Dec. 3rd, 2011. It is also having an international premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival
Dubai International Film Festival
The Dubai International Film Festival is an international film festival based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world.-Overview:...
2011, where it part of the Muhr AsiaAfrica Features section. He is also in the pre-production stage of a film titled Shobdo, which will explore the life of a folio artiste whose life becomes inextricably intertwined with the sounds that he has to produce for a living. A film on Taslima Nasreen's cat is in the works as well.
Director
- Ulka (TV)
- Aatithi (TV)
- Shesh Kritya (TV)
- Collage (TV)
- Diagnosis (TV)
- De-Ray (TV)
- 2003 Ghare O Bairey (TV)
- 2003 Ushnatar Janye (TV)
- 2004 Waarish
- 2005 Shunyo E Bukey
- 2005 Ek Mutho Chhobi (co-director)
- 2009 Brake Fail
- 2009 Jackpot
- 2010 Bandhobi (TV)
- 2010 Bagh Nokh (TV)
- 2010 Arekti Premer GolpoArekti Premer GolpoArekti Premer Golpo is a 2010 India drama film directed by Bengali filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly, written by Ganguly and Rituparno Ghosh. It stars Rituparno Ghosh and Indraneil Sengupta in lead role, while Ghosh is playing as a gay filmmaker. This film will also be the first film on homosexuality to...
- 2011 Rang Milanti
- 2012 Laptop
Screenwriter
- 2005 Shunyo E Bukey
- 2009 Jackpot
- 2010 Arekti Premer Golpo
- 2011 Rang Milanti
2011 Laptop
Actor
- 2008 Chalo Let's GoChalo Let's GoCholo Let's Go is a 2008 Indian movie in Bengali starring Ritwick Chakrabarty, Rudraneel Ghosh, Saswata Chatterjee and Parambrata Chatterjee and directed by Anjan Dutta.-Plot:...
- Anando - 2009 AntaheenAntaheenAntaheen is a 2009 Bengali film directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. The film stars Radhika Apte, Rahul Bose, Mita Vashisth, Aparna Sen, Kalyan Ray and Sharmila Tagore.-Plot:...
- Mrinmoy - 2010 Natobar Not Out
- 2011 System
- 2012 Ghuri
- 2012 Laptop