Subodh Ghosh
Encyclopedia
Subodh Ghosh (1909-1980) was a noted Bengali author
and journalist, with Kolkata
-based daily newspaper Ananda Bazar Patrika. His best known work Bharat Premkatha, about the romances of epic Indian characters, has remained a sensation in bengali literature world. Many of his stories have been adapted for making of great Indian films
, most notably Ritwik Ghatak’s Ajantrik
(1958) and Bimal Roy
’s Sujata (1959), and even today filmmakers search his works for suitable plots.
He won the Filmfare Award for Best Story twice, for Bimal Roy
's Sujata (1960) and for Gulzar
’s Ijaazat
in 1989.
, Jharkhand
, he studied in St. Columba's College and in the library of the well known philosopher and scholar, Mahesh Chandra Ghosh
.
life and his grounding in military history was always well respected.
Pradip Bhattacharya has translated, or rather transcreated Bharat Premkatha into English as Love Stories from the Mahabharata. Subodh Ghosh’s House Combustible (English translation of Jatugriho) finds a place in Indian Love Stories edited by Sudhir Kakar
.
in Bangladesh
.
Novels
Story-Book
Others
Famous Stories
Following on his critically successful 1944 debut Udayer Pathey, Bimal Roy
shot Anjangarh in 1948, based on Subodh Ghosh’s political drama Fossil, about collusion of aristocracy and business interests against the common man. Mrinal Sen
’s 1971 film Ek Adhuri Kahani
, based on story, Gotranta, which tells the story of a sugar mill and its agricultural neighbourhood where the workers are deprived of bare necessities and the farmers cheated. Tapan Sinha
picked up Subodh Ghosh’s Jatugriha for a film on the same name in 1964.
Subodh Ghosh shot into limelight as the author whose work inspired classic films such as Ritwik Ghatak’s Ajantrik
(1958) and Bimal Roy’s Sujata (1959). While Sujata was the story of romance between a Brahmin young man (Sunil Dutt
)and an outcaste woman (Nutan
), Ajantrik was the story of a taxi driver in love with his out dated vehicle. Subodh Ghosh won the Filmfare Best Story Award
for Sujata. Both the films were made in the late fifties. Later, Subodh Ghosh won the Filmfare Best Story Award a second time, albeit posthumously, for Gulzar
’s Ijaazat
, which was based on Jatugriho. Basu Chatterjee
's made a Hindi film Chitchor
(1976), starring Amol Palekar on his story, Chittachakor. The drama titled "Waiting Room" by noted Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostafa Sarwar Faruki is also based on this story. Even a recent Sooraj R. Barjatya
potboiler Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
picked up the story idea from Subodh Ghosh. Such was the vast expanse of his writing.
" In short stories, he opened a new horizon for us" -- Mahasweta Devi
" When we started writing, there were two paths before us -- Tarashankar and Subodh Ghosh" -- Ramapada Chowdhury
" His writing was my inspiration" -- Bimal Kar
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...
and journalist, with Kolkata
Kolkata
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...
-based daily newspaper Ananda Bazar Patrika. His best known work Bharat Premkatha, about the romances of epic Indian characters, has remained a sensation in bengali literature world. Many of his stories have been adapted for making of great Indian films
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
, most notably Ritwik Ghatak’s Ajantrik
Ajantrik
Ajantrik is a 1958 Indian Bengali film written and directed by parallel filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak...
(1958) and Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy was one of the most acclaimed Indian film directors of all time. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films like Do Bigha Zamin, Parineeta, Biraj Bahu, Madhumati, Sujata, and Bandini, making him an important director of Hindi cinema...
’s Sujata (1959), and even today filmmakers search his works for suitable plots.
He won the Filmfare Award for Best Story twice, for Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy was one of the most acclaimed Indian film directors of all time. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films like Do Bigha Zamin, Parineeta, Biraj Bahu, Madhumati, Sujata, and Bandini, making him an important director of Hindi cinema...
's Sujata (1960) and for Gulzar
Gulzar (lyricist)
Sampooran Singh Kalra , known popularly by his pen name Gulzar , is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu and has also written in Punjabi and several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in...
’s Ijaazat
Ijaazat
Ijaazat is an acclaimed 1987 Indian Hindi film directed by Gulzar, based on a Bengali story, Jatugriha by Subodh Ghosh....
in 1989.
Early life and education
Born at HazaribaghHazaribagh
Hazaribagh is a city and a municipality in Hazaribagh district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is the divisional headquarters of North Chotanagpur division. It is famous as a health resort and for Hazaribagh National Park ....
, Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
, he studied in St. Columba's College and in the library of the well known philosopher and scholar, Mahesh Chandra Ghosh
Mahesh Chandra Ghosh
Mahesh Chandra Ghosh was a Bengali Indian philosopher. He was conferred the title of Vednataratna for his immense knowledge of the religious scriptures and philosophy.-Life:...
.
Literature
He shot into prominence with such stories as Fossil. Thereafter, he went on to produce a rich harvest of varied stories. While his Bharat Premkatha delves into the classics for both form and content, presenting immortal love stories, his Kingbadantir Deshe is composed of local legends, which are believed to have really taken place in the past, and which gained in popularity through oral transmission. His personal knowledge about and deep insight into AdivasiAdivasi
Adivasi is an umbrella term for a heterogeneous set of ethnic and tribal groups claimed to be the aboriginal population of India. They comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India...
life and his grounding in military history was always well respected.
Pradip Bhattacharya has translated, or rather transcreated Bharat Premkatha into English as Love Stories from the Mahabharata. Subodh Ghosh’s House Combustible (English translation of Jatugriho) finds a place in Indian Love Stories edited by Sudhir Kakar
Sudhir Kakar
Sudhir Kakar is a Freudian psychoanalyst and writer. He studied in Gujarat, Mannheim, Frankfurt am Main and Vienna. Kakar received a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering, a Master’s degree in business economics and became Doctor of Economics...
.
Works
His literary works were included in the curriculum of school level, secondary, higher secondary and graduation level Bengali LiteratureBengali 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...
in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
Novels
- Tilanjoli
- Gangotri
- Trijama
- Preyoahy
- Satkiya
- Sujata
- Suno Boronari
- Bosonto Tilok
- Jiavorli
- Bagdatta
Story-Book
- Fossil
- Porshuramer Kuthar
- Suklavishar
- Gram Jamuna
- Bonikornika
- Jatugriho
- Mon Vramar
- Thirbijuri
- Kusumeshu
- Bharat Premkatha
Others
- Bharityo Foujer Itihash
- Kingbodontir Deshe
- Amritopothojatri
Famous Stories
- Olik
- Swashanchampa
- Orchid
- Jotugriha
- Barbadhu
- Chaturbhuj Club
- Thogini
- Fossil
- Polasher Nesha
- Abishkar
- Ajantrik
- Shock Therapy
- Supriya
- Pushpakeet
- Teen Oddhay
- Raater Pakhi
- Sundaram
- Shuklavishar
- Quotation
- Chaturtha Panipather Juddha
- Monobasita
- Laghu Aranyak
- JalRakkhos
- Cactus
- Kalpurus
- Khaddyot
- Parashuramer Kuthar
- Sukla Nabomi
- Pichu Dake
- Garol Amiyo Vel
- Bhat Tilak Roy
- Guhamanab
- Onatmik
Adaptations
While Subodh Ghosh was immensely popular with Bengali readers, he was to a large extent unknown as a writer to the outside world. Films gave him a break through to the vast Hindi-speaking world. His stories have been used for Hindi films as much as for Bengali films.Following on his critically successful 1944 debut Udayer Pathey, Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy was one of the most acclaimed Indian film directors of all time. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films like Do Bigha Zamin, Parineeta, Biraj Bahu, Madhumati, Sujata, and Bandini, making him an important director of Hindi cinema...
shot Anjangarh in 1948, based on Subodh Ghosh’s political drama Fossil, about collusion of aristocracy and business interests against the common man. Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen is a Bengali Indian filmmaker. He was born on 14 May 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh in a Hindu family. After finishing his high school there, he left home to come to Calcutta as a student and studied physics at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the...
’s 1971 film Ek Adhuri Kahani
Ek Adhuri Kahani
Ek Adhuri Kahani is 1972 Hindi language movie directed by Mrinal Sen and starring Utpal Dutt, Shekhar Chatterjee, Vivek Chatterjee, Aarti Bhattacharya, Shyam, Shobha Sen. It was based on a Bengali story, Gotranta by Subodh Ghosh....
, based on story, Gotranta, which tells the story of a sugar mill and its agricultural neighbourhood where the workers are deprived of bare necessities and the farmers cheated. Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha , was a Indian film director. He was arguably the most uncompromising filmmaker outside the orbit of Parallel Cinema.-Personal life and background:...
picked up Subodh Ghosh’s Jatugriha for a film on the same name in 1964.
Subodh Ghosh shot into limelight as the author whose work inspired classic films such as Ritwik Ghatak’s Ajantrik
Ajantrik
Ajantrik is a 1958 Indian Bengali film written and directed by parallel filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak...
(1958) and Bimal Roy’s Sujata (1959). While Sujata was the story of romance between a Brahmin young man (Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt , born Sunil Balraj Dutt, was an Indian Hindi movie actor , producer, director and politician. He was the cabinet minister for Youth Affairs and Sports in the Manmohan Singh government...
)and an outcaste woman (Nutan
Nutan
Nutan Behl , better known as Nutan , was an Indian actress. She appeared in more than 70 Hindi films in a career spanning over four decades...
), Ajantrik was the story of a taxi driver in love with his out dated vehicle. Subodh Ghosh won the Filmfare Best Story Award
Filmfare Best Story Award
The Filmfare Award for Best Story is an given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a writer who wrote a film's story.-1950s:* 1955 Mukhram Sharma - Aulad...
for Sujata. Both the films were made in the late fifties. Later, Subodh Ghosh won the Filmfare Best Story Award a second time, albeit posthumously, for Gulzar
Gulzar (lyricist)
Sampooran Singh Kalra , known popularly by his pen name Gulzar , is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu and has also written in Punjabi and several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in...
’s Ijaazat
Ijaazat
Ijaazat is an acclaimed 1987 Indian Hindi film directed by Gulzar, based on a Bengali story, Jatugriha by Subodh Ghosh....
, which was based on Jatugriho. Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee is an Indian film director. His films are very similar to those of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Like Mukherjee, he built his plots on middle-class lives.He was born in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India....
's made a Hindi film Chitchor
Chitchor
Chitchor is a Hindi romantic musical film. The film's title means "Heart Stealer" in Hindi. The film is a Rajshri Productions film produced by Tarachand Barjatya. It was based on a Bengali story, Chittachakor by Subodh Ghosh. -Performance:The film became a box office hit and received several...
(1976), starring Amol Palekar on his story, Chittachakor. The drama titled "Waiting Room" by noted Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostafa Sarwar Faruki is also based on this story. Even a recent Sooraj R. Barjatya
Sooraj R. Barjatya
Sooraj R. Barjatya is an Indian Hindi film director. His films are produced under the Rajshri Productions banner which was first founded in 1947 by his late grandfather Tarachand Barjatya. As a director he is most known for his early hits, Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun .-Early...
potboiler Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
Hum Aapke Hain Kaun...! is a 1994 Hindi film directed by Sooraj Barjatya, and produced by Rajshri Productions. It is a remake of Rajshri's earlier movie Nadiya Ke Paar . Hum Aapke Hain Kaun is considered to be one of the most successful Hindi films ever...
picked up the story idea from Subodh Ghosh. Such was the vast expanse of his writing.
Tribute
---------------------------------------------------------------------" In short stories, he opened a new horizon for us" -- Mahasweta Devi
" When we started writing, there were two paths before us -- Tarashankar and Subodh Ghosh" -- Ramapada Chowdhury
" His writing was my inspiration" -- Bimal Kar