Tarun Majumdar Obituary: A filmmaker who captured Bengal's soul

Tarun Majumdar was one of India’s most prolific mainstream filmmakers. In a career spanning almost six decades, Majumdar directed around 41 Bengali films. His filmography is strewn with classics which deserve to be celebrated more than they already are. Tarun Majumdar began his career working for superstar Kanan Devi’s production company, Srimati Pictures. He struck up a friendship with fellow assistants Dilip Mukherjee and Sachin Mukherjee. The three teamed up to form Yatrik, and directed Chawa Pawa (1959) under that name. Tarun Majumdar made three more films while being part of team Yatrik: Smriti Tuku Thak (1960), Kancher Swarga (1962) and Palatak (1963). For Kancher Swarga he won a National Award. Throughout his career, Majumdar won four National Awards, five Filmfare Awards, and was conferred the Padma Shri in 1990. Palatak can be said to be the first film with the definitive Tarun Majumdar stamp of filmmaking. Based on a story “Angti Chatujjer Bhai” by Manoj Basu, it was about a drifter who refuses to be tied down by relationships and familial ties, but often finds himself forging bonds he wants to run away from. Tarun Kumar, usually cast as a comic actor, was Majumdar’s bold choice to play the lead character of Basanta. Due to the casting choice, he couldn’t get backers in his native Bengal, until Marathi filmmaker V. Shantaram came along and produced it under his banner Rajkamal Kalamandir. Alor Pipasa (1965) was Tarun’s first film as a solo director. In the next four decades, he carved a niche for himself in Bengali cinema, delivering commercial hits, while staying uncompromising in his craft of filmmaking. His films were known for capturing the cultural ethos of Bengal - especially rural Bengal - and dealing with characters who seemed affable but were often in the fringes of society. Some of his noteworthy films are Nimantran, Sriman Prithviraj, Fuleswari, Thagini, Hotel Snow Fox, Balika Badhu, Dadar Kirti, Bhalobasha Bhalobasha and Alo. Majumdar remade two of his films in Hindi: Rahgir (1969), a remake of Palatak, and Balika Badhu (1976). The Hindi version of Balika Badhu is known for the eternal R.D. Burman -Amit Kumar track Bade achha lagte hain…Tarun Majumdar introduced many female actors like Moushumi Chatterjee, Mahua Roychowdhury_,_ Ayan Bannerjee and Tapas Paul. Tarun Majumdar will be remembered as a filmmaker who captured the imagination of Bengali middle class via mainstream entertainers which were known for having memorable characters, lilting music and strong plotlines. Amborish is a National Film Award winning writer, biographer and film historian. Read all the  **_Latest News_** _,_  **_Trending News_** _,_  **_Cricket News_** _,_  **_Bollywood News_** _,_  **_India News_**  and  **_Entertainment News_**  here. Follow us on  Facebook_,_  Twitter and  Instagram