Kaushik Ganguly is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor. He is mainly known for his work in the Bengali film industry. In 2023, he played the role of Rathin Banerjee in the Bengali web series “Rajneeti”, which premiered on the OTT platform Hoichoi.
Wiki/Biography
Kaushik Ganguly was born on Sunday, August 4, 1968, in Kolkata, West Bengal (age 55; as of 2023). He attended Ramakrishna Vidyalaya Mission in Narendrapur. He pursued a master’s degree in Bengali literature and a bachelor’s degree in education. Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal. While studying for his bachelor’s degree, he started a theater group with Suman Mukhopadhyay (who later became a film director) and Churni Ganguly (whom Kaushik later married).
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′ 9″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
His father Sunil Ganguly is a famous guitarist.
Kaushik Ganguly’s father Sunil Ganguly
wife and children
On January 16, 1993, he married actor and film director Churni Ganguly.
Kaushik Ganguly’s wedding photos
He has a son named Ujaan Ganguly who is a popular Bengali actor.
Kaushik Ganguly with wife and son
Relationships/Affairs
Kaushik Ganguly and Churni met at Jadavpur University, where Churni was pursuing his master’s degree and Kaushik was pursuing his bachelor’s degree in education. While studying there, they began working together in a theater troupe and soon fell in love. They dated for a few years and later decided to get married after completing their studies.
Profession
screenwriter
Kaushik Ganguly started his career in Bengali film industry in 1987 as a screenwriter of Telugu films. However, he later turned to the Bengali film industry and wrote scripts for several Bengali films. Some of Ganguly’s most notable films include “Shunyo E Buke” (2005), “Jackpot” (2009), “Arekti Premer Golpo” (2010), “Rang Milanti” (2011) and “The Laptop” (2012 ).
Movie “Rang Milanti” poster
director
television
In 1995, Kaushik Ganguly started working as a director at ETV Bangla and has directed many TV series and TV movies. His TV series “Ushnatar Janye”, “Ulka” and “Aatithi” dealt with themes of lesbianism and gender determination. He later directed several TV shows and TV movies, including Hariharan, Shesh Kritya, De-Ray, Bandhobi and Bagh Nokh.
Movie
In 2004, he made his debut as a director in the film industry with the Bengali film “Waarish”.
Movie “Waarish” poster
He rose to fame with his second film, Shunyo E Buke (2005). In 2010, he directed the film Arekti Premer Golpo, the first queer-based film after the Delhi High Court invalidated certain sections of Section 377 (relating to homosexuality) of the Indian Penal Code in July 2009. Cinewala (2016) is a tribute to India’s rare single-screen cinema. In 2017, he directed the film Nagarkirtan, which depicted the real-life struggles faced by the LGBTQ community in the face of centuries-old prejudices and social taboos.
Movie “Nagarkirtan” poster
Some of the other notable films directed by Ganguly include “Jackpot” (2009), “Laptop” (2012), “Bishorjan” (2017), “Lokkhi Chele” (2022) and “Ardhangini” (2023).
actor
Movie
In 2008, Ganguly appeared in the Bengali film “Chalo Let’s Go”, in which he played the role of Anando. He played the role of Partha in the film Laptop (2012). His performance as Ganesh Mandal in the film “Bishorjan” (2017) received wide acclaim from the audience. In 2019, he played the role of the same name in the movie “Shankar Mudi”.
Poster of the movie Shankar Moody
He played the role of Rashid Ali in the movie “Bismillah” starring Riddhi Sen. He has also appeared in many more films such as Notobor Notout (2010), Nirbashito (2014), Drishtikone (2018), Tarikh (2019) and Kaberi Antardhan (2023).
web series
Apart from films, Ganguly has also appeared in a few web series. In 2022, he played the lead role of Soumendrakrishna Deb in the Bengali web series “Tiktiki”, which premiered on the OTT platform Hoichoi. That same year, he appeared in the web series “Prankenstein” released on Klikk. He plays the role of Dindayal Biswas in ZEE5’s web series “Shikarpur” (2023). His performance in Hoichoi’s web series ‘Rajneeti’ (2023) received high praise from the audience.
Poster of web series ‘Rajneeti’
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- In 2012, he won the 60th National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali for his film “Shabdo”.
- In 2013, he won the IFFI Best Director Award at the 44th Indian International Film Festival for his film “Apur Panchali”.
- In 2014, he was nominated for the Best Director at the Oriental Filmfare Awards for the movie “Shabdo”.
- In 2014, he won the Best Critics’ Choice Award at the Oriental Filmfare Awards for “Shabdo”.
- In 2014, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oriental Filmfare Awards for the movie “Kangal Malsat”.
- In 2015, he won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues for his film Chotoder Chobi.
- In 2015, he won the IFFI ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal at the 46th India International Film Festival for his film “Cinemawala”.
Kaushik Ganguly awarded IFFI ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal
- In 2017, he won the 64th National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali for his film “Bishorjan”.
- He won the Special Jury Award (Feature Film) at the National Film Awards 2018 for the film Nagarkirtan.
- He won the Best Original Screenplay Award at the 67th National Film Awards 2021 for the movie “Jyeshthoputro”.
- In 2021, he won the Best Director Award at the 4th Bangladesh Filmfare Awards for the film “Jyeshthoputro”.
Facts/Trivia
- Kaushik Ganguly wanted to pursue a career in the film industry since his childhood. In an interview, he revealed that he wrote his first script when he was in ninth grade.
- Before entering the film and television industry, Ganguly worked as a school teacher. He revealed this in an interview, saying:
I started my career as a teacher. I worked at St. James’s College for five years and for the next three years I taught at St. Xavier’s. “
- He was the first to portray the issues faced by the LGBTQA community in Bengali television productions by directing television films like “Ushnatar Janye”, “Ulka” and “Aatithi”.
- Ganguly’s wife appeared in most of his films. In the movie Lokkhi Chele, he worked with his wife and son. However, he later clarified in an interview that he never specifically cast his family members in his movies. He further mentioned that there are many filmmakers in the Bengali film industry who make films just to showcase their families.
I could never keep family members in mind while making a film. Yes, there are directors and producers who make bad movies just to cast their families. I believe casting has to be organic. ”
- In 2017, a Calcutta High Court lawyer sent a complaint letter to CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi, in which he threatened to file a court case if the CBFC certified Kaushik’s film Nagarkirtan for theatrical release. In an interview, the advocate claimed that the content of the film violated the constitutional framework. He said,
If the film is certified, it will be released in theaters. But the content of the film goes against the framework of the Constitution and the protections it affords. “
- Reacting to complaints lodged by CBFC against his film Nagarkirtan, the filmmaker said in an interview that the film’s certificate will be issued once the advisory panel members watch and appreciate the film. Talking about this in an interview, Kaushik said,
People should not disrespect CBFC by posting such tweets and letters. This is a serious and sensitive film. This is a love story with no intention to harm any community or religion. People should have enough faith in me to keep my film work in mind. Advisory panel members had seen the film and loved it. Certificates will be issued soon. ”
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education