Aparna Sen is an Indian director, screenwriter and actress who mostly works in the Bengali film industry. He has won nine National Film Awards and nine international film festival awards for his acting and filmmaking skills. In 1987, he was awarded the Padma Shri.
Wiki/Biography
Aparna Sen was born Aparna Dasgupta on Thursday, 25 October 1945 (age 77 years; in 2022) in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. She attended South Point School in Kolkata and Modern High School for Girls in Kolkata. Aparna spent her childhood in Kolkata and Hazaribagh (Jharkhand). He pursued his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Presidency College in Kolkata.
Old photo of Aparna Sen
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 6″
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Black
Family
Aparna Sen belongs to the Baidya family of Bengal.
Parents & Siblings
His father, Chidananda Dasgupta, was a veteran critic, filmmaker, and one of the founders of the Calcutta Film Society with Satyajit Ray in 1947. His father died on 22 May 2011 at the age of 89. In 1944, he married Supriya Dasgupta, who was a clothing designer. In 1995, when Supriya Dasgupta was 73, she bagged the National Film Award for Best Costume Design for her husband’s directorial effort ‘Amodini.’
Picture of Aparna Sen’s parents, Chidananda Dasgupta and Supriya Dasgupta
Husband & Son
Aparna Dasgupta married Sanjay Sen at a very young age, but the marriage did not last long. She later married Mukul Sharma, who was a science writer and journalist; however, they divorced in 1985. Mukul died on March 1, 2019.
Aparna Sen’s ex-husband Mukul Sharma with Konkona Sen Sharma
Aparna is married to Kalyan Ray, who is an author and professor of English at County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey (USA).
Aparna Sen with her husband, Kalyan Ray
Aparna Sen has two daughters named Kamalini Chatterjee and Konkona Sen with her ex-husband, Mukul Sharma.
Aparna Sen’s eldest daughter Kamalini at the premiere of Aparna’s film ‘Sonata’ (1970)
Aparna Sen and her daughter, Konkona Sen Sharma
other relatives
Aparna Sen is the brother of Bengali poet Jibanananda Das.
religious views
Aparna considers herself a secular and liberal person.
Jamat assembly is a dangerous & criminal act & cannot escape punishment! Yes, I am a secular & liberal, but I cannot support any action against the laws of my country by anyone, be they Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew, Sikh, Aethist, Agnostic or whatever!
— Aparna Sen (@senaparna) April 3, 2020
Signature/Autograph
Aparna Sen’s autograph
Career
Actor
Bengali
In 1961, at the age of 16, Aparna made her acting debut with the Bengali film ‘Teen Kanya’ in which she played the role of Mrinmoyee.
Aparna Sen in a still from the 1961 film ‘Teen Kanya’
Later, he worked in many Bengali films including Aranyer Din Ratri (1970), Jana Aranya (1976), Pikoo (1980), and Antaheen (2009).
Hindi
Aparna Sen appeared in the Hindi film Imaan Dharam (1977) where she worked alongside actors Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha.
Aparna Sen as Shyamlee in a still from the film Immaan Dharam (1977)
Aparna continued to appear in Hindi films including ‘Ek Din Achanak’ (1989) and ‘Ghaath’ (2000).
Director
In 1981, Aparna made her directorial debut with the Bengali film ’36 Chowringhee Lane,’ produced by Shashi Kapoor. Aparna’s eldest daughter, Kamalini Chatterjee, also plays a role in the film. Aparna directed several Bengali films including Iti Mrinalini (2009), Goynar Baksho (2013), and 15 Park Avenue (2005). In 2022, he directed a Hindi film titled ‘The Rapist,’ starring his daughter, Konkona Sen Sharma, and actor Arjun Rampal.
Poster of the movie The Rapist (2022) directed by Aparna Sen
Editor
From 1986 to 2005, Aparna was associated with the Bengali women’s magazine ‘Sananda’ as an editor. He worked as a creative director at Kolkata TV, a 24×7 Bengali infotainment channel for a year. In 2011, he became the editor of Paroma magazine. After the Saradha Group’s financial scandal, the company was closed. In 2013, Aparna and the Paroma magazine editorial team launched a new magazine ‘Prothoma Ekhon.’
Writer
In addition to directing, Aparna Sen also wrote the films ‘The Rapist’ (2022) and ‘Sonata’ (2017).
Controversy
Saradha Group financial scandal 2013
In 2013, when the Saradha Group financial scandal occurred, Paroma magazine was one of 200 private companies that suffered losses and were closed. Reportedly, Aparna Sen, editor of Paroma magazine, was grilled by ED officials for over five hours during which she was asked questions about financial transactions. The Enforcement Directorate accused Aparna of receiving INR 75 lakh as remuneration from Saradha. Paroma finally closed on April 14, 2013.
FIR by Kalyan Chaube
In September 2022, BJP’s North Kolkata district president, Kalyan Chaube, filed an FIR against Aparna Sen for making statements such as calling BSF personnel ‘rapists’ and ‘murderers,’ alleging that the army had been given more powers than it deserved.
Letter to the PM
On 23 July 2019, around 49 celebrities across India wrote a letter to PM Narendra Modi expressing their concern about intolerance in the country. The letter alleged that the chant of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ had become a war cry, creating communal tension in the community. They also asked the Prime Minister to address the tragic events including the killing of Dalits, Muslims and other minorities in the country. Aparna Sen joined this campaign and was heavily criticized after she was confronted and asked several questions by LIVE TV where she remained silent.
‘Intolerance’ lobby behind: Anurag Kashyap, Aparna Sen & 47 others write to PM Modi; claims ‘Jai Shri Ram is now a provocative war cry’https://t.co/cy3fJNz9Yy
— Republic (@republic) July 24, 2019
Awards, Honors, Achievements
Padma Shri – 1987
National Film Awards
- Best Directions for 36 Chowringhee Lane in 1981
- Best Feature Film in English for 36 Chowringhee Lane in 1981
- Best Feature Film in Bengali for Paroma in 1984
- Best Feature Film in Bengali for Yugant in 1995
- Best Feature Film in Bengali, for Paromitar Ek Din in 2000
- Best Direction for Mr and Mrs Iyer in 2002
- Best Screenplay for Mr. and Mrs. Iyer in 2002
- Best Feature Film in English for 15 Park Avenue in 2005
- Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for Mr. and Mrs. Iyer in 2002
Nargis Dutt Award
- Best Feature Film on National Integration for Mr. and Mrs. Iyer in 2002
- Best Actress Award for Sujata in 1974
- Best Actress Award for Asamaya in 1976
- Best Actress Award for Bijoyini in 1982
- Best Actress Award for Indira in 1983
- Best Director Award for Parama in 1985
BFJA Award
- Best Actress Award for Aparachito in 1970
- Best Actress Award for Sujata in 1975
- Best Director Award for Parama in 1986
- Best Screenplay Award for Parama in 1986
- Best Actress Award for Ekanto Apan in 1988
- Best Supporting Actress Award for Mahaprithibi in 1992
- Best Actress Award for Swet Patharer Thala in 1993
- Best Supporting Actress Award for Unishr April in 1997
- Babulal Chowkhani Memorial Trophy for Original Story-Yugant in 1997
- Best Actress Award for Paramitar Ek Din in 2001
- Babulal Chowkhani Memorial Trophy for Original Story and Screenplay for Paramitar Ek Din in 2001
- Most Outstanding Work of the Year for Mr and Mrs Iyer in 2003
Other Awards
- Best Director Award at the Melbourne Indian Film Festival for The Rapist in 2022
- Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013
Favourite
- Indian Singers: Ustad Amir Khan, Late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and Ustad Rashid Khan
- English singers: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, and Mozart
- Sitarist: Nikhil Bandopadhyay
- Authors: Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Roald Dahl, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Novel: The Moskat Family by Singer Isaac Bashevis
- Movie: Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) (Mexican street movie)
- Filmmaker: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Facts/Trivia
- In 1960, New Zealand photographer Brain Brake was working on a photo series about the monsoon and the people affected by it. He captured Aparna Sen, who was 14 at the time, on the terrace of her house with her eyes closed and enjoying the rain on her face. The water came from the garden hose. Aparna’s photo was published as a cover photo in Life Magazine the following year.
Aparna Sen, Monsoon Girl (1960), photographed by Brian Brake for Life Magazine
- In an interview, Aparna said that she had read the Mahabharata and found Krishna very interesting.
- Iti Mrinalini’s screenplay was given as an assignment at the Mumbai-based Whistling Woods International film school to screenwriting students.
- In an interview, Aparna once said that since childhood she loved to read every night before going to bed.
- Out of the 12 films in which Aparna Sen and actor Uttan Kumar appeared together, 10 of them received critical acclaim and turned out to be box office hits. The 1972 film ‘Memsahib’ is considered one of their best works.
- Aparna is called Coppola by Shashi Kapoor.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
