Buddhadeb Dasgupta

A village mechanic dreams of flying. After discovering the crash site of a World War II Japanese plane, Bachchu Mondal decides to rebuild it. His project doesn’t go unnoticed by the ghosts that haunt the place, all victims of broken dreams. The authorities begin investigating Bachchu as a life threatening series of bizarre events conspire.

The latest film from Buddhadeb Dasgupta, one of India’s most-celebrated directors, is a lyrical and at times comedic three-part portrait of rural Indian life.

6.4/10

A maverick, booze-addled private detective takes a case in his rural Indian homeland in this sharp comedy from Buddhadeb Dasgupta.

6.1/10

Little Poupe' comes to her Grandfather, a celebrated author, for the first time when her mother falls seriously ill. Her gloomy stay in the age old mansion with a grumpy faced Mary Aunty and a lonesome Grandfather slowly takes a turn with the arrival of a circus troupe, a talking fox, a nagging tiger, a magic tree and WOH, the anonymous commoner from the Grandfather's writing. With WOH intruding the ordinary day to day activities, Poupe' and her 'Daddu's' life takes a sudden leap and becomes adventurous...WOH is inspired by Rabindranath Tangore's novel "Shey" (That Fellow) written in Shantiniketan, 1937 about his own relationship with Grand Daughter Nandini.

Janala tells the story about a man, Bimal, who decides to give a little back to his old school despite the fact he has very little money himself. As a child Bimal had a favourite corner classroom where he used to sit and daydream out of a broken window, and so when he finds himself back in his old school he feels compelled to replace the window.

6.7/10

When a Kolkata surveillance specialist and his roommate install a small camera in the home of their beautiful neighbor, they somehow become terror suspects in director Buddhadeb Dasgupta's cutting commentary on CCTV society.

6.3/10

A man struggles with his memories of his powerful father.

6.9/10

The protagonist's job is driving across the country screening family planning films in villages, often meeting with unpleasant responses from his target audience. His faith in life is sustained by his love for his dream girl — a beautiful actress he saw crying away in a film five years ago and has haunted him ever since. Writer-director Buddhadev Dasgupta won the National Film Award for Best Direction.

7.3/10

Based on a short story by Bengali writer Prafulla Roy, the central idea developed by director Dasgupta, tells the story of a girl, Lati, whose mother Rajani is a prostitute living and working in a brothel in rural India. Rajani plans to offer her daughter to an older man, a rich husband and protector to her daughter. Lati, however, wants to return to school and finish her studies. Unwilling to pay such a price for material success, she runs away to Calcutta. The discovery of this new world is described parallel to other stories of emancipation, such as that of three young prostitutes, of an aged couple going nowhere and man's n landing on the moon. In a surrealistic approach typical of the director, a clumsy cat and an intelligent donkey are also present in the film.

6.6/10

In the pastoral expanse of rural Bengal, in Purulia district, single railroad workers and best friends Balaram (Shankar Chakraborty) and Nemai (Tapas Pal) spend their days wrestling on a hill with little work to speak of because the fact that their flag station has only a couple of trains to be flagged off or signalled to. Wrestling, however, despite its aggression and physical combat, turns into an expression of close bonding for Nimai and Balaram, a bond already established through their complementary work at the flag station. Wrestling, for them, is a way of releasing physical energy and a form of dynamic entertainment.

6.9/10

Dr. Nabin Datta is a prominent dentist in Calcutta, 47, disengaged, with little affect, and fearful that his hands and feet are turning to metal. His wife leaves him to live alone. His son, who is away at school, will not talk to him. He searches for meaning: he seeks the help of a jolly but dismissive physician; he talks to an underworld thug about having his wife murdered; he delves into the life of his driver, the happy-go-lucky Dinu, who has two wives and a mistress, all three of whom love Dinu, all three of whom Dinu cherishes; last, he returns in his mind to the magical possibilities of his childhood, when he could open doors using only a nursery rhyme.

7/10

A biographical film about the reclusive painter Ganesh Pyne.

In this Indian drama a young man must cope with a job he is not really suited for. Lakhinder captures exotic birds from the Bengal forests. He is to sell them in Calcutta. Unfortunately he cannot bear to see them caged and always sets them free. He does not earn a lot of money as a result. His wife is angry at him, and begins having an affair with the man who takes the birds to the market. Lakhinder's partner's daughter understands his relationship to the birds. They come to visit him in his lonely hut.

8.2/10

Shibnath is released from prison after serving eleven years for assaulting a British officer. His family has now become refugees, with his homeland, following Partition, belonging to a new nation. His wife urges him to make ally with his friend Bipin who is willing to capitalize on Shibnath's legendary reputation for patriotism, by asking to accompany him in electoral campaigns. In exchange, Bipin is ready to arrange Shibnath the job of a school master. However, Shibnath remains disillusioned and mystified by the life that now lies before him away from his beloved—and irretrievably lost—homeland.

7.1/10

Every year, Ghunuram takes time off from his job to prepare for and appear in a folk dance in his village. His special part of the performance is called the Tiger Dance. This year is special, too; he hopes to become engaged to the daughter of his fellow performer. But a circus with a newly captured leopard has come into town. What's worse, the woman Ghunuram had hoped to woo has gone gaga over a circus performer. Not to be outdone, he prepares for a last, tragic, performance in which the tiger meets the leopard. Winner of the National Film Award for Best Picture.

7.9/10

Sasanka (Subrata Nandy) grows depressed as his house and his career as a theater actor both crumble around him. When his cold-hearted, widowed sister-in-law Saraju (Aloknanda Dutt) arrives with her adorable young son Kanu (Aniket Sengupta), Sasanka's mood eventually changes. Kanu and Sasanka become fast friends as the youngster benefits from his uncle's wisdom and acting ability.

6.6/10
3.3%

A former revolutionary who has deserted the movement lives in fear of running into old colleagues. Meanwhile he pushes his wife into modelling, and later seamier projects, with tragic consequences.

6.2/10

A gritty political thriller set at the backdrop of the violent Naxalite movement in 70’s Calcutta.

7.6/10

Though he has managed to become a professor at an early age, a supposedly liberal young man has neglected developing his relationship skills. Even though he forms an attachment to a young woman whom he had been helping with the task of finding work and even marries her, he is appalled to learn that she is pregnant with another man's child. At the same time, his political convictions have been put to the test, and he has effectively shown that he was not as serious about them as he (and others) thought he was. Disappointed in himself and in his life, he leaves his new bride and attempts to find consolation in an affair.

6.7/10

This somber drama follows the troubles of a rural family who moves to the big city to have a better life. Although the family is poor, they provide lodging for an old beggar while the unemployed husband searches for work. The youngest girl steals birdseed from a parrot, while the eldest girl is close to trading sex for food. The wife believes the beggar is hiding something and finds a bag of rice in his room. The beggar dies, and the wife cooks the rice for her family. Although she has provided for her family, her feelings of guilt about the old man prevent her from keeping her food down.

5.8/10