1. More images
Shakti Samanta

Film director
Shakti Samanta was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films such as Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Kati Patang and Amar Prem. Wikipedia
Born: January 13, 1926, Bardhaman
Died: April 9, 2009, Santacruz, Mumbai
Education: University of Calcutta
Children: Ashim Samanta
Awards: Filmfare Award for Best Film, Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement
Movies

View 35+ more

Aradhana
1969

Kati Patang
1970

Amar Prem
1972

An Evening in Paris
1967

Kashmir Ki Kali
1964
People also search for

View 15+ more

Ashim Samanta
Son

Sharmila Tagore

Asit Sen

Rajesh Khanna

Madan Puri

Shakti Samanta: Biography - YouTube

► 4:26

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXPdyIfVJTw

Aug 6, 2013 - Uploaded by People & History

Born on 13 January 1926 in Burdwan West Bengal, he received his education at Dehradun, staying with his ...

13th January 1926: Shakti Samanta, film director, was born

Shakti Samanta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shakti Samanta

Born	13 January 1926 Burdwan, British India
Died	9 April 2009 (aged 83) Mumbai, India
Occupation	film director, film producer, Founder "Shakti Films" (1957)

Shakti Samanta (Bengali: শক্তি সামন্ত) (13 January 1926 – 9 April 2009) was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films such as Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Kati Patang and Amar Prem.^[1]^[2]

He received Filmfare Awards for Best Film for Aradhana (1969), Anuraag(1973) and Amanush, which was also made in Bengali, a language in which he made six films, including an Indo-Bangladesh joint production in 1984.

[hide]

Early life and education[edit]

Born in Burdwan West Bengal, he received his education at Dehradun, staying with his uncle. He graduated in 1944 from Calcutta University.

Career[edit]

After completing his education he wanted to become an actor in the Hindi film industry at Bombay, so moved closer to the city. He took a school teacher's job in Dapoli, about 200 kilometres from Mumbai.^[3] He eventually joined the film industry in 1948 as an assistant director starting with Satish Nigam in Raj Kapoor starrer Sunhere Din, subsequently he worked with directors like Gyan Mukherjee, and Phani Majumdar at Bombay Talkies, in Tamasha, Baadbaan and Dhobi Doctor.

Eventually he got his break as an independent director when Samanta directed his first feature film, Bahu in 1954, starring Karan Dewan, Usha Kiron, Shashikala and Pran^[3] and after the success for his next few films, Inspector (1956), Sheroo(1956), Detective (1957) and Hill Station (1957), he started his own production company, Shakti Films, in 1957, and the first release of his independent banner was the murder-mystery Howrah Bridge, with Ashok Kumar and Madhubala as the lead, with its crooning number 'Aaiye Meherbaan' with music by O. P. Nayyar, sung by Asha Bhosle in a notable Geeta Dutt style, and picturised on Madhubala became a rage, and the film a breakthrough hit; this was a turning point.^[4]^[5] WithInsaan Jaag Utha (1959) starring Sunil Dutt and Madhubala, he wanted to shift to making films on social themes, but when it was unsuccessful, he shifted back to making entertainers for another decade, for returning to social themes, withAradhana (1969).^[6]

In all, Samanta directed 43 feature films, including 37 Hindi, and 6 Bengali films. His best known films include Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, Sawan Ki Ghata and An Evening in Paris. He is credited for starting the trend of making double version films in Hindi and Bengali with Amanush in 1974, and also made the first co-produced film betweenIndia and Bangladesh in 1984.

Samanta was among the directors who worked with Shammi Kapoor in the late 1950s and up to the mid '60s, then withRajesh Khanna, creating a number of classics such as Aradhana, Kati Patang, Anurodh and Amar Prem. However, his movies with Amitabh Bachchan were not major hits.^[7]

On some of his films, his brother and wife were producers. He also produced some of the films that his son, Ashim Samanta, directed.^[8] In 1985, Shaktu Film established 'Aradhana Sound Service', a digital audio post-production facility which works both for Bollywood as well as Hollywood films.^[4]

Samanta died of cardiac arrest at his suburban Santa Cruz residence at approximately 5pm on 9 April 2009, while undergoing physiotherapy.^[9] He was recovering from a stroke he had suffered two months ago.^[6]

Legacy[edit]

Three of his classics, Howrah Bridge, Aradhana and Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Raakhee, are to be turned into animation films by 'Pritish Nandy Communications'^[10]

Awards and recognition[edit]

Samanta received Filmfare Awards for "Best Film" for Aradhana, Anuraag and Amanush.^[11] He has also received several Lifetime Achievement awards, including the Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2002 and several other awards from Zee and other Indian organisations. Some of his films have been shown at international festivals in Berlin, Tashkent, Moscow, Cairo and Beirut.

Samanta was President of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association for 5 years,^[12] Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for 7 years and was Chairman of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkatafor 2 years.

Filmography[edit]

Bahu (1955)
Inspector (1956)
Hill Station (1957)
Sheroo (1957)
Howrah Bridge (1958)
Detective (1958)
Insaan Jaag Utha (1959)
Jaali Note (1960)
Singapore (1960)
Naughty Boy (1962)
China Town (1962)
Ek Raaz (1963)
Kashmir Ki Kali (1964)
Sawan Ki Ghata (1966)
An Evening in Paris (1967)
Aradhana (1969)
Kati Patang (1970)
Pagla Kahin Ka (1970)
Jane Anjane (1971)
Amar Prem (1971)
Anuraag (1972)
Charitraheen (1974)
Ajnabee (1974)
Amanush (1975)
Balika Badhu (1976)
Mehbooba (1976)
Anurodh (1977)
Anand Ashram (1977)
The Great Gambler (1979)
Khwab (1980)
Barsaat Ki Ek Raat (1981)
Alag Alag (1985)
Anyay Abichar (1985)
Achena Atithi (1997)
Devdas(2002)

^[13]

References[edit]

Jump up^ "Reinventing itself". Screen. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
Jump up^ Dinesh Raheja (11 April 2009). "Shakti Samanta his Aradhana came true". MiD DAY. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Golden banner Rajiv Vijayakar. Screen, 11 July 2008.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Five decades of Shakti Films Screen, 12 December 2008.
Jump up^ Turning the pages of film history The Hindu, Friday, 1 September 2000.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b "Bollywood will miss wizard of entertainment Shakti Samanta". The HIndu. 10 April 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
Jump up^ Shakti Samanta – Films as director: 43
Jump up^ Great Gambler Screen.
Jump up^ Veteran film-maker S Samanta passes away The Times of India Friday, 10 April 2009.
Jump up^ PNC to remake 3 classics in animated form Business Standard Reporter / Mumbai 17 August 2007.
Jump up^ Awards Internet Movie Database.
Jump up^ Shakti Samanta elected IMPPA president Indian Express, Wednesday, 30 September 1998.
Jump up^ Shakti Samanta – Filmography Upperstall.com.

External links[edit]

Shakti Samanta at the Internet Movie Database
Shakti Samanta Panorama at Indian Auteur
"Shakti Samanta his Aradhana came true". MiD DAY. 11 April 2009.

Shakti Samanta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti_Samanta

Shakti Samanta (Bengali: শক্তি সামন্ত) (13 January 1926 – 9 April 2009) was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is ...

Shakti Samanta - IMDb

www.imdb.com/name/nm0759662/

Shakti Samanta was born on January 13, 1926 in Burdwan, West Bengal, British India. He was a director and producer, known for Aradhana (1969), Amar Prem ...

SHAKTI SAMANTA CAUSED KAKA S DECLINE IN 1976 - Topix

www.topix.com/forum/who/rajesh-khanna/TO8JQ9QPP0659KVPE

Feb 16, 2007 - Quote from an interview TODAY of Shakti samanta- ..... Without anyShakti Samanta, B.R.Chopra, Manmohan Desai or Yash Chopra, he has ...