Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Infobox actor
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name = Hrishikesh Mukherjee


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birthdate = Birth date|1922|9|30|mf=y
location = Kolkata, India
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deathdate = death date and age|2006|8|27|1922|9|30|mf=y
deathplace =Mumbai, India
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homepage = http://www.hrishikeshmukherjee.com/
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Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Bengali: হৃষিকেশ মুখোপাধ্যায়/মুখার্জী "Rhishikesh Mukhopaddhae/Mukharji" (see naming conventions), Hindi: ऋषिकेश मुखर्जी "Riṣhikesh Mukharjī") (September 30, 1922–August 27, 2006) was a famous Hindi film director known for a number of films, including "Satyakam", "Chupke Chupke", "Anupama", "Anand", "Abhimaan", "Guddi", "Gol Maal", "Aashirwad", "Bawarchi", and "Namak Haraam".

Popularly known as "Hrishi-da", he directed 42 films in all, during his career spanning over four decades, and is named a pioneer in the 'middle cinema' of India and is remembered for his films that reflected the changing middle-class ethos. [ [http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/dec/17dinesh.htm The common man lure of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's films] "Rediff.com".] [ [http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/28slide1.htm Hrishikesh Mukherjee's best films] Special Photo feature, "Rediff.com", August 28, 2006.]

He also remained the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), and was awarded the 1999, Dada Saheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in Cinema for Lifetime achievement.

Early life

Hrishikesh Mukherjee studied science in college, and graduated in chemistry. He taught mathematics and science for some time, but chose to begin working, initially as a cameraman, and then film editor, in B. N. Sircar's New Theatres in Calcutta in the late 1940s, where he learned his skills from Subodh Mitter ('Kenchida'), a well known editor of his times. [ [http://www.ultraindia.com/movies/awards/hrishikesh.htm Hrishikesh Mukherjee Biography] on winning, the 31st Dada Saheb Phalke Award.] He then worked with Bimal Roy in Mumbai as film editor and assistant director from 1951, [ [http://www.upperstall.com/people/hrishikesh-mukherjee Hrishikesh Mukherjee] "Upperstall.com".] participating in the landmark Roy films "Do Bigha Zameen" and " Devdas".

His debut directorial venture, " Musafir" (1957), was not a success, but he persisted and received acclaim for his second film "Anari" in 1959. The film, crew and cast won five Filmfare Awards, with Mukherjee only losing the Best Director Award to his mentor, Bimal Roy.

His string of hits with Amitabh made him one of the golden directors who had a special working relationship with Amitabh Bachchan ( Ramesh Sippy ,Prakash Mehra,Manmohan Desai, and Yash Chopra being the other four).

In the following years he made numerous films. Some of his most notable films include: Anuradha (1960), Asli-Naqli (1962), Anupama (1966), Aashirwad (1968), Satyakam (1969), Guddi (1971), Bawarchi (1972), Mili (1975), Chupke Chupke (1975), Khoobsurat (1980) and Bemisal (1982). He was the first to introduce Dharmendra in comedy roles, through "Chupke Chupke", and gave Amitabh Bachchan his big break in Anand 1970, along with Rajesh Khanna, he also introduced Jaya Bhaduri to Hindi cinema in his film Guddi. [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=53183e3d-34a2-4bc5-8c5f-e629fc02f02e&&Headline=Remembering+Hrishikesh+Mukherjee&strParent=strParentID Remembering Hrishikesh Mukherjee] "Hindustan Times", August 26, 2008] Having worked with his mentor, Bimal Roy as an editor, in films like Madhumati, he was much sought after as an editor as well. [ [http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/28hm.htm Remembering Hrishida] "Rediff.com", August 28, 2006.]

Later life

Hrishikesh Mukherjee was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award by the Government of India, in 1999. [cite web|url=http://www.ultraindia.com/movies/awards/hrishikesh.htm|title=Hrishikesh Mukherjee wins Dadasaheb Phalke Award] Mukherjee was chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification and of the National Film Development Corporation. He was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to Indian cinema in 2001. The International Film Festival of India honoured him with a retrospective of his films in November 2005. He holds the distinction of working with almost all the top Indian stars since independence of India in 1947.

The films were realistic and unlike the other Bollywood films do not have crime, violence. The simple plots contain deeper meaning, but are generally straightforward in form, theme and treatment. He directed around 50 films most of which were valued by audiences and critics alike because of their middle-of-the-road accessibility, heart-warming irony and literary sensibilities. His characters inhabited a middle-class, urban, educated milieu.One more characteristic of his films was that it had a character engrossed in music. Such as Anuradha, Aashirwad, Chupke chupke, Abhimaan, Khubsoorat, GolMaal, Alaap, Bawarchi, Aashiq, Mili, Saanjh Aur Sawera and Phir Kab Milogi to name a few.

His last film was "Jhoot Bole Kauwa Kaate". Since his original hero Amol Palekar had grown old he had to choose Anil Kapoor. He has also directed TV serials like "Talaash". Another director making films akin to him is Basu Chatterjee.

Death

Hrishikesh Mukherjee was admitted to Leelavati Hospital in Mumbai early on Tuesday, 6 June 2006 after after he complained of uneasiness. Mukherjee died ten weeks later on August 27, 2006. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1930646.cms Hrishikesh Mukherjee is dead] ."Times of India", 27 August, 2006.] He is survived by three daughters and a son.

Awards

Berlin International Film Festival

* 1961: Golden Bear: Nomination: "Anuradha" [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137362/awards Awards] "Internet Movie Database".]

National Film Awards

* 1961: National Film Award for Best Film: "Anuradha"
* 1999: Dada Saheb Phalke Award

Filmfare Awards

* 1956: Filmfare Best Editing Award: "Naukari"
* 1959: Filmfare Best Editing Award: "Madhumati"
* 1970: Filmfare Best Screenplay Award: "Anokhi Raat"
* 1972: Filmfare Best Movie Award: " Anand"- shared with N. C. Sippy
* 1972: Filmfare Best Editing Award: " Anand"
* 1972: Filmfare Best Story Award: " Anand"
* 1981: Filmfare Best Movie Award: "Khubsoorat-" shared with N. C. Sippy

elected filmography

*"Musafir" (1957): starring Dilip Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Suchitra Sen and Usha Kiran.
*"Anari" (1959): starring Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Lalita Pawar and Sohrab Modi.
*"Anuradha" (1960): starring Balraj Sahni, Leela Naidu
*"Asli Naqli" (1962): starring Dev Anand, Sadhna
*" Aashiq" (1962): starring Raj Kapoor, Padmini
*"Saanjh Aur Savera": starring Guru Dutt
*"Anupama" (1966): starring Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Shashikala.
*"Gaban" (1966): starring Sunil Dutt
*"Aashirwad" (1968): starring Ashok Kumar
*"Satyakam" (1969): starring Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore
*"Anand" (1970): starring Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan
*"Guddi" (1971): starring Dharmendra, Jaya Bhaduri, Utpal Dutt, Samit Bhanja
*"Bawarchi" (1972): starring Rajesh Khanna, Jaya Bhaduri
*"Abhimaan" (1973): starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri
*"Namak Haraam" (1973): starring Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan,
*"Chupke Chupke" (1975): starring Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Jaya Bhaduri
*"Mili" (1975): starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri
*"Gol Maal" (1979): starring Amol Palekar, Utpal Dutt, Bindiya Goswami
*"Khubsoorat" (1980): starring Rekha, Rakesh Roshan
*"Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate" (1998) : starring Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla

Films as Director

*" Musafir" (1957)
*"Anari" (1959)
*"Anuradha" (1960)
*"Memdidi" (1961)
*"Chhaya" (1961)
*"Asli-Naqli" (1962)
*"Aashiq" (1962)
*"Sanjh Aur Savera" (1964)
*"Do Dil" (1965)
*"Gaban" (1966)
*"Biwi Aur Makaan" (1966)
*"Anupama" (1966)
*"Majhli Didi" (1967)
*"Aashirwad" (1968)
*"Satyakam" (1969)
*"Pyar Ka Sapna" (1969)
*"Anand" (1970)
*"Guddi" (1971)
* "Buddha Mil Gaya" (1971)
*"Sabse Bada Sukh" (1972)
*"Bawarchi" (1972)
*"Abhimaan" (1973)
*"Namak Haraam" (1973)
*"Phir Kab Milogi" (1974)
*"Mili" (1975)
*"Chupke Chupke" (1975)
*"Chaitali" (1975)
*"Arjun Pandit" (1976)
*"Alaap" (1977)
*"Kotwal Saab" (1977)
*"Naukri" (1978)
*"Gol Maal" (1979)
*"Jurmana" (1979)
*"Khubsoorat" (1980)
*"Naram Garam" (1981)
*"Bemisal" (1982)
*"Kissi Se Na Kehna" (1983)
*"Rang Birangi" (1983)
*"Achha Bura" (1983)
*"Jhoothi" (1985)
*"Hum Hindustani" (1986)
*"Lathi" (1988)
*"Namumkin" (1988)
*"Talaash" (1992)
*"Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate" (1998)

Films as Editor, Writer and/or Assistant Director

*"Tathapi", 1947
*"Maa", 1950
*"Do Bigha Zameen", 1951
*" Parineeta", 1953
*"Biraj Bahu", 1954
*" Devdas", 1956
*"Madhumati", 1958
*"Heera Moti", 1959
*"Char Diwari", 1961
*"Dastak", 1970
* " Coolie"

TV Serials

*"Hum Hindustani"
*"Talaash"
*"Dhoop Chhaon"
*"Rishte"
*"Ujaale Ki Or"

Further reading

* "Great Masters of Indian Cinema: The Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winners", by D. P. Mishra, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India, 2006. ISBN 8123013612. "page 122".

References

Reflist

External links

*
* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:227417 Hrishikesh Mukherjee] at "allmovie".