Filmography

Direction, Screenplay – with Nirmal Dey , Photography: Bimal Roy

Story: Jyotinmoy Roy
Art: Sourin Sen
Music: R.C. Boral
Starring: Radhamohan Bhattacharya, Binata Roy,   Biswanath Bhaduri, Debi Mukherjee
Production: New Theatres

SYNOPSIS:

Anup Kumar Lekhak, an unemployed writer, gets a job to ghostwrite public speeches for a wealthy industrialist. He meets his boss’s sister, Gopa, at their palatial home .It is more than apparent that his boss’s pretty sister admires Anup. Not only does the wealthy boss make Anup write his inspiring speeches for the masses, very soon he appropriates Anup’s unpublished novel and publishes it in his own name. The book is an instant best seller. The industrialist brazenly takes the credit for the book that rightly belongs to Anup. One day his own sister was humiliated in the wealthy man’s home. When Anup discovers this, he chucks his job and decides to migrate to the village. Before he leaves, Anup has to address a mass rally. The wealthy man’s hired goondas create commotion and stone Anup, injuring him. This brings matters to head. Gopa confronts her brother. She decides to support Anup’s struggle. Her bold decision for a liberal ideology that opposes the oppression of the working class dissolves class barriers and unites the young idealists.
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Direction, Screenplay & Photography: Kamal Bose
Production: New Theatres

SYNOPSIS:

Same as Udayer Pathey
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Direction & Screenplay: Bimal Roy

Photography: Kamal Bose, Bimal Roy
Story: Subodh Ghosh
Art: Anil Bhattacharya & Sudhendu Roy
Music: R.C. Boral
Starring: Sunanda Banerjee, Devi Mukherji, Tulsi   Chakraborty, Manoranjan Bhattacharya
Production: New Theatres

SYNOPSIS:

Based on a radical short story by Subodh Ghosh titled “FOSSIL”, Anjangadh was another path breaking film like UDAYER PATHE. The film is a bold statement on the gradual encroachment of the powerful political lobby into the tribal belt of Bihar, with a view to dispossess the adivasis who were the original occupants of the land. A direct conflict arises between the ruling class and the tribal minority of the region. Made the year after India’s independence, one cannot ignore the adroit references to India’s colonial masters who had usurped power.
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Production: New Theatres

SYNOPSIS:

Same as above.
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Direction, Screenplay – with Sudhish Ghatak: Bimal Roy

Photography: Kamal Bose
Story: Banaphul
Art: Sudhendu Roy
Starring: Mira Sarkar, Reba Devi, Tulsi Chakraborty, Indu Mukherji, Sunil Sengupta
Production: New Theatres

SYNOPSIS:

Mantramugdha was a topical satire on the fall out of excessive religious rituals and superstition that is a part of Hindu practice. When a devoted wife oppresses her husband by placing him next to the Gods, he decides to teach her a lesson. On a parallel track there is a lively romantic tale … the film was one of the most hilarious comedies.
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Direction & Screenplay: Bimal Roy

Music:R.C. Boral

Production: New Theatres

SYNOPSIS:

A romantic love story against the backdrop of World War II, when India was involved in this mayhem. The inspiration of the story was Netaji Subhas Bose and his INA. He is an invisible presence. The climax of the film was particularly moving when the body of the young hero is brought home – and the grieving father offers it again before a life size portrait of Netaji – affirming his loyalty to the nation.
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Direction: Bimal Roy

Photography: Whirshing
Starring: Leela Chitnis, Bharat Bhushan, Nazir   Hussain, Achla Sachedev, Shyama
Production: Bombay Talkies

SYNOPSIS:

Bimal Roy made his Bombay debut with Bombay Talkies’ Maa. The film was said to be a free adaptation of an early Hollywood talkie titled, Over The Hills. Maa was a sentimental saga of the neglect of the elderly by one’s own offsprings. The elder protagonist, Chanderbabu, a retired postmaster, has two sons. The two, Rajan & Bhanu , are poles apart in nature. Rajan, preparing for a legal career, is dominated by his wealthy wife. Bhanu still a student, has espoused the cause of Nationalism. The conflict in the narrative arises when funds are required for the elder son’s entry fee. The father fails to raise this amount. Returning from the village fair, late one night Bhanu is startled by shouts of “thief, thief”. He joins the race only to discover the so-called thief is his father. He exchanges his father’s place. Bhanu is caught and serves a jail term. The engagement with Meena is called off. The father succumbs to this tragedy. Released at last, Bhanu is shocked to see his mother reduced to a maid. He confronts his brother and takes charge of the aged mother with Meena’s help.
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Direction: Bimal Roy

Screenplay: Hrishikesh Mukherji
Photography: Kamal Bose
Story & Music: Salil Chowdhury
Starring: Balraj Sahni, Nirupa Roy
Production: Bimal Roy Productions

SYNOPSIS:

Sambhu Mahato, like thousands from the Indian rural society, is a poor peasant. For generations, like others, he has tilled the soil. After years of drought, the peasants celebrate the monsoon. Sambhu’s joy is short-lived. The powerful village zamindar, waiting to grab his land, puts up a fabricated case in the moffussil court. This ancestral land is their only source of livelihood. Sambhu is ordered to settle his earlier loans from the zamindar in just three months. Failure to do this will cost him the land. The zamindar’s unreasonable demand only strengthens Sambhu’s determination to save the land. He heads for Calcutta where thousands migrate to earn. The great city overwhelms them. One misfortune follows another. Sambhu lives in a bustee with poor migrants. An old rickshaw-puller takes him under his wings and teaches him important lessons to pull the vehicle. Son, Kanhaiya, contributes from his earnings as a shoe shine boy. Sambhu’s wife, Parvati, works as construction labour. With all this help, Sambhu is confident of victory but a serious accident dries up his hard earned funds. In another accident Kanhaiya looses his shoe shine box. They grow desperate as time draws near to pay the zamindar’s loan. After days of illness, when Sambhu resumes work, he is stunned to find the unconscious body of his wife, Parvati – knocked down by a speeding car. Kanhaiya tries his hand at pickpocket and the poor landless peasant’s family reunites once again in the vast metropolis only to realize that their beloved land has gone forever.
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Direction: Bimal Roy

Photography: Kamal Bose
Story: Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Screenplay: Nabendu Ghose
Starring: Ashok Kumar, Meena Kumari, Asit Baran, Pratima Devi
Production: Ashok Kumar Productions

SYNOPSIS:

Lalita and Sekhar are neighbours. Sekhar’s daily needs, in fact, are looked after by Lalita. Occasionally, Sekhar gives her language lessons or bullies her to carry out chores. Lalita’s uncle, Gurucharan, is a poor Brahmin. He borrowed money for his daughter’s marriage from Sekhar’s father – their wealthy neighbour. This becomes a bone of contention between the two. Further complications follow when Girin, a kindly Brahmo relative, offers to repay the debt. This turns into a caste issue. Unknown to all, Lalita and Sekhar secretly marry. Soon after this, her uncle dies. On his deathbed, Gurucharan makes Girin promise to marry Lalita and take charge of the family. Girin proposes to Lalita and learns the truth. He marries her younger cousin instead. An invitation to Sekhar’s marriage shocks Lalita. Girin brings Lalita to Calcutta. There he confronts Sekhar with the truth, and clears old misunderstandings.
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Direction: Bimal Roy
Story: Subodh Basu
Music: Salil Chowdhury
Starring: Kishore Kumar, Sheela Ramani, Achla Sachdev
Production: Bimal Roy Productions

SYNOPSIS:

Although his sister is terminally ill, and their family in doldrums, the news of becoming a graduate make Ratan ecstatic. He believes a job awaits him and soon his sister and aged mother will see better days. With this dream, Ratan arrives in Calcutta. A friend of his father had promised him a job. In the hostel he comes across jobless young men who make a quaint but hilarious world. Amongst others, there is a poet writing atrocious verse, flirting with neighbourhood maidens. There is Gyan Sen, the younger brother of Taan Sen, who inflicts his raga on others. And there is Haria, the faithful old servant who cheers Ratan with his unmusical songs. Then there is the sweet Seema who seems to find inspiration to study at the window facing Ratan’s room. Needless to say, Ratan falls hopelessly in love with her. The course of true love never runs smooth. Seema’s father rejects jobless Ratan’s proposal. Ratan’s quest for a job brings him to Bombay. A new series of experiences and adventures await him. Ratan views life in its richly-variegated colours — experiencing situations that are comic, sad and sometimes bitter. Though life wears down Ratan’s naïve enthusiasm, he does not abandon hope. He has a steely determination to overcome every obstacle.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Photography : Dilip Gupta
Story : Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Art : Sudhendu Roy
Music : Salil Chowdhury
Screenplay : Nabendu Ghose
Starring : Kamini Kaushal, Abhi Bhattacharya
Production : Hiten Chaudhuri Productions

SYNOPSIS:

Sarat Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Biraj Bou , juxtaposes two brothers who are opposite in nature – and their wives, who share a common home. Biraj, the wife of the older brother Nilambar , is a paragon of beauty and virtue. Her immense confidence comes from the fact, that she is adored by her husband. Over property matters the two brothers fall out. Nilambar, the dreamer, is also a singer at funerals or festivals. He can barely keep body and soul together. Biraj supports him by making dolls. Her brilliant beauty shines through the tattered rags attracting the crafty, young zamindar. One night, she is abducted by him. Nilambar is heart broken but helpless. Biraj is later cast aside by the zamindar. After great hardship, and failing health she finds her way home. Biraj dies in peace, with the assurance that Nilambar’s love for her had never changed.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Music : Roshan
Screenplay: Nabendu Ghose
Starring : Ranjan, Baby Tabassum, Madhuri, Baby Naaz
Production : Munshi Productions

Meena is a new girl to join the Girl’s residential school. Maya, Radha and a few others become friends but others resent Meena .This inevitably leads to girlish quarrels. The day letters arrive from home, there is great excitement & speculation. Most girls receive letters from both parents. Meena is taunted as no letters come from her father. Cornered by her class mates, Meena promises that her father’s letter will come. She appeals to her mother to tell her the father’s address so that she could write to him. Meena had never seen her father. According to her mother he lived far away. Meena’s mother does not reply to the letter. Meanwhile, a few girls insult her, making her very sad. One evening she sat in a secluded corner and wept her heart out. Biswanath Babu, the old school clerk hears the truth and promise to help her. He writes letters as her father which Meena reads to the girls. This takes care of the situation – but not for long. When some particularly mean girls want to actually meet Meena’s father, things go out of control – until dame luck smiles on the fatherless girl.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Story : Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Screenplay : Nabendu Ghose
Photography : Kamal Bose
Art : Sudhendu Roy
Music & Lyrics : Sachin Dev Burman
Editing : Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Starring : Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Vyjayantimala, Motilal
Production : Bimal Roy Productions

Caste consideration and family prestige overshadows Devdas’s love for Parvati. Devdas, a weak, vacillating man, fails to take a bold stand to marry Parvati. Parvati is married off to a wealthy widower. Devdas returns to Calcutta with a broken heart and a sense of guilt. He tries to escape in excessive drinking, wallowing in self-pity and the ‘sin’ of living with Chandramukhi, a prostitute. Chandramukhi’s selfless love nurses him back to health more than once. Devdas however cannot get over his childhood love for Parvati. In the final hours of his terminal illness, Devdas takes the last journey – to die at Parvati’s doorstep.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Photography : Dilip Gupta
Story & Screenplay : Ritwik Ghatak
Music & Lyrics : Salil Chowdhury
Starring : Dilip Kumar, Vyjayantimala, Pran, Johny Walker
Production : Bimal Roy Productions

SYNOPSIS:

Landslide forces Devendra (Dilip Kumar) and his doctor friend to take refuge in an abandoned country mansion. In that unlit mysterious place Devendra recalls his previous life and experiences in the same hill station. He remembers how he had fallen in love with the beauty of the hills and with lovely Madhumati, the daughter of a tribal chieftain. Ugranarayan, the dissolute owner of the timber estate where Anand (or Devendra) had worked as the manager abducts Madhumati. The incident drove her to commit suicide. Inconsolable, Anand too commits suicide. As the flashback comes to an end, Devendra’s chauffeur brings news that the road is clear but the train his wife was traveling in had met with an accident. Devendra rushes to the station. His wife, Radha, who resembles his lost love, Madhumati, is unharmed and safe with their child.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Photography : Dilip Gupta
Story : Agha Hasr Kashmiri
Screenplay : Nabendu Ghose
Art : Sudhendu Roy
Music & Lyrics : Shankar Jaikishan
Starring : Sohrab Modi, Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, Nigar Sultana, Baby Naaz, Kamala Laxman
Production : Savak Vatcha Productions

The story is set in Rome, then ruled by the tyrant, Brutus. During a victory march of the Emperor – a few pebbles are aimed at Brutus’ head. The culprit is discovered to be a little Jewish boy – he is at once ordered to be served as a meal to the lions. The boy’s father, an old Jew, is insulted by the Romans. As revenge the Jew’s slave kidnaps Brutus’s daughter, Hannah. She grows up in a Jewish home, ignorant about her past. The Roman, Mareus, falls in love with Hannah. The old Jew sends him away. Hannah recognizing Mareus at his wedding with Octavia charges him with deception, and a breach of promise to marry her. Later she withdraws her charge but by then Mareus admits his guilt and blinds himself. Hannah becomes his partner for life.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Photography : Kamal Bose
Story : Subodh Ghosh
Screenplay : Nabendu Ghose
Art : Sudhendu Roy
Music & Lyrics : Sachin Dev Burman
Starring : Sunil Dutt, Nutan, Shashikala, Lalita   Pawar
Production : Bimal Roy Productions

SYNOPSIS:

Sujata, a little infant, is discovered after the outbreak of an epidemic in a Harijan colony. She is adopted by the kind Upendranath Choudhury and his wife, Charu. Sujata becomes a lively companion for their only daughter, Rama. She grows up into a sensitive and charming young woman. Adhir, the nephew of a relative, is being considered a prospective bridegroom for Rama. Adhir, on the other hand, falls in love with the serene Sujata. This puts the Brahim family in a terrible quandary. At that point Charu, the foster mother, decides to reveal Sujata’s real identity, to make it public that she is born of low caste parents. Unable to bear the torment and strife in her foster family, Sujata decides to leave. Strange circumstances prove that she is as much a daughter as the biological one – and, it is only Sujata’s blood that can save her foster mother. In the end, all caste prejudices are thrown aside for a happy ending.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Photography : Kamal Bose
Story & Music : Salil Chowdhury
Art : Sudhendu Roy
Starring : Sadhana, Vasanta Chowdhury, Motilal, Durga Khote, Leela Chitnis
Production : Bimal Roy Productions

SYNOPSIS:

The postmaster of Radhanagar, a remote village, receives a. cheque of 5 lakh from one Sir J.C. Roy. The cheque comes with strict conditions. That it should be given to the most honest man of that village. The simple postmaster spends a sleepless night worrying what to do with the cheque. Finally he decides to call a meeting of five village elders and put matters in their hand. The men fail to reach an agreement. Overnight, the peace and quiet of the village is shattered. Greed forces all the powerful men to proclaim their honesty. The poor villagers are confused by the spirit of sacrifice and social service displayed by all the candidates. Only the schoolmaster, Rajat, an active social worker and very popular, does not indulge in such acts of sham bravado. Some try to spread nasty rumors about Rajat. But in the end it’s the fair and honest schoolmaster who is rewarded.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Music : Salil Chowdhury
Starring : Sadhana, Shashi Kapoor, Seema,   Chand Usmani
Production : Bimal Roy Productions

SYNOPSIS:

A promising medical student, Arun, is denied a scholarship to England because his co-student, Kavita, accuses him of intimidation. However Arun manages overseas funds and in the process becomes engaged to Tara, whose father funds Arun. Tara and Arun have never met. Their love letters slowly seal the beautiful relationship. Arun believes that Tara is a perfect life partner for him. But the wounds from his former classmate, Kavita, have not healed. In fact, he nurtures a deep-seated hatred for her. Unknown to Arun, Tara and Kavita are cousins. And the real Tara is not what Arun imagines. Stranger still is the fact that it is Kavita who writes the love letters to Arun on Tara’s behalf. This situation gets complicated with deceptions and deepening mysteries. All misunderstandings are finally resolved when the truth comes out of the closet.
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Direction : Bimal Roy
Photography : Kamal Bose
Story : Jarasandha
Music : Sachin Dev Burman
Starring : Nutan, Dharmendra, Ashok Kumar
Production : Bimal Roy Productions

SYNOPSIS:

Set in the women’s ward of a gloomy prison, the film reveals the tragic circumstances that forced Kalyani to commit a heinous crime for which she is serving a prison sentence. The young prison doctor, a man with progressive views, would like to marry her, but Kalyani cannot make her decision. She cares for the freedom fighter, who had made a deep impression on her youthful, romantic mind. He promised to marry her and then disappeared until their fateful meeting in a public hospital where she discovers him by accident as a married man. Kalyani’s moral dilemma and her struggle for social legitimacy make a poignant tale of profound significance in a culture where gender justice remains a distant dream.
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How Kerosene tins are made ( 1932/33 )
Grand Trunk Road ( 1932/33 )
Bengal famine ( 1943 )

Nalla Thangal ( 1934 )
Devdas ( 1935 )
Meera ( 1936 )
Grihadaha ( 1936 )
Maya ( 1936 )
Mukti ( 1937 )
Chambe di Kali ( 1938 )
Barididi ( 1939 )
Abnhinetri ( 1940 )
Udayer Pathey ( 1944 )
Hamrahi ( 1946 )