Indian film director (1923–2018)
Mrinal Sen (/mrɪˈnɑːl/ Bengali pronunciation: [/mriːˈnal/] Bengali , and a fewHindi andTelugu language films. Regarded as one of the finest Indian filmmakers, along with his contemporariesSatyajit Ray ,Ritwik Ghatak , andTapan Sinha , Sen played a major role in India'sparallel cinema movement, which offered a realistic, socially aware counterpoint to splashyBollywood films, as well as in the country's New Wave cinema.[ 2] [ 3] FTII from 1984 to 1986.
Sen received various national and international honors including eighteen IndianNational Film Awards . The Government of India honored him with thePadma Bhushan , and the Government of France honored him with theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres , while Russian Government honored him with theOrder of Friendship . Sen was also awarded theDadasaheb Phalke Award , the highest award for filmmakers in India.[ 4]
He was one of the few Indian filmmakers to have won awards at the big three film festivals viz.,Cannes ,Venice and theBerlinale .[ 3] [ 5] Marxist ".[ 6]
Mrinal was born into a Hindu family inFaridpur district, East Bengal —nowBangladesh . His father, Dineshchandra Sen, was a lawyer who supported Indian freedom fighters.[ 7] [ 8]
In the early 1940s, Mrinal moved toKolkata to study physics atScottish Church College .[ 2] Partition in 1947 , his family settled in Kolkata permanently.[ 7]
A voracious reader, he spent hours at theNational Library of India (then the Imperial Library), reading books amid the political unrest of the time. In the evenings, he worked as a private tutor. One day, he came acrossRudolf Arnheim 'sFilm as Art , followed by Vladimir Nilsen'sThe Cinema as a Graphic Art —books that profoundly influenced his journey into filmmaking.[ 9] [ 7]
He became involved with theIndian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), backed by the Communist Party of India.[ 10] Ritwik Ghatak ,Salil Chowdhury ,Tapan Sinha , and occasionallyBijan Bhattacharya —spent hours inadda Basusree Cinema hall , where, in 1955, they first watched Satyajit Ray'sPather Panchali [ 7]
Around this time, Mrinal met Geeta Shome (née Sen), whom he married in 1953. As a token of his affection, the first gift he gave her wasNotes from the Gallows Julius Fučík .[ 7]
Mrinal Sen directedBhuvan Shome Mr. Shome , 1969), which initiated the "New Wave Cinema Movement" in India.[ 11]
[ edit ] The films that he made next were essentially political, and earned him the reputation as aMarxist artist.[ 12] Naxalite movement. This phase was immediately followed by a series of films where he shifted his focus, and instead of looking for enemies outside, he looked for the enemy within his own middle-class society. This was arguably his most creative phase.
Depiction of Kolkata [ edit ] In many Mrinal Sen movies fromPunascha (1961) toMahaprithivi (1992), Kolkata features prominently. He has shown Kolkata as a character and as an inspiration. He has beautifully woven the people, value system, class differences, and the roads of the city into his movies and coming-of-age for Kolkata, his El Dorado.[ 13]
In 1982, he was a member of the jury at the32nd Berlin International Film Festival .[ 14] 13th Moscow International Film Festival .[ 15] 20th Moscow International Film Festival .[ 16] Government of West Bengal to felicitate film personalities from the state. As per reports, his political views are believed to be the reason for his omission from the function.[ 17]
Sen had age-related ailments for many years. He died on 30 December 2018 at the age of 95 at his home inBhawanipore , Kolkata.[ 18] [ 19]
National Film Awards [ edit ] Best Feature Film
Second Best Feature Film
Best Direction
Best Screenplay
Special Mention
Best Regional Film Awards [ edit ] Best Feature Film in Bengali
Best Feature Film in Telugu
Critics Award for Best Film Mrigayaa Best Screenplay Khandhar Akaler Shandhaney Bengali Cinema International awards [ edit ] 4th International Film Festival of India - Jury Prize -Bhuvan Shome - 1969[ 20] Moscow International Film Festival - Silver Prize –Parashuram [ 21] Chorus [ 22] Karlovy Vary International Film Festival - Special Jury PrizeOka Oori Katha Berlin International Film Festival Parashuram Akaler Sandhane Grand Jury Prize [ 23] 1981 Akaler Sandhane Cannes Film Festival -Jury Prize Kharij Valladolid International Film Festival -Golden Spike Kharij Chicago International Film Festival - Gold HugoKhandhar Montreal World Film Festival - Special Prize of the JuryKhandhar Venice Film Festival - OCIC Award - Honorable MentionEk Din Achanak Cairo International Film Festival - Silver Pyramid for Best DirectorAamar Bhuban State and institutional honors [ edit ] In 1979, he was awarded the Nehru Soviet Land Award by theUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics for his contribution to world cinema. In 1981, theGovernment of India awarded Sen with thePadma Bhushan .[ 24] In 1985, PresidentFrançois Mitterrand , thePresident of France , awarded him the Commandeur deOrdre des Arts et des Lettres (Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters)[ 25] In 1993, he was awarded an honorary D.Litt. by theUniversity of Burdwan . In 1996, he was awarded an honorary D.Litt. byJadavpur University . In 1999, he was awarded an honorary D.Litt. byRabindra Bharati University .[ 26] Between 1998 and 2003, he was made an Honorary Member of theIndian Parliament in theRajya Sabha . In 2000, PresidentVladimir Putin of theRussian Federation honored him with theOrder of Friendship . In 2005, theDadasaheb Phalke Award , the highest honor given to an Indian filmmaker, was awarded to him by theGovernment of India for the year2003 .[ 27] In 2009, he was awarded an honorary D. Litt., by theUniversity of Calcutta .[ 28] In 2017, he was inducted as a member of theOscar Academy[ 29] ^ Genzlinger, Neil (3 January 2019)."Mrinal Sen, One of India's Leading Directors, Dies at 95 (Published 2019)" .The New York Times . Retrieved13 August 2023 . ^a b Genzlinger, Neil (3 January 2019)."Mrinal Sen, One of India's Leading Directors, Dies at 95" .The New York Times .ISSN 0362-4331 . Archived fromthe original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved4 April 2025 . ^a b "Memories from Mrinalda" .Rediff . Rediff.com. 1 February 2005.Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved27 January 2010 .^ "Mrinal SEN - Festival de Cannes 2021" .festival-cannes.com .Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved25 February 2022 .^ "Mrinal SEN - Festival de Cannes 2021" .festival-cannes.com .Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved25 February 2022 .^ Tuhina Mondol (31 December 2018)."Mrinal Sen — the 'accidental filmmaker' .The Statesman . Retrieved27 January 2020 . ^a b c d e মুখোপাধ্যায়, সঞ্জয় (17 January 2019). "সময়ের আয়না ও মৃণাল সেন".Desh 22– 23. ^ Bergan, Ronald (7 January 2019)."Mrinal Sen obituary" .The Guardian ISSN 0261-3077 . Archived fromthe original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved4 April 2025 . ^ Ghosh, Devarsi."One Hundred Years of Mrinal Sen" .Jacobin Archived from the original on 11 January 2025. Retrieved4 April 2025 . ^ Obituaries, Telegraph (11 March 2019)."Mrinal Sen, film director whose work was fuelled by his radical politics – obituary" .The Telegraph .ISSN 0307-1235 . Retrieved4 April 2025 . ^ Vasudev, Aruna (1986).The New Indian Cinema . Macmillan India.ISBN 0-333-90928-3 ^ Thorval, Yves (2000).Cinemas of India . Macmillan India. pp. 280– 282.ISBN 0-333-93410-5 ^ Roy, Mousumi (31 December 2018)."Mrinal Sen the Unpredictable Maverick" .TheQuint . Retrieved13 August 2023 . ^ "Berlinale 1982: Juries" .berlinale.de .Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved2 September 2010 .^ "13th Moscow International Film Festival (1983)" .MIFF . Archived fromthe original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved28 January 2013 .^ "20th Moscow International Film Festival (1997)" .MIFF . Archived fromthe original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved22 March 2013 .^ "Omission of Mrinal Sen from West Bengal film awards triggers controversy" . 25 July 2012.Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved25 July 2012 .^ "Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen dies at 95" . 30 December 2018.Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved30 December 2018 .^ "Mrinal Sen, legendary filmmaker and Phalke awardee, passes away at 95" .The Indian Express . 30 December 2018.Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved30 December 2018 .^ "4th IFFI" . 23 November 2019.Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved16 September 2022 .^ "11th Moscow International Film Festival (1979)" .MIFF . Archived fromthe original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved19 January 2013 .^ "9th Moscow International Film Festival (1975)" .MIFF . Archived fromthe original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved5 January 2013 .^ "Berlinale 1981: Prize Winners" .berlinale.de .Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved22 August 2010 .^ "Padma Awards" (PDF) . Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved21 July 2015 .^ Publications, Europa (27 October 2023).The International Who's Who 2004 ISBN 9781857432176 Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved17 June 2022 . ^ "Stellar Publishers" .Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved26 October 2013 .^ "51st National Film Awards" (PDF) .Directorate of Film Festivals .Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved15 March 2012 .^ "Annual Convocation" .University of Calcutta . Archived fromthe original on 28 May 2012.^ "Academy invites record 774 new members; 39 percent female, 30 percent people color" .The Hollywood Reporter . 29 June 2017.Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved29 June 2017 .
Awards for Mrinal Sen
1969–1980 1981–2000 2001–2020 2021–present
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1967–1980 1981–2000 2001–2020 2021–present
1967–1980 1981–2000 2001–2020
2021–present
1978–1980 1981–2000 2001–2020 Panoi-Jongki (2001) Jyothirmayi (2002) H. G. Dattatreya andNedumudi Venu (2003) Gurdas Maan andPradeep Nair (2004) – (2005) Thilakan andProsenjit Chatterjee (2006) – (2007) – (2008) Padmapriya Janakiraman (2009) K. Shivaram Karanth and V. I. S. Jayabalan(2010) Mallika andSherrey (2011) Lal ,H. G. Dattatreya ,Bishnu Kharghoria ,Parineeti Chopra ,Tannishtha Chatterjee , Hansraj Jagtap, andThilakan (2012) Gauri Gadgil, Sanjana Rai, andAnjali Patil (2013) Musthafa, Palomi Ghosh, andParth Bhalerao (2014) Rinku Rajguru ,Jayasurya , andRitika Singh (2015) Kadvi Hawa Mukti Bhawan Adil Hussain , andSonam Kapoor (2016) Pankaj Tripathi ,Parvathy ,Prakruti Mishra , and Yasharaj Karhade(2017) Sruthi Hariharan , Chandrachoor Rai,Joju George , andSavithri Sreedharan (2018) Sajin Babu,Benjamin Daimary , Lata Kare andAbhijeet Mohan Warang (2019) Aimee Baruah , Kavya Prakash,Siddharth Menon ,Kishor Kadam and Varun Buddhadev(2020) 2021–present
Special Jury Award (1969–present) Special Mention (2015–present) Centenary Award (2012–2014)
1969–1980 1981–2000 2001–present
Famine Issues People Artists, photographers Directors, writers Media
International National Artists People Other
