B. N. Sircar

B. N. Sircar (Birendranath Sircar)
Born 1901
Died 1980
Calcutta, India
Occupation film producer

B. N. Sircar (Birendranath Sircar) (1901–1980) was an Indian film producer and the Founder of New Theatres Calcutta. He made Bengali films that were noted for introducing many Famous Film Directors. He was awarded the Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1970.

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Early life

He was born in Bhagalpur to the then Advocate-General of Bengal, Sir N. N. Sircar. He studied Engineering at the University of London and on returning to India he was asked to build a Cinema Hall. He then decided to build one for himself and involved himself in making of two silent ventures.

Career

In 1931, he created the legendary New Theatres Calcutta. A stickler for quality, Sircar attracted directors such as PC Barua, Premankor Atharthi, Debaki Bose, Dhiren Ganguly, Bimal Roy and Phani Majumdar under his wings. Actors such as KL Saigal, Pahadi Sanyal, Amar Mullick, Kanan Devi, Chandrabati Devi, Lila Desai Leela Desai and Prithviraj Kapoor were on his payroll. Technicians like Mukul Bose (Sound Recordist- Director), Yusuf Moolji (Cameraman), Nitin Bose (Cameraman-Director) and Subodh Mitra (Editor) were well aware of the various technical innovations being introduced in Hollywood and Europe and were able to adapt many of these within the limitations of the New Theatres Studio lot. Music composers and singers such as RC Boral, Timir Baran and Pankaj Mullick too were associated with New Theatres productions.[1] He was the President of the BMPA in the late 1940s [2] [3]

New Theatres

New Theatres Calcutta was formed by producer B. N. Sircar (Birendranath Sircar, the recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award of 1970). It was formed on 10 February 1931.

Dena Paona, a Bengali talkie, was released in 1931, directed by Premankur Atarthi and produced by New Theatres. Famous musician Raichand Boral composed for this movie.

In 1935, P.C. Barua directed and acted in Devdas, based on Saratchandra Chatterjee's novel Devdas, and this film became phenomenally successful in the industry.

In 1935, playback singing was first used in India in the Bengali film Bhagya Chakra by Nitin Bose. The singers were K C Dey, Parul Ghosh and Suprabha Sarkar.[4] Dhoop Chhaon, Hindi remake of this film, was the first Hindi film to use playback singing.[5]

Kanan Devi was the first popular star actress, who appeared in many films produced by New Theatres. Also there was a group of talented actors with New Theatres like K.L. Saigal, K. C. Dey, Prithviraj Kapoor, Chhabi Biswas, Bikash Roy, Pahari Sanyal, Basanta Choudhury.

Top directors like Premankur Atarthi, P.C. Barua, Debaki Bose and Nitin Bose worked in New Theatres films. The Famous musicians who worked there include R. C. Boral, Pankaj Mullick and Timir Baran.

Filmography[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ B.N.Sircar Upperstall Profile
  2. ^ http://www.cinemanthan.info/index.php/2011/03/bnsircar/
  3. ^ Bagiswar Jha : B.N. Sircar : A monograph; Seagull Books, Calcutta (1990)
  4. ^ "Bhagya Chakra (1935)". www.imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156353/. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
  5. ^ "Dhoop Chhaon (1935)". www.imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379255/. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
  6. ^ Sur, Ansu (1999). Ansu Sur. ed. Bengali film directory. Nandan, Calcutta. p. 319. 
  7. ^ New Theatres Is Back

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1969–1980
1981–2000
2001–present
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