Basu Chatterjee: Master of the gentle middle class urban story

Mona

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4

Artistes never die, they say. They live in their works long after they are gone…As Hindi film industry loses one gem after another, it’s rather hard to hold heart.

Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Yogesh Gaur, Wajid Khan, life cut rather short for many of them — that Basu Chatterjee died due to age-related issues offers little condolence.

Chatterjee, who celebrated his 90th birthday this January, passed away in sleep on Thursday morning at his residence in Mumbai.

Also read: Basu Chatterjee who directed ‘Rajnigandha’ and ‘Chhoti Si Baat’ dies in Mumbai

Known for making ‘content-driven cinema’ back in 1970s and 80s, this director, producer, screenwriter has left behind a cinematic legacy in Rajnigandha (1974),  Chitchor (1976), Khatta Meetha (1978), Baton Baton Mein (1979), Chameli Ki Shaadi (1986), Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986) and more. A fun take on common man’s problems was the heart of his repertoire replete in humour and satire.  Amol Palekar may just be his quintessential hero, he also cast ‘stars’ in his ‘simple’ stories.

Born in Ajmer, Chatterjee worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for close to two decades before turning towards film lanes. He assisted the likes of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya, before debuting as a director with ‘Sara Akash’ in 1969. He also wrote screenplay for his first that was based on a novel with the same name by Rajendra Yadav.

Getting Filmfare Best Screenplay Award for his first film was one of the many laurels he was set to achieve, including IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award (2007), National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare for Durga (1992) and Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie for Rajnigandha (1975).

“Master of the gentle middle class urban story,” rightfully ascribed by Joy Bhattacharya, television as much Chatterjee’s canvas as silver screen. ‘Rajani’ that took government departments to task over laxity got immense love, catapulting Rajani aka Priya Tendulkar to unprecedented fame. Amongst others it was ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’ series, two seasons of which Chatterjee directed winning audience much critical acclaim.

Survived by two daughters, the filmmaker who made about 50 films is mourned by many, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, in a tweet, called Chatterjee’s works “brilliant and sensitive that touched people’s hearts and represented the simple and complex emotions, as well as struggles of people”. Shabana Azmi who did three films — Swami, Apne Paraye and Jeena Yahan — with Chatterjee called him “a prolific filmmaker, pioneer of what came to be regarded as middle of the road cinema”.

Along with Hindi industry, Chatterjee continued his involvement with Bengali cinema till 2011.  He may have breathed his last but he would always be hailed as a master storyteller. “A film is a language in itself,” Chatterjee was quoted as saying in an interview once, crediting world cinema – Italian, French, German and Japanese — that goaded him to explore stories beyond the regular ‘masala’ format.

We bring nothing with us when we come into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave but then the artistes leave their signature to live long after they are gone… Rajanigandhaa fool tumhaare, mahake yoo hee jeewan mein!