Kaushik Ganguly (born 4 August 1968) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor in Bengali cinema. He has received several awards including six National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards Bangla. Kaushik Ganguly is known for making films that explore various aspects sexuality, like Ushnatar Janye (2003), which deals with a lesbian relationship, and Arekti Premer Golpo (2010), which examines transgender identity & Nagarkirtan (2017), an LGBTQ Movie. In 2019, Film Companion ranked Ridhi Sen's performance in Nagarkirtan which was directed by Ganguly, among 100 Greatest Performances of the decade.

Life

Ganguly was born in Kolkata on 4 August 1968. His father was guitarist Sunil Ganguly. He attended Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur and later Jadavpur University where he worked on a degree in Bengali literature. While at university, he started a theatre troupe with his future wife actress Churni Ganguly and Suman Mukhopadhyay (who would later become a film director). In 1987, Ganguly began working as a screenwriter for Tollywood films. He married actress Churni Ganguly in January 1993 They have a son actor Ujaan Ganguly

In 1995, he moved to ETV Bangla to direct telefilms like Ushnatar Janye, Ulka and Aatithi. These telefilms incorporated elements like lesbianism and sex determination that had not been depicted in Bengali television productions before.

The Director Kaushik Ganguly with the Cast and crew of ‘Bastu Shaap’ at a press conference, during the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2016), in Panaji, Goa

Career

Kaushik made his directorial debut with Waarish (2004). After his debut, over the years, he has directed more than 15 films and along the way has won several awards. Few of his most notable films include Laptop, which won the National Award for Best Background Music in 2011, Shabdo (2012), which won the National Award for Best Bengali Film and Chotoder Chobi (2015). His 2017 directorial venture includes Chaya O Chobi, a Bengali drama starring Abir Chatterjee, Koel Mallick and Ritwick Chakraborty, Nagarkirtan, an LGBTQ+ movie starring Riddhi Sen and Ritwick Chakraborty.his filmmking craft highly influenced by Gulzar and Rituparno Ghosh.

Filmography

Director

Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearFilmRef
2004Waarish
2005Shunyo E Buke
Ek Mutho Chabi
2009Brake Fail
Jackpot
2010Arekti Premer Golpo
2011Rang Milanti
2012Laptop
ShabdoThe film won the 60th National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Bengali.
2013C/O Sir
Apur Panchali
2014Khaad
Chotoder Chobi
2016Bastu Shaap
Cinemawala
2017Bishorjan
Chaya O Chobi
NagarkirtanNational award Best Feature Film (special mention)
2018Drishtikone
Kishore Kumar Junior
2019Bijoya
JyeshthoputroNational Award for Best Original Screenplay
2022Lokkhi Chele
2023Kaberi Antardhan
Ardhangini
Palaan
2024Lantrani
Ajogyo
2025Dhumketu
2026Ajo Ardhangini
Waiting Room

Notable acting roles

YearFilm/ Web SeriesDirector
2010Notobor NotoutKamaleshwar Mukherjee
2012LaptopKaushik Ganguly
2013Kangal MalsatSuman Mukhopadhyay
2014KhaadKaushik Ganguly
NirbashitoChurni Ganguly
ChotushkoneSrijit Mukherji
2016Bastu ShaapKaushik Ganguly
2017BishorjanKaushik Ganguly
2018DrishtikoneKaushik Ganguly
Ka Kha Ga GhaKrishnendu Chatterjee
2019BijoyaKaushik Ganguly
Shankar MudiAniket Chattopadhyay
TarikhChurni Ganguly
Saat No. Shanatan SanyalAnnapurna Basu
KedaraIndraadip Dasgupta
2021Ei Ami RenuSaumen Sur
2022Tiktiki (web series)Dhrubo Banerjee
Prankenstein (web series)Sagnik Chatterjee
BismillahIndraadip Dasgupta
KothamritoJiit Chakraborty
Shubho BijoyaRohan Sen
UttwaranIndraadip Dasgupta
2023Shikarpur (web series)Nirjhar Mitra
Kaberi AntardhanKaushik Ganguly
Aaro Ek PrithibiAtanu Ghosh
Rajneeti (web series)Sourav Chakraborty
2024MirzaSumeet - Saahil
Rajneeti Season 2 (web series)Sourav Chakraborty
2025Binodiini: Ekti Natir UpakhyanRam Kamal Mukherjee
Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu NeiSrijit Mukherji
Lokkhikantopur LocalRam Kamal Mukherjee

Television

Screenwriter

Awards

Ganguly (second from right) receiving the 'ICFT –UNESCO Award' for the film Cinemawala at IFFI 2015

Kaushik Ganguly received multiple awards for his role in various films.

YearAward editionFilmAward
201260th National Film AwardsShabdoBest Feature Film in Bengali
201563rd National Film AwardsChotoder ChobiBest Film on Other Social Issues
201764th National Film AwardsBishorjonBest Feature Film in Bengali
201865th National Film AwardsNagarkirtanSpecial Jury Award (Feature Film)
202167th National Film AwardsJyeshthoputroBest Original Screenplay
202470th National Film AwardsKaberi AntardhanBest Feature Film in Bengali

External links