Birsa Dasgupta – Bengali Filmmaker of present times

Birsa Dasgupta is an Indian filmmaker associated with Bengali cinema in present-day times. After directing a few music videos and telefilms, he turned a full-fledged director with 033 in 2010. He later directed the films – Jaani Dekha Hobe, Obhishopto Nighty, Golpo Holeo Shotti, Gangster, Shudhu Tomari Jonyo, Bibaho Obhijaan, Crisscross, One, Shob Bhooturey etc. A few of his works are remakes of super hit Hindi films. He belongs to a family of filmmakers, and he, along with his younger brother Ribhu Dasgupta represents the third generation of filmmakers from his family. His wife Bidipta Chakraborty is a Bengali film, television and stage actress. National award winning actress – Sudipta Chakraborty is his sister-in-law.

Birsa Dasgupta belongs to a family of filmmakers from Kolkata, Bengal. His grandfather Harisadhan Dasgupta was a pioneer of Bengali documentary cinema and his grandmother Sonali Dasgupta was a Bengali screenwriter. His father Raja Dasgupta and his younger brother Ribhu Dasgupta too are filmmakers, while his mother Chaitali Dasgupta is an actress and TV presenter. Birsa followed the footsteps of his father and grandfather and chose filmmaking as his career. 

After schooling from G D Birla School, Birsa enrolled for his graduation classes. However he quit studies and took camera in his hand. To learn more about filmmaking he moved to Mumbai, and started his career as an assistant director of movies and television. He also worked with publishing house, MiD DAY. The turning point of his life happened when he joined as assistant of Anurag Kashyap for Black Friday in 2004. After sometime he moved back to hometown to start his career in Bengali cinema. He started off with Bengali telefilms in 2006. In 2010 he directed his first movie.

Birsa Dasgupta – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. His paternal grandmother Sonali Dasgupta’s second husband is Italian film director, Roberto Rossellini, a pioneer of Italian neorealist cinema.

2. His younger brother stayed with him in Mumbai, when Birsa just started his career, and later joined Birsa’s field after quitting his studies. Both worked as assistant directors under Anurag Kashyap during their initial phase in the industry.

3. Before he turned a full-fledged director, he shot a music video for Indian Ocean band – Arey Ruk Ja Re Bandeh.

4. Ekti Romharshak Dakatir Golpo and K are among his major telefilms. In fact Ekti Romharshak Dakatir Golpo was showcased at Thrissur International Film Festival.