Piyush Roy
(Piyush is an Indian National Film Award winning journalist, novelist,
film historian and former Editor of Stardust.)
Remembering Rituparno…
It has been over three years since the shocking, untimely demise of filmmaker
turned actor, and style icon, Rituparno Ghosh. Bengali and Indian cinema is yet to
present a post-2000 auteur of similar merit, dare, range or rebellion since.
A month before his death, I had interacted with Ghosh at the 60th Indian National
Awards ceremony. That image of the impeccably dressed director, fervently
cheering for every fellow winner from Bengali cinema that evening remains afresh.
I too was a recipient of his warm encouragement, when called on stage to pick my
Best Film Critic Special Mention that year. The goodwill was more than
reciprocated by other awardees when Ghosh went on stage for his 12th National
Award for Chitrangada (2012), a special jury honour for his introspective direction
and felt portrayal of the emotional cost of undergoing a sex change operation.
Having bagged the National Award for Best Film with his second film (Unishe April,
1994), the two-time Best Director winner (Utsab, Abohoman) had picked up
another seven awards in the categories of Best Bengali (Asukh, Shubho Mahurat,
Choker Bali, Shab Charitro Kalponik, Abohoman), Hindi (Raincoat) and English (The
35