Abhi Bhattacharya (20 November 1921 – 11 August 1993) was an Indian actor of

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

and Bengali cinema, who is most remembered for his roles in films of the 1950s and the 1960s, such as ''

Yatrik Yatrik, a 1952 Indian film directed by ''Kartick Chatterjee'', depicts a group of pilgrims on an arduous trek in the high Himalayas. It is the Hindi-language version of the Bengali film '' Mahaprasthaner Pathey'', the film made from the book of ...

'' (1952), ''

Jagriti ''Jagriti'' () is a 1954 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Satyen Bose. It was based on the 1949 Bengali film ''Paribartan'' that Bose had also directed. The film stars Rajkumar Gupta, Abhi Bhattacharya, and Ratan Kumar in the lead roles. T ...

'' (1954), '' Anuradha'' (1960) and '' Subarnarekha'' (1965). In his four decade long acting career he performed in more than 150 films in Hindi and 21 in Bengali. Abhi Bhattacharya worked with eminent film directors of India such as

Ritwik Ghatak Ritwik Kumar Ghatak (; 4 November 19256 February 1976) was a noted Indian film director, screenwriter, and playwright. Along with prominent contemporary Bengali filmmakers Satyajit Ray, Tapan Sinha and Mrinal Sen, his cinema is primarily rememb ...

, Guru Dutt,

Bimal Roy Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 8 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as '' Do Bigha Zamin'', '' Parineeta'', '' Biraj Bahu'', ''Devdas'', ''Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' ...

and

Satyen Bose Satyen Bose (22 January 1916 – 9 June 1993) was a film director from India. He has directed both Bengali and Hindi language films. Among his most notable films are ''Raat Aur Din, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Dosti'', and '' Jagriti''. ''Jagriti'' w ...

Early life

Abhi was born in a village close to ''

Rajshahi Rajshahi ( bn, রাজশাহী, ) is a metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous division and district. Located on the north bank of the P ...

'' town of undivided

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

(now in Bangladesh). He lost his mother at the age of seven. After his father remarried, young Abhi was sent to ''

Gaya (India) Gaya (IAST: ) is a city, municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Gaya district and Magadh division of the Indian state of Bihar. Gaya is south of Patna and is the state's second-largest city, with a population of 470,839 ...

'' to live with his maternal uncle and spent his formative years. He did well in school and sports. His aunt inculcated in him the love for drama, music and poetry, particularly those of

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...

. Gradually he developed a passion for films. After graduation, he started working at an American air base.

Film career

His film career started when Hiten Chaudhuri asked him to come to

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...

for film related work. While in Bombay he applied for the screen test in response to an advertisement of

Bombay Talkies Bombay Talkies was a movie studio founded in 1934. During its period of operation, Bombay Talkies produced 40 movies in Malad, a suburb of the Indian city of Bombay. The studio was established in 1934 by Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani. After R ...

and was selected in the role of hero in "Noukadubi", a film based on a novel by Tagore, directed by

Nitin Bose Nitin Bose (26 April 1897 – 14 April 1986) was an Indian film director, cinematographer and screenwriter of the nation's film industry. He was born in Calcutta and died in the same city. In the 1930s and early 1940s, he worked with New Theatr ...

Bhattacharya subsequently shifted to Calcutta when

Birendranath Sircar Birendranath Sircar (also Sarkar; 5 July 1901 – 28 November 1980) was an Indian film producer and the founder of New Theatres Calcutta. He made Bengali-language films that were noted for introducing many film directors who later became famo ...

of ''

New Theatres New Theatres is an Indian film studio. It was formed in Calcutta by producer B. N. Sircar (Birendranath Sircar, the recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award of 1970). It was formed on 10 February 1931. Motto of this company was– ''Jivatang Jyotir ...

'' invited him to act in the double version film ''Mahaprasthaner Pathey (1952)'' (Bengali) / ''

'' Hindi (1952). Around the same time he acted in the film ''Ratnadeep (1951)'' (Hindi), directed by

Debaki Bose Debaki Bose (1898–1971), also known as Debaki Kumar Bose, was an Indian director, writer, and actor who is recognized for his contribution in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. He was born on 25 November 1898 in Akalposh, (now East Burdwan), Bu ...

. Tamil version of the film, ''

Ratna Deepam ''Ratna Deepam'' () is a 1953 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Debaki Bose. The film stars Abhi Bhattacharya and Anupama. Plot A son in a rich family has gone missing for a long time. A man intrudes into the family feigning as their los ...

'' was released subsequently. In 1950s and in 1960s, Abhi Bhattacharya was quite sought after by the directors and producers of the Bombay film industry and he played opposite heroines like

Madhubala Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer who worked in Hindi-language films. She ranked as one of the highest-paid entertainers in India in the post-independence era, ...

, Mala Sinha,

Geeta Bali Geeta Bali (born Harkirtan Kaur; 1930 ‒ 21 January 1965) was an Indian actress who appeared in Hindi language films. She was the wife of noted film actor Shammi Kapoor. Early life Geeta Bali was born as Harikirtan Kaur in Amritsar in the Pu ...

Madhabi Mukherjee Madhabi Chakraborty (''née'' Mukherjee; born 10 February 1942) is an Indian actress. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Bengali film ''Dibratrir Kabya''. She has acted in some of the most critically ac ...

. His other memorable films included ''Biraj Bahu (1954)'' by

, ''

'' (1954) and ''Parichay (1954)'' by

, ''Naata (1955)'' by D.N.Madhok, '' Sailaab (1956)'' by Guru Dutt, ''Apradhi Kaun (1957)'' by Asit Sen, '' Subarnarekha (film)'' (1965) in Bangla by

, ''Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (1966)'' by

Hemen Gupta Hemen Gupta was an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter in Hindi language films and Bengali language films. Early life Hemen Gupta was born on 21 March 1914, in Rajmahal, Jharhand, India. His father, Purnanand Gupta, worked in the ...

. He won

Filmfare award The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...

(1956) for his role as the ''Best Supporting actor'' in the film ''

''.

Religious activism

Later in life, around 1971, he gradually began to focus more on spirituality through his association with Dadaji (whose name as a householder was Shri Amiya Roy Chowdhury). Bhattacharya became Dadaji's companion and helped spread his teachings. For about last two decades of his life, whenever Dadaji came to Bombay, Bhattacharya's house at Carter road acted as a rallying point for distinguished people from different walks of life who wanted to meet Dadaji. Abhi Bhattacharya wrote a book, narrating his realisations from experiences with Dadaji, titled ''Destiny with Dadaji''. The book was edited by Ann Mills, who made it public online.

Filmography

* ''

Noukadubi ''Noukadubi'' ( bn, নৌকাডুবি, ''Boat wreck'') is a Bengali novel written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1906. The novel was first published in Bangadarshan, a Bengali literary magazine which was under the editorship of Rabindranath ...

'' (1947) * ''

'' (1952) * ''

Biraj Bahu ''Biraj Bahu'' is a 1954 Hindi film produced by Hiten Choudhury and directed by Bimal Roy, and based on a Bengali novel by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay. The film stars Kamini Kaushal, Abhi Bhattacharya and Pran and has music by Salil Chowdhury. ...

'' (1954) * ''

'' (1953) * ''

'' (1954) *'' Naata'' (1955) * '' Sailaab'' (1956) * ''

Apradhi Kaun? ''Apradhi Kaun?'' () is a 1982 Indian Hindi-language mystery film directed by Mohan Bhakri and produced by K.M. Bhakri. It marked the debut of Javed Khan. Plot The story revolves around a young boy, Anand, who is wrongfully accused of the m ...

'' (1957) * '' Anuradha'' (1960) * '' Meghe Dhaka Tara'' (1960) * '' Shola Aur Shabnam'' (1961) * ''

Dosti Dosti may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Dosti'' (1964 film), an Indian black-and-white Hindi film. * ''Dosti'' (1971 film), a Pakistani Urdu film * '' Dosti: Friends Forever'', a 2005 Indian Hindi romantic-drama buddy film * ''Dosti'' ...

'' (1964) as Headmaster * '' Subarnarekha'' (1965) * ''

Mahabharat The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuru ...

'' (1965) * ''

Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna ''Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna'' is a 1967 Indian Kannada film, directed by B. T. Athani and produced by Neminatha Gat. The film stars V. S. Patil, Kamini Kadam, Dada Salavi, and Rajashekar in lead roles. The film had a musical score by Lakshma ...

'' (1966) * ''

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Subhas Chandra Bose ( ; 23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945 * * * * * * * * *) was an Indian nationalist whose defiance of British authority in India made him a hero among Indians, but his wartime alliances with Nazi Germany and Imperi ...

'' (1966) * ''

Naunihal Naunihal is a 1967 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Raj Marbros starring Sanjeev Kumar, Balraj Sahni and Indrani Mukherjee in lead roles. The film's music was composed by Madan Mohan, with lyrics by Kaifi Azmi, including the song "Me ...

'' (1967) * '' Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai'' (1967) * '' ''Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke'' (1969) * '' Aradhana'' (1969) * '' Seema'' (1971) * '' Sansar'' (1971) * ''

Amar Prem ''Amar Prem'' () is a 1972 Indian Hindi romantic drama film directed by Shakti Samanta. It is a remake of the Bengali film ''Nishi Padma'' (1970), directed by Arabinda Mukherjee, who wrote screenplay for both the films based on the Bengali sh ...

'' (1972) * ''

Seeta Aur Geeta ''Seeta aur Geeta'' () is a 1972 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film, written by Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar) and directed by Ramesh Sippy. It stars Hema Malini, Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar in leading roles, and features mus ...

'' (1972) * ''

Samadhi ''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...

'' (1972) *'' Mera Desh Mera Dharam'' (1973) * '' Bhagat Dhanna Jatt'' (1974) * '' Dost'' (1974) * '' Imtihan'' (1974) * '' Amanush'' (1975) * '' Pratigya'' (1975) * '' Do Anjaane'' (1976) * '' Phool aur Insaan'' (1976) *'' Solah Shukrawar'' (1977)... Acharya * '' Mera Rakshak'' (1978) * ''

Dhuan ''Dhuan'' ( hi, Smoke) is a 1981 Hindi-language thriller film, produced by Gautham Guha under the Sri Sai Chitra banner and directed by Dulal Guha. It stars Mithun Chakraborty, Ranjeeta, Raakhee, Amjad Khan and Jeetendra in a guest appearance ...

'' (1981) * '' Barsaat Ki Ek Raat'' (1981) * ''Commander'' (1981) * ''

Hari Darshan ''Hari Darshan'' is a 1972 Bollywood religious film directed by Chandrakant. The film stars Dara Singh & other artists of Indian film Industry, who portray different characters during the time of Bhakt Prahlad. The story revolves around the dev ...

'' (1982) –

Lord Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

in various avatars * ''

Jamuna Kinare ''Jamuna Kinare'' is a 1984 Braj Bhasha language film based on Braj culture. It was produced by Kaka Hathrasi and directed by Dr. Laxminarayan Garg. The story was written by Ashok Chakradhar. Lyrics was written by Kaka Hathrasi, Natharam Sharm ...

'' (1984) – Pandit Baijnath * ''

Harishchandra Shaibya ''Harishchandra Shaibya'' is a Bengali religious drama film directed by Ardhendu Chatterjee based on Hindu mythological story of legendary King Harishchandra. This film was released on 30 August 1985 under the banner of B. B. M. Group Of Produc ...

'' (1985) * '' Woh Din Aayega'' (1987) as Thakur * '' Khooni Darinda'' (1987) – Jagatguru Sankaracharya, Jailor * '' Daku Hasina'' (1987) – Village School Master * ''

Khudgarz Khudgarz () is a 1987 Indian Hindi-language action drama film, produced and directed by Rakesh Roshan under the Film Kraft banner. It stars Jeetendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Govinda, Bhanupriya, Amrita Singh and Neelam Kothari with music composed ...

'' (1987) - Minister (Special Appearance) * ''

Sadak Chhap ''Sadak Chhap'' is a 1987 Indian Hindi-language action drama film produced and directed by Anil Ganguly. It stars Jackie Shroff, Padmini Kolhapure, Richa Sharma in pivotal roles. Cast * Jackie Shroff as Shankar * Padmini Kolhapure as Anju ...

'' (1987) - Police Commissioner (Special Appearance) * '' Hamara Khandaan'' (1988) - Doctor (Special Appearance) * '' Aakhri Badla'' (1989) - Dr Sen, Scientist

Awards

* 1956:

Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award The Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role. Although the awards start ...

: ''

'' (1954)Awards
''

Internet Movie Database IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

''.

References

External links

*
Abhi Bhattacharya Filmography at Chakpak

''Destiny with Dadaji''
his written book on spiritual journey with Dadaji Amiya Roy Choudhary (PDF {{DEFAULTSORT:Bhattacharya, Abhi 1921 births 1993 deaths Indian male film actors Male actors in Hindi cinema Male actors in Bengali cinema University of Calcutta alumni Filmfare Awards winners 20th-century Indian male actors