Cinema of West BengalCinema of West Bengal, also known as Tollywood or Bengali cinema in India, is the segment of Indian cinema, dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Bengali language, widely spoken in the state of West Bengal and Eastern India. It is based in the Tollygunge region of Kolkata, West Bengal. The origin of the nickname "Tollywood"—a portmanteau of the words Tollygunge and Hollywood—dates back to 1932.
Cinema of IndiaThe cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century.
Satyajit RaySatyajit Ray (Bengali: [ʃot̪ːod͡ʒit̪ rae̯] ; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, author, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and composer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential film directors in the history of cinema.
Ritwik GhatakRitwik Kumar Ghatak (Bengali: [rit̪ːik ɡʱɔʈok] ; 4 November 1925 – 6 February 1976) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor and playwright. Widely considered as one of the greatest film makers of all time, his works remained largely underrated and ignored during his lifetime.
Mrinal SenMrinal Sen (Bengali: [mɾinal ʃen] ; 14 May 1923 – 30 December 2018) was an Indian film director and screenwriter known for his work primarily in Bengali, and a few Hindi and Telugu language films.
Japanese New WaveThe Japanese New Wave (ヌーベルバーグ, Nūberu bāgu; Japanese transliteration of the French term "nouvelle vague") is a group of loosely-connected Japanese films and filmmakers between the late 1950s and part of the 1970s. The most prominent representatives include directors Nagisa Ōshima, Yoshishige Yoshida, Masahiro Shinoda and Shōhei Imamura.
Tapan SinhaTapan Sinha (2 October 1924 – 15 January 2009) was one of the most prominent Indian film directors of his time forming a legendary quartet with Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen. He was primarily a Bengali filmmaker who worked both in Hindi cinema and Bengali cinema, directing films like Kabuliwala (1957), Louha-Kapat, Sagina Mahato (1970), Apanjan (1968), Kshudhita Pashan and children's film Safed Haathi (1978) and Aaj Ka Robinhood.
French New WaveThe New Wave (French: Nouvelle Vague, French pronunciation:), also called the French New Wave, is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions, favoring experimentation and a spirit of iconoclasm.
Realism (arts)In art, realism is generally the attempt to represent subject-matter truthfully, without artificiality, exaggeration, or speculative or supernatural elements. The term is often used interchangeably with naturalism, although these terms are not necessarily synonymous.
West BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern part of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal. In 2011, its population was around 91 million in an area of 88,752 km (34,267 sq mi), while the population estimate as of 2026 is 100.6 million. West Bengal is the fourth-most populous and thirteenth-largest state by area in India, as well as the eighth-most populous country subdivision of the world.
IndiaCountry in South AsiaIndia, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the world's seventh-largest country by area and the largest by population. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is near Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Italian neorealismItalian neorealism (Italian: Neorealismo), also known as the Golden Age of Italian Cinema, was a national film movement in Italy in the aftermath of World War II. It explored the contemporary everyday life and struggles of the poor and the working class, addressing the difficult economic and moral conditions of the country changes in the Italian psyche. Frequent topics include poverty, oppression, injustice and despair.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.