Shakti Samanta

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Shakti Samanta (13 January 1926 – 9 April 2009) was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films such as Anand Ashram (1977), Anusandhan /Barsaat Ki Ek Raat (1981), Anyay Abhichar (1985), Howrah Bridge (1958), Insan Jaag Utha (1959), China Town (1962), Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), An Evening in Paris (1967), Aradhana (1969), Kati Patang (1971), and Amar Prem (1972), Amanush (1975).

Aradhana (1969 film)Aradhana (transl. Worship) is a 1969 Indian Hindi musical romantic drama film directed by Shakti Samanta, starring Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna. It won the Filmfare Award for Best Film at the 17th Filmfare Awards. Tagore gave one of the best performances of her career and won Filmfare Best Actress Award.

Insan Jaag UthaInsān Jaag Utha (lit.'Mankind has awoken') is a 1959 Hindi-language social drama film, produced and directed by Shakti Samanta, and written by Nabendu Ghosh and Vrajendra Gaur, based on a story by Saroj Mitra. The film stars Madhubala, Sunil Dutt, Nasir Hussain, Bipin Gupta and Madan Puri in lead roles. It has music by Sachin Dev Burman, with lyrics by Shailendra.China Town (1962 film)China Town is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy thriller film directed and produced by Shakti Samanta. Written by Ranjan Bose and with music by Ravi. It is a black-and-white movie, starring Shammi Kapoor in a double role, as a gangster and his look-alike. Shakila is the leading lady, alongside Helen in a supporting role.

Kashmir Ki KaliKashmir Ki Kali (lit.'The Bud of Kashmir') is a 1964 IndianHindi-languageromance film directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore in her Hindi movie debut role, Pran, Dhumal, Nazir Hussain and Anoop Kumar. The music was composed by O.P. Nayyar and the lyrics penned by S.H. Bihari. It became the sixth-highest-grossing film of the year. The film was remade in Telugu as Srungara Ramudu.

An Evening in ParisAn Evening In Paris is a 1967 Indian romantic thriller film produced and directed by Shakti Samanta, with story by Sachin Bhowmick. It revolves in the French capital city of Paris. It stars Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore (in a double role), along with Pran, K. N. Singh as the villains, Rajendranath in the comic subplot. Sharmila Tagore's performance and Shankar Jaikishan's music made this film a big success at box office.

Howrah Bridge (1958 film)Howrah Bridge is a 1958 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film directed by Shakti Samanta. The music for the film was composed by O. P. Nayyar. The plot focuses on Prem Kumar (played by Ashok Kumar), a businessman from Rangoon, who travels to Calcutta to try to track down his brother's murderers. Madhubala stars as Edna, a cabaret dancer, in one of her most popular roles.

Amanush (1974 film)Amanush (Bengali pronunciation:; transl.Inhuman) is a 1974 Indian action drama film, simultaneously shot in Bengali and Hindi languages, produced and directed by Shakti Samanta under his banner of Shakti Films.Kati PatangKati Patang (transl. The Severed Kite) is a 1970 Indian Hindi-language musical drama film produced and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Asha Parekh as a woman pretending to be a widow, and her ensuing trials and tribulations opposite her charming neighbour, played by Rajesh Khanna. It was the sixth highest grossing of the year and Parekh's performance as Madhavi was critically acclaimed and earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.Amar Prem (1972 film)Amar Prem (transl. Immortal Love) 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 short story Hinger Kochuri by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay.Ananda AshramAnanda Ashram (Hindi: Anand Ashram, English: The Ashram of joy) is a 1977 Indian bilingual romantic drama film made in Bengali and Hindi language simultaneously, co-written and directed by Shakti Samanta. Based on a story by film director and novelist, Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay, it stars Ashok Kumar, Uttam Kumar, Sharmila Tagore, Moushumi Chatterjee and Rakesh Roshan (making his debut in Bengali cinema) in lead roles.

Anusandhan (1981 film)Anusandhan (in Bengali; transl.Discovery) or Barsaat Ki Ek Raat (in Hindi; transl.A Rainy Night) is a 1981 Indian bilingual action thriller film made in both Bengali and Hindi languages, produced and directed by Shakti Samanta under his banner of Shakti Films. Based on a novel of the same name by Shaktipada Rajguru, it stars Amitabh Bachchan in his debut in Bengali cinema, alongside Rakhee Gulzar, Amjad Khan, Utpal Dutt and Abhi Bhattacharya in lead roles.

Filmfare AwardsThe Filmfare Awards are annual awards in India that honour artistic and technical excellence in Hindi cinema. The ceremony is one of the most notable film events in India. Filmfare Awards were introduced by Filmfare of The Times Group in 1954, the same year as the National Film Awards. They were called the Clare Awards, or The Clares, after Clare Mendonça, the editor of The Times of India.

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