Kamal Bose (1915–1995) was an Indian cinematographer, who shot most of Bimal Roy classics, including Parineeta (1953), Do Bigha Zamin (1953), Bandini (1963), Devdas (1955) and Sujata (1960). He successful transitioned into the coloured film era, and shot Qurbani (1980), Janbaaz (1986) and Dayavan (1988).

Kamal Bose
Born1915
Died9 October 1995 (age 80)
Occupation(s)cinematographer, director of photography
Years active1948–1994

During his career, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer record five times,[1] Bandini (B&W, 1964), Anokhi Raat (B&W, 1970), Khamoshi (B&W, 1971), Dastak (B&W, 1972), Dharmatma (1976).

Career

edit

Bose was an important part of auteur Bimal Roy's team, starting with Anjangarh (1948), one of the last major films of the New Theatres in Kolkata,[2] however Kolkata based film industry was now on the decline, thus Roy shifted base to Bombay (now Mumbai) along with his team, which included Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Nabendu Ghosh, Asit Sen, Bose and later Salil Chaudhury, and by 1952 he has restarted the second phase of his career with Maa (1952) for Bombay Talkies.[3] Thereafter Bose collaborated with Roy in all his subsequent films, Parineeta (1953, The Fiancee), adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novel by the same name, in same year came the neo-realism classic, Do Bigha Zamin (1953), which not only won the Filmfare Best Movie Award but also became the first Indian film to win the International Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.[4] Their association continued with Naukri (1954), Baap Beti (1954), Devdas (1955), Amaanat (1955), Sujata (1960), Parakh (1960) and Bandini (1963), which won Bose his first Filmfare Award was especially noted for his masterly use of black and white, to bring "texture and form in simplicity mixed with richness", especially in the way he captured the starkness and gloom of the prison environment, while depicting women at work.[5][6] Previously, his lighting in film, Devdas (1955) was also noted as it enhanced the emotional torment of the tight-lipped protagonist, played by Dilip Kumar.[7]

Meanwhile, he also shot, Musafir (1957, Traveller), directorial debut of Bimal Roy's editor and assistant Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the film is still remembered for its panoramic shots;[8] and Kabuliwala (1961) Hemen Gupta's adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore story, by the same name, starring Balraj Sahni, and produced by Bimal Roy.[9]

Roy died in 1966, thereafter Bose started working with Asit Sen, and went on to receive critical acclaim for his B & W cinematography in Apradhi Kaun? (1957), his one-night tragedy, Anokhi Raat (1968, Strange Night) and the psychiatric ward tragedy, Khamoshi (1969, Silence), starring Rajesh Khanna and Waheeda Rehman, and Safar (1970, Journey) marked his transition in to colour films. The first two films, also won him his second and third Filmfare Awards. Though Bose continued to work with Sen for another decade, none of the films achieved the commercial success of those early films.[10]

His next important collaboration was with actor-director Feroze Khan, which began with latter's debut the action-thriller Apradh (1972), thereafter he shot all of Khan's subsequent directorial ventures, including his next Dharmatma (1975). Shot in Afghanistan, the film was noted for its scenes featuring Buzkashi, a Central Asian sport on horses, including the aerial shots, which in turn won him another Filmfare award.[11] In the 1980s, he shot, the highly glamorous, Qurbani (1980),[9] Janbaaz (1986) and Dayavan (1988), his last film with Khan. In his late 70s, Bose did one more film Chauraha (1994).[2]

He died on 9 October 1995, at the age of 80.[1] His son, Palash Bose is a commercial photographer based in Mumbai.[12]

Filmography

edit

Awards

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Manorama Yearbook, Volume 30". Manorama Publishing House. 1995. p. 94. Deaths: October: Kamal Bose, 80, ace cinematographer, winner of a record five Filmfare awards.
  2. ^ a b "Kamal Bose". Complete Index of World Film. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Memories and melodies of a golden era". The Hindu. 13 April 2001. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Do Bigha Zamin". festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  5. ^ Rachel Dwyer (2005). 100 Bollywood films. Lotus Collection, Roli Books. p. 41. ISBN 8174364331.
  6. ^ "Bandini (1963)". The Hindu. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2013.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Dinesh Raheja (9 December 2002). "The perceptive camera of Bimal Roy". rediff.com, Movies. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  8. ^ "BLAST FROM THE PAST: Musafir 1957". The Hindu. 25 April 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  9. ^ a b Gulzar, p. 252
  10. ^ "Khamoshi 1969". The Hindu. 16 August 2008. Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  11. ^ "Dharmatma (1975)". The Hindu. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  12. ^ "Palash Bose". Better Photography. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  13. ^ Directed by LV Prasad, starring Anjali Devi and Sivaji Ganesan.
  14. ^ "Ezhu Rathrikal 1968". The Hindu. 28 June 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  15. ^ "Best Cinematographer Award (B&W), Colour". Official Listing, Indiatimes. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
edit
  NODES
Association 1
chat 2
INTERN 1
Note 4