Kalipada Sen and Bengali films.


Kalipada Sen and Bengali films.

Composer Kalipada Sen made very valuable contribution in Bengali films during the 50s, 60s and 70s. He faced the keen competition against legendary composers during the golden age of Bengali film music including Robin Chatterji, Anupam Ghatak, Pabitra Chatterji, Anil Bagchi, Salil Choudhury, Sudhin Dasgupta, Nochiketa Ghosh, Manobendra Mukherjee, Hemanta Mukherjee, Shyamal Mitra, and yet created his own identity.

He composed brilliant music in Uttam Kumar’s film Sare Chuattor in 1953. His shyamasangeet “e maya proponchomoy” sung by Dhananjoy Bhattacharya enchanted the viewers. The other song was chorus song “amar ei jouban champachameli bone” where Manobendra Mukherjee, Shyamal Mitra and others did lend their voices. Manobendra Mukherjee and Shyamal Mitra even acted in the film. The film was directed by Nirmal Dey.

In Chitta Basu’s film Chele Kar, Kalipada Sen composed decent music. The comedy film released in 1954 had legendary actors and actresses like Bikash Roy, Chabi Biswas, Arundhuti Debi, Suprabha Debi, to name a few. The songs “badla akash”, “rononigandha”, etc., became hit. Ajoy Kar directed Shyamali in 1956, and Kalipada Sen composed music for the super hit.

He composed music in many successful films of Uttam Kumar including Bidhilipi, Lakhahira, Punarmilan, Kankabatir Ghat, Raja Shaja, Upahar, Biraj Bou, etc. Very significantly he composed music in the films of directors from 50s to 60s. It included Ankush and Nirjan Saikate directed by Tapan Sinha, Darpa Churna directed by Dilip Ray, Bindur Chele directed by Chitta Bose, Sadanander Mela directed by Sukumar Dasgupta, Dui Bari directed by Ashim Pal, Debatra directed by Haridas Bhattacharya, Kathin Maya directed by Sushil Majumdar, Bamuner Meye directed by Ajoy Kar, to name a few.

At the same time he had composed music for all the legendary singers of the golden age including Sandhya Mukherjee, Hemanta Mukherjee, Manna Dey, Shyamal Mitra, Supriti Ghosh, Manobendra Mukherjee and others.

His films and music should be restored and preserved.