Tapan Sinha bags Phalke award
Veteran Bengali film director Tapan Sinha, who was recently conferred the 'One Time Award for Lifetime Achievement' by the Government of India, was selected for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2006. This 84 year old filmmaker will be given a Swarna Kamal, cash prize of Rs.10 lakh and a shawl by President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil at a function to be held shortly.
In Kolkata, Sinha said he was overwhelmed at being honoured with the award. He expressed his gratitude to the government for bestowing the greatest award of Indian cinema on him. The committee that recommended the award for Sinha consisted of Shyam Benegal, Gautam Ghosh, Sharmila Tagore and renowned flute player Hari Prasad Chaurasia.
Sinha started his career as a sound engineer in Kolkata’s New Theatre in 1946 and has directed well-known films such as Kabuliwala, Khudito Pashaan, Atithi, Upahar, Haatey Bazarey, Sagina Mahato, Hansuli Baker Upakatha, Adalat O Ekti Meye, Ek Doctor Ki Maut, Bancharamer Bagan and Shatabdir Kanya.
Sinha has won 19 National Film Awards in various categories, apart from laurels in international film festivals during his career spanning more than half a century.
