Entertainment News Desk!! Shakti Samanta (English: Shakti Samanta, born: 13 January 1926 – died: 9 April 2009) was a famous film producer and director. Shakti Samant made memorable films like Howrah Bridge, Amar Prem, Aradhana, Kati Patang, Kashmir Ki Kali, Amanush.
life introduction
Shakti Samant was born on January 13, 1926 in Bardhaman Nagar, Bengal. His father was an engineer who died in an accident. At that time Shakti Samant was only one and a half years old. For studies, he was sent to his uncle in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. After passing his ‘Intermediate’ from Dehradun, he went to Calcutta (now Kolkata) and took the ‘Engineering Entrance’ examination and also came first. But when he went for recruitment, he was turned back saying that the exam was only for the students of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha and he had come from Uttar Pradesh. The misfortune did not end here. When he went back to Uttar Pradesh, the recruitment process in all the colleges there had ended. His one year was wasted without any reason. On the request of his uncle, Shakti started helping him in his work. At the same time, he also continued fulfilling his passion for theater and drama. One night when he returned home late from theater rehearsal, his uncle said something bad to him. He did not like his behavior and left his uncle’s house forever.
beginning of career
After leaving his uncle’s house, Shakti was looking for work around Mumbai because he knew that his final destination would be this art city. He got a job in an ‘Anglo High School’ in Dapoli. From here Mumbai could be reached by steamer in one hour. The students at that school were mostly African Muslims and were aged 23–24, while he himself was 21 years old. Shakti observed that there is a great lack of equipment in the school for the all-round development of the students. He mentioned this to the school principal and got many sports items purchased for the students. The students were impressed by Shakti’s style and became his good friends. While working with his uncle, Shakti used to get Rs 3000 a month, whereas here he got only Rs 130. Out of that, Rs 30 would have been spent and he would have saved Rs 100. His heartfelt desire to do something in the film industry would take him to Mumbai every Friday.
He would go to Mumbai by steamer on Friday evening, look for work there and then return on Monday morning. He met many filmmakers, but it was a time of political turmoil. After the partition of the country, many artists went to Pakistan. Bad times were going on for the film industry. Shakti eventually met Dada Muni Ashok Kumar, who was also his favorite actor, and who was associated with ‘Bombay Talkies’ in those days. Dadamuni hired him as an assistant director in ‘Bombay Talkies’ on the condition that he would not receive any salary, except lunch and tea. Shakti agreed. Due to living in Uttar Pradesh, his Hindi was quite good. Therefore, there he used to translate the things written in Bengali by Phani Majumdar into Hindi. He was definitely paid for this work. After a few days, Shakti expressed his feelings to Ashok Kumar that he had come to Mumbai to become an actor. But understanding his talent and personality, Dadamuni asked him to try his hand not in acting but in the technical field of film production.
acting and directing
Shakti Samant had a desire to act in her heart from the beginning. He used to fulfill this hobby by playing small roles in films. According to him, he was given the role of a police inspector in every film and he had to say the same dialogue in every film, “Follow car number so and so, Inspector so and so speaking”. Due to his association with the film industry, he came to know many big personalities. Two such big people were Guru Dutt and writer Brajendra Gaur. Gaur Saheb got the invitation to direct the film ‘Kasturi’, but due to being busy with another company’s film, he was not able to fulfill this responsibility properly. So he asked Shakti Samant to help him in this film. Samant Saheb had taken Rs 250 for this work. This was his first earning from a film. The music of ‘Kasturi’ (1954) was by Pankaj Malik.
First film ‘Inspector’
Lyricist and producer S. H. Bihari and writer Darogaji were thinking of making a film named ‘Inspector’. They went to Nadiadwala to get the film produced. Nadiadwala said that to make a successful film on this story, famous and expensive actors would have to be cast. So that the balance of the budget does not get disturbed, they thought of appointing a new director for this film so that they do not have to spend much money for the director. And this is how Shakti Samant directed his first film ‘Inspector’ which was released in 1956 under the banner of Pushpa Pictures. The film was a ‘hit’ and after this film he never had to look back. The songs of this film were also greatly liked. Hemant Kumar was the music composer of this film. It is also important to mention here that Shakti Samant had started the work of ‘Inspector’ first but his second film ‘Bahu’ (1955) was released first.
Honors and Awards
Shakti Samant received the Filmfare Award for Best Film Making three times. The films were Aradhana (1969), Amanush (1975) and Anurag (1972).
demise
Famous producer and director Shakti Samant, who made his mark in the film world through his art and talent, bid goodbye to this world on April 9, 2009 in Mumbai at the age of 83 and went on his eternal journey.
