Pradeep Sarkar (30 April 1955 – 24 March 2023) was an Indian director and screenwriter, best known for directing Parineeta (2005).[1]

Pradeep Sarkar
Sarkar at special screening of Memories in March
Born(1955-04-30)30 April 1955
Died24 March 2023(2023-03-24) (aged 67)
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter

Personal life

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Sarkar was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, on 30 April 1955. He was a recipient of the Abby Award, Rapa Award, and the National Film Award. He attended Delhi College of Art and graduated with a gold medal in 1979. After a 17-year stint in mainstream advertising as a creative director, he started directing advertisement films within the advertising circles of Delhi. Sarkar was married to Panchali Sarkar, and they have a son, Ronit Sarkar, known as indie musician Rono. Sarkar died at the age of 67.[2] Sarkar was on dialysis when he died on 24 March 2023 at Lilavati hospital in Bandra, Mumbai.

Career

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Sarkar's production house shot [3] commercials for clients such as Tata Yellow Pages, ICICI Prudential, and Onida KY Thunder. The Aaj Tak TV commercials, shot in black and white, won both the Rapa Award and the Best Director of the Year Award at the Abby's.

Apart from commercials, Sarkar was also a prolific music video director. Shubha Mudgal's Ab Ke Saawan, Euphoria's Dhoom Pichak Dhoom and Maaeri, Sultan Khan's Piya Basanti, and Bhupen Hazarika's Ganga are some of his popular works.[4]

After a string of music videos, feature film songs, and over 1000 commercials, Sarkar produced the critically-acclaimed Parineeta, which won the National Film Award in the Best Debut Film of a Director category.[5]

Sarkar also won the Best Debutant Director in Screen Awards and the Hottest Young Director in Stardust Awards in 2006. Parineeta also went on to win five Filmfare Awards.

His next three feature films were Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Lafangey Parindey, and Mardaani, all of which were produced by Yash Raj Films. His 2018 film, Eela, was produced by Ajay Devgn Films. Sarkar was working on his “dream project” at the time of his death. The project titled ‘Priya Interrupted’, it was to be the biopic of Priya Rajvansh. Sarkar's first movie under Yash Raj Films was Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, which the New York Times dubbed as a "feminist fairy tale".

Filmography

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Year Film Direction Other roles
2003 Munna Bhai M.B.B.S Editor
2005 Parineeta Yes Art Director, Screenwriter
2007 Eklavya: The Royal Guard Visual Director
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag Yes Writer, Art Director
2010 Lafangey Parindey Yes
2014 Mardaani Yes
2018 Helicopter Eela Yes
2021 Jokhon Ratri Name (যখন রাত্রি নামে) Executive Producer

Web series

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Year Title Direction Platform(s) Notes
2019 Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala Yes ALTBalaji
ZEE5
[6]
2020 Arranged Marriage Yes ZEE5 [7]
Forbidden Love Yes
2022 Duranga Yes [8]

Selected Music Videos[9]

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Year Title Artists Notes
1998 Dhoom Euphoria From the Album Dhoom.
1999 Ab Ke Saawan Shubha Mudgal
2000 Maaeri Euphoria From the Album Phir Dhoom.
Piya Basanti Sultan Khan and K.S.Chithra
Ganga Bhupen Hazarika
2017 Ik Vaari Ayushmann Khurrana

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Work Result Notes
2005 Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction Parineeta Won
Zee Cine Award for Most Promising Director Won
Filmfare Award for Best Director Nominated
2006 Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director Won

References

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  1. ^ "Pradeep Sarkar, ace ad film-maker & man behind hits like 'Parineeta' & 'Mardaani', passes away at 67". The Economic Times. 24 March 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Pradeep Sarkar, ace ad film-maker & man behind hits like 'Parineeta' & 'Mardaani', passes away at 67". The Economic Times. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Pradeep Sarkar, ace ad film-maker & man behind hits like 'Parineeta' & 'Mardaani', passes away at 67". The Economic Times. 24 March 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Pradeep Sarkar, ace ad film-maker & man behind hits like 'Parineeta' & 'Mardaani', passes away at 67". The Economic Times. 24 March 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Parineeta Awards: List of Awards won by Hindi movie Parineeta". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  6. ^ "ZEE5, ALTBalaji join hands for 'Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala' and 'Mission Over Mars'; watch the trailers". WION. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Pradeep Sarkar ropes in Ali Fazal for his next film titled 'Arranged Marriage'". Mumbai Live. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Gulshan Devaiah reacts to criticism of non-queer casting in Badhaai Do: 'It's a bit of ridiculous debate'". Hindustan Times. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  9. ^ "From Euphoria's Maaeri to Sultan Khan's Piya Basanti, how Pradeep Sarkar redefined the way music videos are shot". DNA India. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
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