Anirban Bhattacharya (born 7 October 1986) is an Indian actor, theatre actor, singer and director. His first successful theatre production was Debi Sarpamasta, written by Manoj Mitra, directed by Debesh Chattopadhyay. His other notable works are Anthony Soudamini, Nagamandala (famous play by Girish Karnad), Jara Agun Lagay, Bisorjan, FM Mahanagar, Karu Basana, Awdyo Shesh Rajani, Athoi etc. In 2017, he got the Mahindra Excellence Theatre Awards (META) as Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) for Awdyo Shesh Rajani.[6] In 2015, he started his film career with the Zee Bangla telefilm Kader Kuler Bou. He got fame for his character as Bishan Roy from the film Eagoler Chokh.[7] For playing this role, he was picked up as the Filmfare Awards East for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 2017. In 2019, He got his first Best Actor Award for the role of Nikhilesh Chowdhury from the movie Ghawre Bairey Aaj which was immensely praised by critics and audiences. He made his directorial debut through the Bengali crime drama web series Mandaar, which is inspired by William Shakespeare's Macbeth.[8] His second direction Ballavpurer Roopkotha was released on 21 October 2022.[9]
Anirban Bhattacharya | |
|---|---|
| Born | Anirban Bhattacharya (1986-10-07) 7 October 1986 (age 36) |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Notable work | Eagoler Chokh,[2] Arshinagar, Colkatay Columbus, Dhananjay, Debi Sarpamasta,[3] Awdyo Shesh Rajani, Athoi,[4] Ek Je Chhilo Raja, Gumnaami |
| Height | 6 Feet 1 in |
| Spouse | Madhurima Goswami (m. 2020) |
Calcutta Times has voted him as one of the top 10 Most Desirable Men in 2017.[10]
Anirban Bhattacharya was born on 7 October 1986 in Midnapore, West Bengal. He did his schooling from Nirmal Hriday Ashram Catholic Church High School in Midnapore. After that, in 2004 he moved to Kolkata to study theatre from Rabindra Bharati University. He completed his Master's in drama and received the Young Artist Scholarship in 2009 from the cultural ministry of the Government of India.[11]
He acted in various theater productions between 2005 and 2010. In 2008, Bhattacharya acted in the workshop based theatre production Jhunki (The Risk), conducted by Steve Clorfiene, student of Yergi Grotowski. It was a collaboration of American Council and Rabindra Bharati University.[11] He acted in three productions like Raja Lear, Debi Sarpomosta and Chandragupta. He resigned from Minerva Repertoire in January 2013 and started his career as a professional freelance theatre actor.[12]
| Year | Play | Director | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Bijalibala-r Mukti | Adrija Dasgupta | Narrator |
| 2007 | Tumi Dak Diyechho Kon Shokale | Adrija Dasgupta | Multiple Characters |
| 2007 | Dure Baje (Based on Pracheta Gupta's short story) | Adrija Dasgupta | Narrator |
| 2008 | Shilpi | Adrija Dasgupta | Madan Tanti |
| 2009 | Amar Atmahatya Kalin Jabanbandi | Adrija Dasgupta | Multiple Characters |
| 2010 | Raja Lear (Shakespeare's King Lear) | Suman Mukhopadhyay | Edmund |
| 2011 | Debi Sarpamasta (Manoj Mitra) | Debesh Chattopadhyay | Narrator and Raja Lokendra Pratap |
| 2012 | Chandragupta | Kaushik Chattopadhyay | Raja Nanda |
| 2013 | Tin Kanya | Abanti Chakraborty | Andrei |
| 2013 | Anthony Soudamini | Soumitra Mitra | Anthony |
| 2013 | Nagamandala (By Girish Karnad)[13] | Abanti Chakraborty | Naga & Apanna |
| 2013 | Tin Poishar Pala | Tathagata Choudhury | Mohin Dakat |
| 2014 | Jara Agun Lagay[14] | Suman Mukhopadhyay | Gotlip Beiddermann |
| 2014 | Bisarjan (Rabindranath Tagore's Play) | Suman Mukhopadhyay | Raja Gobinda Manikya |
| 2014 | Troy (Based on the Iliad by Homer) | Abanti Chakraborty | Hector |
| 2014 | Chhayabaji | Chandan Sen | Chhaya (Shadow) |
| 2015 | Icchher Oli Goli | Abanti Chakraborty | Stanley Kowalski |
| 2015 | FM Mahanagar | Arindam Mukherjee | Abhra |
| 2015 | Karu Basana (Based on a novel by Jibananda Das) | Arpita Ghosh, Debesh Chattopadhyay | Hem |
| 2016 | Awdyo Shesh Rajani | Bratya Basu | Amiya Chakraborty |
| 2016 | Athoi (Based on Shakespeare's Othello)[15] | Arna Mukhopadhyay | Anagro (Based on Iago) |
| 2019 | Titumir[16][17] | Joyraj Bhattacharjee | Titumir |
| 2019 | Pontu Laha 2.0 [18][17] | Anirban Bhattacharya | Junior Shakil Ansari |
| 2021 | Mephisto | Suman Mukhopadhyay | Hendrik Höfgen |
In 2010, he formed his theatre group, Sangharam Hatibagan. He directed Guru, Chowmatha, Udorniti (a short play translated from the play Out At Sea by Slawomir Mrozek ), Pontu Laha 2.0 (an adaptation of the play Mr Puntila and his Man Matti by Bertolt Brecht ), and Mondar (an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth). In 2022 he directed bengali movie Ballavpurer Rupkotha which was an adaption of a play of same name, created by legendary bengali theater personality Badal Sarkar.
Bhattacharya started his career in Bengali language films in 2015 with Zee Bangla Cinema Originals such as Kader Kuler Bou, Jodi Balo Hyan and Ebhabeo Phire Asa Jay. He hit the big screen in Aparna Sen's Arshinagar in a supporting role.[19] In 2016, he appeared in Arindam Sil's Eagoler Chokh portraying a different character named "Bishan Roy" and was appreciated for his performance.[20] He received the BFJA Most Promising Actor Male award and the Filmfare Awards East for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role for essaying Bishan Roy in that film.[21]
Bhattacharya was awarded with the Best Debutant Actor award at the International Bengali Film Award (IBFA). He played the role of a radio jockey in Colkatay Columbus. He was awarded the Ajeyo Samman 2017 by the newspaper Ebela for becoming the most praised actor in 2016.[22]
| Year | Film | Director | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Kolkata-r King (Based on Three Penny Opera) | Judhajit Sarkar | King/KK |
| 2015 | Kader Kuler Bou | Souvik Kundu | Kanad Brahma |
| Jodi Bolo Hyan | Abhijit Guha and Sudeshna Roy | Sayan Sen | |
| Ebhabeo Fire Asha Jaye | Abhijit Guha and Sudeshna Roy | Kaushik Dutta | |
| Arshinagar | Aparna Sen | Monty | |
| 2016 | Eagoler Chokh[23][24] | Arindam Sil | Bishan Roy |
| Colkatay Columbus | Saurav Palodhi | Sam | |
| 2017 | Durga Sohay[25][26] | Arindam Sil | Madhab |
| Dhananjay[27][28] | Arindam Sil | Dhananjoy | |
| Ghya Chang Fou | Joyraj Bhattacharya | ||
| 2018 | Jojo [29] | Argha Deep Chatterjee | Anirban |
| Alinagarer Golokdhadha[30][31][32] | Sayantan Ghosal | Soham | |
| Laboratory | Soumik Chattopadhyay | Reboti Bhattacharya | |
| Uma[33][34] | Srijit Mukherji | Mohitosh Sur | |
| Ek Je Chhilo Raja[35][36] | Srijit Mukherji | Satya Banerjee | |
| 2019 | Shahjahan Regency[37] | Srijit Mukherji | Arnab Sarkar |
| Finally Bhalobasha[38][39] | Anjan Dutta | Joy | |
| Vinci Da[40][41] | Srijit Mukherji | Bijoy Poddar | |
| Bibaho Obhijaan | Birsa Dasgupta | Bullet Singh | |
| Gumnaami | Srijit Mukherjee | Chandrachur Dhar | |
| Ghawre Bairey Aaj | Aparna Sen | Nikhilesh Choudhury | |
| 2020 | Dwitiyo Purush | Srijit Mukherjee | Khoka |
| Detective | Joydip Mukherjee | Mahimchandra | |
| Dracula Sir | Debaloy Bhattacharya | Raktim aka Dracula Sir | |
| 2021 | Mukhosh | Birsa Dasgupta | Kingshuk |
| Golondaaj | Dhrubo Banerjee | Bhargav |
Anirban has worked in a non fictional television comedy show Apur Sangsar, along with Saswata Chatterjee, which has started to air on Zee Bangla from 26 January.[42] He has appeared in popular shows of Zee Bangla like Didi No. 1 as guest and Dadagiri Unlimited Season 7 as celebrity contestant. The play Awdyo Shesh Rajni (Anirban as lead) was aired on Home Theatre of Colors Bangla. He hosted a crime show Hushiar Bangla on Colors Bangla.[43]
Anirban has now starred in a limited television series Bhoomikanya (approximately 200 episodes), which is produced by Arindam Sil and has started to air on Star Jalsha. In this series, Anirban has played the role of the male lead "Ankush", who is a fearless and honest forest ranger.[44][45][46]
Anirban works on the web series Byomkesh, where he portrays the title character, detective Byomkesh Bakshi, written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. This brand new web series airs on Hoichoi Originals (a web platform of Shree Venkatesh Films) from 14 October 2017.[47][48][49][50] He has also played the lead role in Laboratory, which is a Hoichoi original film, based on Rabindranath Tagore's famous short story of the same name.
| Year | Series/Film | Director | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-2019 | Byomkesh (Season 1–4) | Sayantan Ghosal, Soumik Chattopadhyay | Byomkesh |
| 2018 | Laboratory | Soumik Chattopadhyay | Rebati |
| 2019 | Paanch Phoron | Suman Mukhopadhyay | Indrajeet |
| 2019 | Manbhanjan | Abhijit Chowdhury | Gopinath |
| 2020-2021 | Byomkesh ( Season 5–7) | Soumik Haldar | Byomkesh |
| 2021 | Robindronath Ekhane Kawkhono Khete Asenni | Srijit Mukherji | Atar Ali |
| Mandaar | Anirban Bhattacharya | Muqaddar Mukherjee | |
| 2022 | Tiktiki | Dhrubo Banerjee | Milan Basak |
In 2018, for the first time Anirban has done a playback in his career. The versatile actor has lent his voice for the song "Kichchu Chaini Ami" from the movie Shahjahan Regency, which is directed by Srijit Mukherjee. He has delivered sheer magic in his playback debut and the song has gained immense popularity ever since it was released. The actor who is not a professional singer was stunned and overwhelmed with the response. He also has lent his voice for the song "Priyotoma" from the movie "Dracula Sir" in 2020. This song is also very beautiful and the audience praised his work. [51][52]