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Dhirendra Nath Ganguly (26 March 1893 – 18 November 1978), better known as Dhiren Ganguly or D.G, was a Dadasaheb Phalke Award-winning and Padma Bhushan recipient film entrepreneur/actor/director of Bengali Cinema. He had set up a number of film production companies: Indo British Film company, British Dominion Films, Lotus Film Company. Later, he directed films for New Theatres. He produced many movies in the comedy genre. He was born in Calcutta and died in the same city.

Dhirendra Nath Ganguly
Born	(1893-03-26)26 March 1893 Kolkata, India
Died	18 November 1978(1978-11-18) (aged 85) Kolkata, India
Other names	Dhiren Ganguly or D.G
Occupation	Actor, producer, director
Years active	1919–1978
Spouse(s)	Premika Devi Uma Devi (Ganguly)

Early life and family

Ganguly studied in the Visva Bharati University in Shantiniketan. He became a headmaster of State Art School in Hyderabad. He released a book of photographs of his make-up techniques called Bhavki Abhibyakti in 1915. He also taught this art to C.I.D. officers in both British India and independent India. His family hailed from Barisal. [1] His elder brother Upendranath Ganguly was a restaurant owner who settled in United Provinces. Upendranath had married Ambalika Devi, the daughter of renowned Brahmo scholar Trailokyanath Sanyal and was the father of famous freedom fighter, educator and activist Aruna Asaf Ali.[2] Upendranath's other daughter Purnima Banerjee was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.[2] Their another brother, Nagendranath, was a university professor who married Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore's only surviving daughter Mira Devi.[3]

Career

Indo British Film Company

Ganguly's photography book brought him in contact of J. F. Madan, who agreed to invest in his films.[1] Ganguly and Madan Theatres' manager Nitish Lahiri formed the Indo British Film Co, the first film production company owned by Bengalis, in 1918.[4] Bilat Ferat (1921) (The England Returned), a silent comedy film directed by Nitish Lahiri, was the first production from this company.[1] They released another two movies in 1922: Yashoda Nandan and Sadhu Aur Shaitan.[4]

Lotus Film Company

Ganguly founded Lotus Film Company in Hyderabad and also established a film studio and two cinema houses with the help of Nizam. In 1924, he was a distributor of Razia Begum, a film made in Bombay. This film portrayed a Muslim princess who fell in love of a Hindu. This enraged Nizam and he ordered Ganguly to leave Hyderabad.[1]

British Dominion Films

Ganguly returned to Calcuta and eventually formed another film production company British Dominion Films. Actor Pramathesh Barua invested in this venture and also acted in a film produced by this company. However, with the arrival talkies and new sound technologies, this film company failed.[1]

Talkies era

Ganguly joined Barua Pictures company of Pramathesh Barua. But, soon both of them joined B. N. Sircar's New Theatres.

Recognition

• D.G. received Padma Bhushan in 1974.[5]
• He received Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1975.

Filmography

References

External links

• Dhirendranath Ganguly at IMDb
• Bangla Films Online

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