Of all the regional cinemas it is Bengal that won for Indian cinema wide-spread international acclaim.  We have already considered three of the most important and famous Bengali film directors: Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen, Goutam Ghosh (Antarjali Yatra) and Aparna Sen (36 Chowringhee Lane). Most critics, when writing about regional cinemas in India, will focus on Bengali cinema. Rich film culture continues to characterize Bengali cinema and the very active film society movement played a significant role in shaping the peoples`s taste and widening their cinematic horizons.
The inter-action between the literary culture and film culture was also beneficial. Mahatma Gandhi is reported to have said that what Bengal thinks today, the rest of India thinks tomorrow. In much the same way, Bengali cinema has led in subject matter from the 1920s till the middle of the 1940s. And the way Rabindranath Tagore`s work has been creatively used by Satyajit Ray and others enhances the film culture. In a situation where much of Indian cinema is homogenized and mori-bund, the regional film has given it an identity and a sense of purpose. It has also revealed the variety of people and cultures in India with their richly diverse languages, legends, stories, clothes, climate, music and dance.
Empowered with strong beliefs and social issues, Bengali films reach all out in getting the message across loud and clear. Such is the power of Bengali films. The selection below is a look at films through the decades and some films of the two major directors - Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray.
1921 - Bilet Pherat or The England Returned: Directed by N.C. Laharry, the film starred Dhirendranath Ganguly, Manmatha Pal, Kunjalal Chakraborty, and Sushilabala. The first Bengali film, this was a satire on the predicament of an Indian (Laharry) who returns home from England after a long spell. So impressed with himself and his sojourn abroad, he is almost an alien in his parental home. The film shows were accompanied by a live band.
1922 - Andhare Lao: Directed by Sisir Bhaduri, the film starred Sisir Bhaduri, Naresh Mitra, Jogesh Choudhury, and Durga Rani. Based on Saratchandra`s story, the film recounts the life of an upper crust youth - family and bride on the one hand and a caring courtesan on the other. The performances were acclaimed by many.
1932 - Chandidas: Directed by Debaki Bose, the film starred Durgadas Bannerjee, K.C. Dey, Amar Mullick, Umasashi, and Sunila. On the love between the fifteenth century poet Chandidas and a washer woman - the poet rejects conventional norms and prefers to abide with his love. As a Vaishnavite, his own beliefs were liberated and democratic. The real-life saint Chandidas could have been one of three - Badu Chandidas, Dwija Chandidas or Deena Chandidas.
Natir Puja: Directed by Rabindranath Tagore, the film starred students of Shantiniketan university. The film was, as a matter of fact, the recording of a dance drama composed by Tagore in 1926.
1933 - Meerabai/Rajrani Meera: Directed by Debaki Bose, the film starred Pahadi Sanyal, Molina Devi, Durgadas Bannerjee, Amar Mullick, Chandrabati Devi and Nibhanani Devi The film was on the life of the legendary Rajput princess Meerabai who suffers at the hands of her in-laws because of her single-minded worship of Lord Krishna. Chandrabati Devi became a major star with this film.
 1935 - Devdas: Directed by P.C. Barua, the film starred P.C. Barua in the Bengali version and K.L. Saigal in the Hindi one, Jamuna, K.C. Dey, Amar Mullick, Dinesh Das Chandrabati Devi, and Prabhavati. The film is based on Saratchandra`s story of a childhood love that is unacceptable to society on grounds of caste.The heroine (Jamuna) is forced to marry an elderly widower while the hero (Barua/Saigal) leaves for the city only to return to his death near Jamuna`s house. The film became a cult - many copies and versions but the power of this original remains undisputed. A print was discovered in Bangladesh after decades of believing the version destroyed. K.L. Saigal sang in the Hindi, Bengali and Tamil films on the story. The camerawork by Bimal Roy was greatly admired by many.
Dhoop Chhaon/Bhagya Chakra: Directed by Nitin Bose, the film starred Biswanath Bhaduri, Durgadas Bannerjee, K.C. Dey, Ajmat Bibi, Kedar Sharma, Pahari Sanyal, Umasashi, Sardar Akhtar, and Amar Mullick. A story of greed and the omniscience of fate - a child is kidnapped by his father`s brother, is reared by a blind singer, falls in love but finds that life has other twists and turns in store for him. K.C. Dey as the singer rendered a fine performance and his singing overshadowed much of the story and performances. This was the first systematic use of playback singing, claimed by Nitin Bose to be among the first films in the world to employ the technique.
Manmoyee Girls` School: Directed by Jyotish Bannerjee, the film starred Tulsi Chakraborty, Radharani, Jahar Ganguly, Kanan Devi and Jyotsna Gupta. This hit comedy based on a stage play concerned itself with the stipulation that only a married couple would be employed at the school in question. The main characters pretend to be married and there are many incidents, following which they do fall in love and get married. The pedestrian charm of the film, and good performances, particularly by Kanan Devi, led to many remakes - in Hindi (Miss Mary), Marathi (Jhakli Mooth), Bengali, Tamil (Missiamma) and Telugu (Missamma).
1949 - `42` or Byalis: Directed by Hemen Gupta, the film starred Bikash Roy, Manju Dey, Sombhu Mitra, Suruchi Sengupta, and Pradeep Kumar. The most famous of Gupta`s film, this was based on a true incident in Midnapore, Bengal. A village revolts against colonial rule following an incident of unparalleled cruelty. The uprising leads to further violence and unrest, in turn causing more damage. the finale depicts the soldiers refusing to fire on the villagers (too much innocent blood has already been shed) and joining in raising the national flag (the tri-colour). The film was banned in many states (it did however release in Bombay) and was allowed exhibition in 1951 after many changes had been incorporated.
Kavi: Directed by Debaki Bose, the film starred Nilima Das, Anubha Gupta, Robin Majumdar, Tulsi Chakraborty and Nitish Mukherjee. A railway porter discovers the poet in himself - two women fall in love with him and his poetry, but with tragic consequences. The picturization, and the performances of the two heroines were commanding, and many songs, particularly Kalo jodi manda tobe and Ei khed mor mone mone became popular.
1950 - Chinnamul: Directed by Nemai Ghosh, the film starred Prematosh Roy, Gangapada Basu, Sova Sen, Shanta Devi, Shanti Mitra, Bijon Bhattacharya, and Ritwik Ghatak. Set during the Partition of India, the film depicts the suffering and struggles of the farmers forced to leave East Bengal and arrive in Calcutta. The elderly woman refusing to let go of her home`s door post, the crowded train journey are merely two examples of this film that sought realism. There was no makeup and no professional actors in the film. Satyajit Ray is believed to have been partly involved in the development of the screenplay. Censorship and police interference accompanied the film.
1952 - Mahaprasthaner Pathey: Directed by Kartick Chattopadhyay, the film starred Basanta Choudhury, Arundhati Devi, Maya Mukherjee, Tulsi Chakraborty and Kamal Mitra .- A travelogue movie about a pilgrimage. A widow travels to the Himalayas to the holy shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath. This was Arundhati Devi`s first film (she played the widow), and the film sparked off the pilgrim travelogue genre. The photography imbued some shots with a mystical quality that enhanced the film.
1953 - Sharey Chuattar: Directed by Nirmal Dey, the film starred Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Tulsi Chakraborty, Molina Devi, Bhanu Bennerjee, Jahar Roy, and Nabadwip Haldar. A boarding house occupied mainly by out-of-work males is thrown out of gear by the arrival of a family with a beautiful daughter. The ensuing happenings made this a delightful comedy. This was the launch vehicle of Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen - among the finest actors and biggest stars of Indian cinema.
1954 - Champadangar Bou: Directed by Nirmal Dey , the film starred Anubha Gupta, Uttam Kumar, Sabitri Chatterjee, Kanu Bannerjee, and Tulsi Chakraborty. The elder daughter-in-law of a joint family holds things together as the responsible elder brother i.e. her husband and the carefree younger brother clash. Matters reach a head when her affection for her brother-in-law becomes suspect. Her husband wants to murder her but realizes that she was simply trying to hold the family together. The theme of an elder daughter-in-law`s attraction for the younger brother-in-law is a recurring one in Bengali literature and cinema.
1956 - Kabuliwala: Directed by Tapan Sinha, the film starred Chhabi Biswas, Tinku Thakur, Radhamohan Bhattacharya, and Manju Dey. - Based on Rabindranath Tagore`s short story about an Afghan spice-seller who is imprisoned for murder. Upon release, he realizes that the Indian girl who reminded him of his daughter is now an adult - and that his daughter back home would have forgotten him. Tinku Thakur as the Indian child gave a spontaneous performance. This was her sole film appearance.
1958 - Neel Akasher Neechey: Directed by Mrinal Sen 
1961 - Punashcha: Directed by Mrinal Sen.
1962 - Dheuer Pare Dheu: Directed by B.K. Sanyal and Smritish Guha-Thakurta, the film starred Shankar, Shampa, and Badal. Two fishermen friends in a fishing village - one marries their childhood friend and is presumed dead while out fishing. The widow and the friend marry - the former husband returns but seeing their contentment, he prefers to leave and drown himself. - A slow-paced film that nonetheless had fine performances and imagery.
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