Name: Shakti Samanta
Birthday: Wednesday, January 13, 1926
Star Sign : Capricorn

Biography
Shakti Samanta (born January 13, 1926 in Burdwan, West Bengal, British India) is an Indian director. He graduated in 1944 from Calcutta University. He joined the film industry in 1948 as an assistant director and worked with Gyan Mukherjee, Satish Nigam and Phani Mazumdar.

Samanta Directed first feature film in 1954 and started his own production company, Shakti Films, in 1957. In all, Samanta has directed 43 feature films: including 37 Hindi, and 6 Bengali films. His best-nown films are: Howra Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening In Paris, Aradhana, Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Anuraag, Amanush, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat and Mehbooba. Samanta is credited for starting the trend of making double version films in Hindi and Bengali with Amanush in 1974. Samanta also made the first co-produced film between India and Bangladesh in 1984.

Samanta received Filmfare awards for "Best film" for Aradhana, Anuraag and Amanush. He has also received several Lifetime Achievement awards and several other awards from Zee and other Indian organizations. Some of his films have been shown at international festivals in Berlin, Tashkent, Moscow, Cairo and Beirut.

Samanta was President of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association for 5 years, Chairman of the Central Board Of Film Certification for 7 years and was Chairman of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata for 2 years.


Filmography