Pahari Sanyal (22 February 1906 – 10 February 1974) was an Indian actor and singer who is known for his work in Bengali cinema and Hindi cinema. He belonged to Lucknow was one of the greatest Bengali actors from Uttar Pradesh.
Early life and education Born in Darjeeling as Nagendranath, but the nickname Pahari, one from hills stuck to him, throughout his career. After completing his schooling in Lucknow, he joined Banaras Hindu University to pursue engineering degree, however left it to study Hindustani classical music at Marris College of Music, Lucknow (later known as Bhatkhande Music Institute). Here he trained under Ustad Md. Hussain, Chote Munna Khan, Nasir Khan and Ahmed Khan and learn tabla from Rashbehari Sil and Abid Khan.
Career After serving as private secretary to Maharaja of Dewar for one year, he shifted to Kolkata in 1932, where he was PC Barua, and Debaki Bose. This led to him joining New Theatres as an singer-actor at a monthly salary of Rs 150 and debuting with Meerabai (1933) as Chand Bhatta, a role he reprised in the Hindi version, Rajrani Meera (1933), a biographical film on mystic Meerabai. By late 1930s, playback singing to getting established so he started focussing solely in acting. He received the Best Actor Award at the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards (BFJA) for film Pratisruti (1941) directed by Hemchandra Chunder.
After a bried stint in Hindi cinema in 1940s, in films like Milan (1946) directed by Nitin Bose , Sanyal returned to Kolkata and acted in many Bengali films, such as Harano Sur, Bhanu Goenda Jahar Assistant, and Shilpi. Besides being a supporting character actor, Sanyal has also played lead roles in his portrayal of Bengali reformer Vidyasagar and the poet, playwright and actor Girishchandra Ghosh in "Mahakabi Girishchandra". He played the small role of an ornithologist in Satyajit Ray's Kanchenjungha and later a character role in Aranyer Din Ratri. He has also acted in some Hindi films like the Raj Kapoor vehicle Jagte Raho (1956), Suchitra Sen starrer Mamta (1966), the dual version of "Aradhana" (1969) directed by Shakti Samanta and English films such as the Merchant Ivory Productions venture The Householder (1963).
Selected filmography Year Film Role Language 1933 Yahudi Ki Ladki Hindi/Urdu 1933 Rajrani Meera Hindi 1933 Meerabai 1934 Chandidas Baiju Bengali 1934 Daku Mansoor Hindi/Urdu 1934 Mohabbat Ki Kasauti Hindi 1934 Rooplekha Bengali 1935 Dhoop Chhaon Dipak Hindi 1936 Karodpati Hindi 1936 Bijaya Bengali 1936 Manzil Mahim Hindi 1936 Pujarin Hindi 1937 Vidyapati Vidyapati Bengali 1938 Abhagin 1939 Adhikar Ratan Hindi/Bengali 1939 Rajat Jayanti Bishu Bengali1939 Bari Didi Surendra Hindi 1939 Bardidi Suren Bengali 1939 Sapurey Hindi 1939 Sapera Bengali 1940 Har-Jeet 1940 Abhinetri Bengali 1940 Zindagi Hindi 1941 Pratishruti Kumar Bengali 1942 Saugandh Kumar Hindi 1945 Ramayani Hindi 1946 Milan Akshay Hindi 1947 Naukadubi Bengali 1947 Shravan Kumar Shravan 1948 Priyatama Bengali 1949 Ultorath Bengali 1950 Maryada Bengali 1950 Panchayet 1950 Vidyasagar Vidyasagar Bengali 1951 Ratnadeep Bengali1952Basu ParibaarFatherBengali1952 Bindur Chheley Bengali 1953 Ratna Deepam Tamil 1953 Bou Thakuranir Haat 1954 Griha Prabesh 1954Sadanander MelaDhakkhinaranjan ChowdhuryBengali 1955 Sabar Upare Rita's brother, a journalist Bengali1955Shap MochanBengali 1955 Paresh Bengali1955Bir HambirBengali 1956 Shilpi Bengali 1956 Jagte Raho Shashan, Meenu's husband Hindi 1956 Ek Din Raatre Bengali 1956 Ekti Raat Digbijoy Bengali 1956 Chalachal Doctor Bengali 1956 Mahakabi Girishchandra Bengali 1957 Harano Sur Roma's father Bengali1957 Jiban Trishna Dr. Shamonto Bengali 1957 Prithibi Amare Chaye Bengali1957 Dakharkara 1958 Jamalaye Jibanta Manush NarodBengali1959 Deep Jele Jai Bengali1959 Sasibabur Sansar Bengali 1960 Haath Baraley Bandhu Bengali 1961 Manik Bengali 1962 Kanchenjungha Jagadish Bengali 1962 Agnishikha Bengali 1962 Kancher Swargo Bengali 1962 Bipasha Bengali 1962 Jaya Bengali 1963 Deya Neya Sucharita's Uncle Bengali 1963 Shesh Anka Sir Haraprasad Bengali 1963 Uttarayan Mr. Sen, Arati's father Bengali 1965 Tapasi Bengali 1965 Alor Pipasa Doctor Bengali 1966 Notun Jiban Aruna & Nirmal's Father Bengali1967Nayika SangbadLahiri daBengali 1967 Grihadaha Bengali 1967 Nai Roshni Judge Kailash Nath Hindi 1968 Saathi Kaku Hindi 1969 Sabarmati Mahadeb Shankar's uncle 1969 Aradhana Gopal Tripathi Hindi 1970 Aranyer Din Ratri Sadashiv Tripathi Bengali1970Dharti (1970 film)King of VasantpurHindi 1970 Rajkumari Manju's maternal uncle Hindi 1971 Bhanu Goenda Jahar Assistant Bengali 1971 Shesh Parba Bengali 1974Rodan Bhara BasantaBengali
Awards 1941: Best Actor Award: Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards: Pratisruti (1941) 1965: Best Supporting Actor Award: Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards: Jaya (1965)
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