Actor, filmmaker and screenwriter Rahul Bose, turns 54 today. Known primarily for his work in parallel and arthouse features, Bose began acting in films in the late ‘80s. He has worked in over 40 films, including two, which he directed. He has worked with acclaimed filmmakers like Buddhadev Dasgupta, Aparna Sen, Deepa Mehta, Sujoy Ghosh and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, among others. Below, we take a look at five films from his career.
English, August (1994)
Filmmaker and screenwriter Dev Benegal’s debut English-language drama is about an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Agastya Sen (Bose) who finds himself in a town in Bengal where his cultured sensibilities are at odds with the locals. Sen takes refuge in drugs, fantasies and self-harm as a means of escape. English, August received the National Film Award for the Best Feature film in English.
Everybody Says I’m Fine (2001)
Bose debuted as a writer-director in this film about a barber named Xen (Rehaan Engineer) who can read the minds of his clients. Xen uses the information he gathers to help his customers anonymously until he happens across a client who abuses his daughter. The film also stars Boman Irani, Koel Purie, Pooja Bhatt and Bose among others.
Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002)
This Aparana Sen film won four National Film Awards in addition to several international accolades. The film is about a conservative Hindu Tamil married woman (Konkona Sen Sharma), who saves the life of a Bengali Muslim wildlife photographer (Bose) during a series of communal riots, by shielding his identity.
Antaheen (2009)
Also known as The Endless Wait, this Aniruddha Roychowdhury film showcases the lives, longings and ultimate loneliness of people who seek human warmth and connection through the virtual world. Bose and actress Radhika Apte’s characters become friends online, without knowing each other’s true identities.
Poorna (2017)
Bose’s second directorial effort is a biographical film about Malavath Poorna, who, on May 25, 2014, became the youngest girl, at age 13, to climb Mount Everest. Aditi Inamdar plays the title character while Bose plays Dr R.S. Praveen Kumar, who spotted her talent.
