Shakti Samanta was born on January 13, 1926 in Burdwan. He graduated in 1944 from University of Calcutta. He aspired to be an actor in Bollywood hence moved closer to the city. Shakti Samanta is credited with for emerging the trend of making double version films in Hindi and Bengali with Amanush in 1974. He also made the first co-produced film between India and Bangladesh in 1984. His death on 9th April 2009 left a vacuum in the Indian film industry that was never to be filled.

Career of Shakti Samanta
Samanta joined the film industry in 1948 as an assistant director and worked with Gyan Mukherjee, Satish Nigam and Phani Majumdar. Shakti Samanta directed his first feature film in 1954 and started his own production company, Shakti Films in 1957. He has directed 43 feature films in total; including 37 films in Hindi and 6 Bengali films. He directed his first film, Bahu in 1954, starring Karan Dewan, Usha Kiron, Shashikala and Pran. He set up his own production house Shakti Films, in 1957 after directing hit films like Inspector (1956), Sheroo (1956), Detective (1957) and Hill Station (1957). Howrah Bridge with Ashok Kumar and Madhubala in the lead was the first movie of his production house. His other best known films include China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali and An Evening in Paris. He also worked with Rajesh Khanna, creating a number of classics such as Aradhana, Kati Patang and Amar Prem. Few of his movies like Amanush, Barsat Ki Ek Raat, Amar Prem, Aradhana has been dubbed in Bengali also.

Shakti Samanta has produced movies directed by his son Ashim Samanta. In 1985, Shaktu Film established `Aradhana Sound Service`, a digital audio post-production facility which works both for Bollywood as well as Hollywood films

In some of his films, his brother and wife assisted him as producers. He also produced some of the films that were directed by his son. The reputed director died of heart attack in his suburban Santacruz residence on 9 April 2009.

Awards and Honours of Shakti Samanta
Shakti Samanta was honoured with the Filmfare awards for "Best film" for films like Aradhana, Anuraag and Amanush. He has also received several Lifetime Achievement awards and many other awards from Zee and other Indian organizations. Some of his films have been showcased at international festivals in Berlin, Moscow, Cairo, Tashkent and Beirut. Shakti Samanta was the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification for 7 years, the President of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association for 5 years and the Chairman of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata for 2 years.

Filmography of Sakti Sumanta
Bahu (1955)
Inspector (1956)
Hill Station (1957)
Sheroo (1957)
Howrah Bridge (1958)
Detective (1958)
Insaan Jaag Utha (1959)
Jaali Note (1960)
Singapore (1960)
Naughty Boy (1962)
China Town (1962)
Ek Raaz (1963)
Kashmir Ki Kali (1964)
Sawan ki Ghata (1966)
An Evening in Paris (1967)
Aradhana (1969)
Kati Patang (1970)
Pagla Kahin Ka (1970)
Jane Anjane (1971)
Amar Prem (1971)
Anuraag (1972)
Charitraheen (1974)
Ajnabee (1974)
Amanush (1975)
Mehbooba (1976)
Anurodh (1977)
Anand Ashram (1977)
The Great Gambler (197 9)
Khwab (1980)
Barsaat ki Ek Raat (1981)
Alag Alag (1985)