Women directors in East India played a major role in promoting feminism in India and the world as well. With changing times the world of Indian cinema has undergone a lot of changes. Apart from the shift in the style of filmmaking Indian cinema also witnessed the rise of women directors throughout India.
After the first Indian women film directors it was in 1980s that a talented group of women directors came into being and changed the ways of cinema. While Mumbai was proud of Sai Paranjpye, Mira Nair and others Kolkata was equally proud of Aparna Sen.
Aparna Sen is one personality whose films speak volumes for her talent and versatility. She started off her career with Satyajit Ray. Her first film was Teen Kanya, opposite Soumitra Chatterjee, an actor with whom she would be working again and again. The lady was always popular for her spontaneous acting and went on to deliver some of the most memorable films of Bengali cinema.
It was not before 1981 that she made her foray into filmmaking. Her first film as a director was 36 Chowringhee Lane for which she also wrote the screenplay. Most of her films are women centric. The themes of the films are sensitively handled and there is a sense if simplicity in the way the stories unfold. Her very first film won critical acclaim and she was awarded the Best Debut Director at the National Awards.
In the following years a number of films followed suit: Paroma (1984), Sati (1989), Yugant (1995), Paromitar Ek Din (2000), Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002) and 15, Park Avenue, Japanese Wife (2010) and Iti Mrinalini (2011). Apart from Aparna Sen there are so many contemporary female directors in eastern part of India. Of them Satarupa Sanyal is most named in modern times. She did the major works like Kalo Cheetah (2004), Tanyabi`s Lake (2002), Atatayee (2000), Anu (1998). Mahesh, Andhare Alo, Musolmanir Golpo, Putra Yagna, Bhalobasar, Rang, Sei Meyeta, Janmadatri, Kalo Mem, Sesh Kheyay, Bar Bodhu, Satyer Cheye Boro and many other telefilms in different entertainment media channels. She was awarded National Film Award for Best Lyrics for "Chandaneer" in 1990.
