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Director - Cinematographer Bimal Roy walked on to the stage to receive the Filmfare Best Picture and Best Director awards for "Do Bigha Zameen" (Hindi, 1953), wearing a simple dhoti, kurta and flip-flops. causing quite a commotion. He had also ushered in the age of Italian neo-realism in Indian cinema with "Do Bigha Zameen".

In the subsequent years, he went on to win nine more of Filmfare awards, a National award and an International award at Cannes.

Italian neorealism (Neorealismo) is a style of movie making that originated with depictions of post-world war II economic difficulties in Italy, with signature poor and working class stories and roles played by unknown actors and actresses.

Born in 1909 in East Bengal to a illustrious and rich family, his family fortunes turned foul with an early loss of his father, forcing his mother and brothers to move to Calcutta (now renamed Kolkata by the Communists) in search of a better life.

Bimal Roy was the cameraman for the iconic director Pramathesh Chandra Barua, and his work as a cinematographer can be seen in P C Barua classics like Mukti Maya, Devdas (both Bengali and Hindi versions) and Bari Didi.

Bimal Roy's directorial debut was with Udayer Pathey (Bengali, 1944). Subsequently, he moved to Bombay.

Bandini (1963) is condisered by many film lovers to be the towering achievement of Bimal Roy, in which Nutan delivered perhaps the most powerful female acting in Indian cinema.

Bimal Roy - Filmography

    * Radio Girl (1929) (as B. Roy)
    * Bengal Famine (film) (1943)
    * Udayer Pathey (1944)
    * Hamrahi (1944)
    * Anjangarh (1948)
    * Mantramugdhu (1949)
    * Pehla Aadmi (1950)
    * Maa (1952)
    * Parineeta (1953)
    * Do Bigha Zamin (1953)
    * Naukari (1954 )
    * Biraj Bahu (1954)
    * Baap Beti (1954)
    * Devdas (1955)
    * Yahudi (1958)
    * Madhumati (1958)
    * Sujata (1959)
    * Parakh (1960)
    * Immortal Stupa (1961)
    * Prem Patra (1962)
    * Bandini (1963)
    * Life and Message of Swami Vivekananda (1964)
    * Benazir (1964)
    * Gautama the Buddha (1967)

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