Victor Banerjee: Difference between revisions

What links here Related changes Page information Get shortened URL
Created by Titodutta
Last edited January 3, 2026
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
UpdateBot (talk | contribs)
Bots
22,126 edits
robot: Update article (please report if you notice any mistake or error in this edit)
No edit summary
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Indian actor (born 1946)}}
{{Short description|Indian actor (born 1946)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name        = Victor Banerjee
| name        = Victor Banerjee
| image        = VictorBanerjee.jpg
| image        = Victor Banerjee at the Closing Ceremony of the North East Films, during the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2013), in Panaji (cropped).jpg
| imagesize    =  
| imagesize    =  
| caption      = Banerjee in 2013
| caption      = Banerjee in 2013
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1946|10|15}}
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1946|10|15}}
| birth_place  = [[Calcutta]], India
| birth_place  = Jalalpur, [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] (present-day [[West Bengal]], [[India]])
| occupation  = Actor
| occupation  = Actor
| yearsactive  = 1977–present
| yearsactive  = 1977–present
Line 14: Line 14:
| children    = 2
| children    = 2
| website      =  
| website      =  
| awards      = [[File:IND Padma Bhushan BAR.png|x15px]][[Padma Bhushan]] (2022)
| honors      = [[Padma Bhushan]] (2022)
}}
}}
'''Victor Banerjee''' is an Indian actor who appears in English, [[Hindi]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and [[Assamese language|Assamese]] language films. He has worked for directors such as [[Roman Polanski]], [[James Ivory]], Sir [[David Lean]], [[Jerry London]], [[Ronald Neame]], [[Satyajit Ray]], [[Mrinal Sen]], [[Shyam Benegal]], [[Montazur Rahman Akbar]] and [[Ram Gopal Varma]]. He won the [[National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor]] for the film ''[[Ghare Baire (film)|Ghare Baire]]''. He was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]], India's third highest civilian award, in 2022 by the Indian Government in the field of art.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-01-26|title=Padma Awards 2022: Complete list of recipients|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/padma-awards-2022-complete-list-of-recepient-11643162439142.html|access-date=2022-01-26|website=mint|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-01-26|title=Padma Honours: Victor Banerjee To Receive Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri For Sonu Nigam|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/padma-honours-victor-banerjee-to-receive-padma-bhushan-padma-shri-for-sonu-nigam-2729611|access-date=2022-01-26|website=NDTV|language=en}}</ref>
'''Victor Banerjee''' (born 15 October 1946) is an Indian actor who appears in English, [[Hindi]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and [[Assamese language|Assamese]] language films. He has worked with directors such as [[Roman Polanski]], [[James Ivory]], Sir [[David Lean]], [[Jerry London]], [[Ronald Neame]], [[Satyajit Ray]], [[Mrinal Sen]], [[Shyam Benegal]], and [[Montazur Rahman Akbar]]. He won the [[National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor]] for the film ''[[Ghare Baire (film)|Ghare Baire]]''. He was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]], India's third highest civilian award, in 2022 for his contribution to [[Film|cinema]] by the Indian Government in the field of art.<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 January 2022|title=Padma Awards 2022: Complete list of recipients|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/padma-awards-2022-complete-list-of-recepient-11643162439142.html|access-date=26 January 2022|website=mint|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=26 January 2022|title=Padma Honours: Victor Banerjee To Receive Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri For Sonu Nigam|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/padma-honours-victor-banerjee-to-receive-padma-bhushan-padma-shri-for-sonu-nigam-2729611|access-date=26 January 2022|website=NDTV|language=en}}</ref>


==Early life and education==
==Personal life==
Banerjee was born in a [[Zamindar]]i [[Bengali Hindus|Bengali Hindu]] family. He is a descendant of the Raja Bahadur of [[Chanchal]] ([[Malda District]]) and the Raja of [[Uttarpara]].
While in Calcutta, Banerjee performed in plays. He also performed during his time in Bombay.


Banerjee completed his schooling from St. Edmund's School, Shillong. He did his graduation in English literature from [[St. Xavier's College, Calcutta]]; and completed his post graduation in Comparative Literature from [[Jadavpur University]].
He has a daughter who was a [[Visual effects|VFX]] supervisor for 16 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.glamsham.com/movies/news/04/jul/26Victor.asp|title=Victor Banerjee's daughter walks a different road - bollywood news : glamsham.com|website=www.glamsham.com|access-date=30 April 2016}}</ref>


He turned down a scholarship to [[Trinity College, Dublin|Trinity College in Dublin]], which had offered to him, through the Irish Christian Brothers, to admit him as an operatic tenor.
=== Art aficionado ===
 
Banerjee established The Calcutta Art Gallery in the late 1970s which was the first commercial art gallery in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calcutta becomes new vogue-city in business of art, Bengal painters emerge from the shadows |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/story/19891115-calcutta-becomes-new-vogue-city-in-business-of-art-bengal-painters-emerge-from-the-shadows-816708-1989-11-14 |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=India Today |date=15 November 1989 |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life==
A man of many parts, Banerjee had a deep and abiding interest in theatre in the early years. While in Calcutta, he performed in plays for the British Council,British Women's Association and the theatre group Amateurs. He was the lead tenor in the Calcutta Light Opera Group production of ''[[The Desert Song]],''. During his time in Bombay he performed for the Cambridge Society, director Arun Sachdev and also played Jesus in Bombay Theatre's first ever musical production, ''[[Godspell]]''. He also played senior division hockey and football in the Bengal League in the 1960s. During the 1991 Uttarkashi Earthquake, he actively participated in relief work. He single-handedly led five mules loaded with relief materials plus carried a backpack of {{cvt|30|kg}} of milk and medicines to Pinswar village (which is beyond the tree line) just before the first winter snowfall and before the Govt supplies reached.  In December 1999, he and his wife Maya brought in the new millennium with hands-on participation in relief work in cyclone devastated Orissa which included rebuilding mud huts and clearing animal carcasses. The Moran Blind School in Assam founded by his father Maj S.N. Banerjee in 1971 is an Instituiton which Banerjee continues to  nurture and develop. Under his stewardship, it is now a full-fledged residential school. Recently, the students were the semi-finalists in the North East  Blind Football Championship and rated by a Bangalore-based organisation as one of the best schools for visually challenged students. His passion for Art lead him to establish The Calcutta Art Gallery in the late 1970s which was the first commercial art gallery in the city. He brought in renowned artists such as M.F.Husain, Jehangir Sabavala, Anjolie Ela Menon, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Sakti Burman and many others to exhibit. He also actively promoted new talent and artists like Shyamal Roy had their first shows in the Gallery. He is the Brand Ambassador of the Srimants Sankaradeva Society of Assam and the Bird Watchers Society of Uttarakhand and the Goodwill Ambassador of the Dimasa Tribe of the Northeast Hill Tracts. He divides his time between his homes in Landour in Uttarakhand and in Kolkata.
 
He has a daughter who was a reputable [[Visual effects|VFX]] supervisor for 16 years and is now an aspiring teacher.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.glamsham.com/movies/news/04/jul/26Victor.asp|title=Victor Banerjee's daughter walks a different road - bollywood news : glamsham.com|website=www.glamsham.com|access-date=2016-04-30}}</ref> His other daughter, a former Scientist, is settled in the U.S.


==Film career==
==Film career==
In 1984, Banerjee portrayed Dr. Aziz Ahmed in [[David Lean]]'s film of ''[[A Passage to India (film)|A Passage to India]]'', bringing him to the attention of western audiences.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/pune-times/The-return-of-Victor-Banerjee/articleshow/100227.cms|title=The return of Victor Banerjee - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2016-04-30}}</ref> He was nominated for a [[BAFTA award]] for the role in 1986, and won the [[Evening Standard British Film Award]] and [[NBR Award]] (National Board Review, USA) for it. Very few non Americans and no Asian has won the NBR Award for Best Actor. In April 1985, at a special event in Louisiana where [[John Travolta]] and [[Loretta Swit]] were also honoured, Banerjee received the "Show-a-Rama Award" from the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] as "New International Star".
In 1984, Banerjee portrayed Dr. Aziz Ahmed in [[David Lean]]'s film of ''[[A Passage to India (film)|A Passage to India]]'', bringing him to the attention of western audiences.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/pune-times/The-return-of-Victor-Banerjee/articleshow/100227.cms|title=The return of Victor Banerjee - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=29 July 2003 |access-date=30 April 2016}}</ref> He was nominated for a [[BAFTA Award]] for the role in 1986, and won the [[Evening Standard British Film Award]] and [[NBR Award]] (National Board Review, USA) for it. In April 1985, Banerjee received the "Show-a-Rama Award" from the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] as "New International Star."{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}}


He acted in [[Merchant Ivory Productions]] ''[[Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures]]'', [[Satyajit Ray]]'s ''[[Shatranj Ke Khilari]]'' and ''[[Ghare Baire (film)|Ghare Baire]]'' and in [[Mrinal Sen]]'s ''Mahaprithivi''. On the set of [[Gunday]] starring [[Priyanka Chopra]], Mr. Banerjee has said that he feels "all work is a challenge and therefore fun".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/i-have-a-kitchen-to-run-victor-banerjee-defends-his-brief-role-in-gunday-669126.html|title=I have a kitchen to run: Victor Banerjee defends his brief role in 'Gunday'|website=News18|date=18 February 2014|access-date=2016-04-30}}</ref>
He acted in [[Merchant Ivory Productions]] ''[[Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures]]'', [[Satyajit Ray]]'s ''[[Shatranj Ke Khilari]]'' and ''[[Ghare Baire (film)|Ghare Baire]]'' and in [[Mrinal Sen]]'s ''Mahaprithivi''. On the set of [[Gunday]] starring [[Priyanka Chopra]], Banerjee has said that he feels "all work is a challenge and therefore fun."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/i-have-a-kitchen-to-run-victor-banerjee-defends-his-brief-role-in-gunday-669126.html|title=I have a kitchen to run: Victor Banerjee defends his brief role in 'Gunday'|website=News18|date=18 February 2014|access-date=30 April 2016}}</ref>


Though has been involved with [[Bollywood]] in recent years, Banerjee is primarily affiliated with the [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali]] film industry. He also plays character roles from time to time in the British cinema.
He was also cast in the critically acclaimed role of God in the 1988 production of the [[York Mystery Plays]], by director [[Steven Pimlott]]. He was the first Asian to play a lead role in British Theatre.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schafer |first=Elizabeth |title=Theatre and Christianity |date=2019 |publisher=Macmillan International, Higher Education Red Globe Press |isbn=978-1-352-00557-8 |series= |location=London |pages=53}}</ref>
 
He was also cast in the critically acclaimed role of "Jesus" in the 1988 production of the [[York Mystery Plays]], by director [[Steven Pimlott]]. He was the first Asian to play a lead role in British Theatre.
 
In 1991, BBC and CBC of Canada produced a documentary titled "Return Journey" directed by John McGreevy on  six world celebrities. Banerjee, along with greats like Plácido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa and Jackie Stewart were featured as celebrities who refused to live away from their home countries.
 
Banerjee is the only person in India who has won the National Award in three categories: As a cinematographer, for his documentary ''Where No Journeys End'' (which, in competition with 3100 entries from 27 countries, also won the Gold Award at the Houston International Film Festival); as a director, for his documentary ''The Splendour of Garhwal and Roopkund''; and as an actor (Best Supporting Actor) for his work in Satyajit Ray's ''Ghare Baire''.


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
Line 50: Line 40:
* ''[[Pikoo]]'' (1981, dir. Satyajit Ray)
* ''[[Pikoo]]'' (1981, dir. Satyajit Ray)
* ''[[Kalyug (1981 film)|Kalyug]]'' (1981, dir. Shyam Benegal)
* ''[[Kalyug (1981 film)|Kalyug]]'' (1981, dir. Shyam Benegal)
* ''Jaipur Junction'' (1982)
* ''[[Jaipur Junction]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Arohan (film)|Arohan]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Arohan (film)|Arohan]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Doosri Dulhan]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Doosri Dulhan]]'' (1983)
Line 59: Line 49:
* ''Pratigya'' (1985)
* ''Pratigya'' (1985)
* ''Pratikar'' (1987)
* ''Pratikar'' (1987)
* ''Ekanta Apan'' (1987)
* ''Ekanta Apon'' (1987)
* ''[[Foreign Body (1986 film)|Foreign Body]]'' (1986, dir. [[Ronald Neame]])
* ''[[Foreign Body (1986 film)|Foreign Body]]'' (1986, dir. [[Ronald Neame]])
* ''[[Dadah Is Death]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Dadah Is Death]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Aagoon]]'' (1988, Dir. Self)
* ''[[Aagoon]]'' (1988, Dir. Self)
* ''Madhuban''(1988, Dir. Ajoy Kar)
* ''[[Madhuban (1984 film)|Madhuban]]''(1984, Dir. Ajoy Kar)
* ''[[Debota]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Debota]]'' (1989)
* ''Akrosh'' (1989)
* ''Aakrosh'' (1989)
* ''Byabodhan''(1990)
* ''Byabodhan''(1990)
* ''[[Lathi (1996 film)|Lathi]]'' (1996, dir.[[Prabhat Roy]])
* ''[[Lathi (1996 film)|Lathi]]'' (1996, dir.[[Prabhat Roy]])
* ''[[Mahaprithibi]]'' (1991, dir. Mrinal Sen)
* ''[[Mahaprithibi]]'' (1991, dir. [[Mrinal Sen]])
* ''[[Bitter Moon]]'' (1992, dir. Roman Polanski)
* ''[[Bitter Moon]]'' (1992, dir. [[Roman Polanski]])
* ''True Adventures of Christopher Columbus'' (1992, TV Series)
* ''[[True Adventures of Christopher Columbus]]'' (1992, TV Series)
* ''Moner Moto Mon'' (1998, dir. [[Montazur Rahman Akbar]]) (aka ''Raja Rani'')
* ''[[Moner Moto Mon]]'' (1998, dir. [[Montazur Rahman Akbar]]) ([[Indo-Bangladesh joint production]]; also known as ''Raja Rani'' in India)
* ''[[Dada Thakur (2001 film)]]''
* '' Manush keno Beiman '' (2002)  
* ''[[Deva (2002 film)]]''
* ''[[Antarghaat]]'' (2002, Dir. Tathagata Bhattacherjee)
* ''[[Antarghaat]]'' (2002, Dir. Tathagata Bhattacherjee)
* ''[[Bhoot (film)|Bhoot]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Bhoot (film)|Bhoot]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Joggers' Park (film)|Joggers' Park]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Joggers' Park (film)|Joggers' Park]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Bow Barracks Forever]]'' (2004, dir. [[Anjan Dutt]])
* ''[[Bow Barracks Forever]]'' (2004, dir. [[Anjan Dutt]])
*''[[Bandhan (2004 film)]]''
* ''[[Parinam (2005 film)]]''
* ''Yatna'' (2005)
* ''Yatna'' (2005)
* ''[[It Was Raining That Night (2005 film)|It Was Raining That Night]]'' (2005)
* ''[[It Was Raining That Night (2005 film)|It Was Raining That Night]]'' (2005)
Line 81: Line 76:
* ''Amavas'' (2005)
* ''Amavas'' (2005)
* ''[[Home Delivery (film)|Home Delivery]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Home Delivery (film)|Home Delivery]]'' (2005)
* ''Bradford Riots'' (2006) (TV)
* ''[[Bradford Riots]]'' (2006) (TV)
* ''[[Ho Sakta Hai]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Ho Sakta Hai]]'' (2006)
* ''[[The Bong Connection]]'' (2006, dir. Anjan Dutt)
* ''[[The Bong Connection]]'' (2006, dir. [[Anjan Dutt]])
* ''[[Bandhu (2007 film)]]''
* ''[[Chaurahen]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Chaurahen]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Ta Ra Rum Pum]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Ta Ra Rum Pum]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Apne]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Apne]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Tahaan]]'' (2008) (dir. Santosh Shivan)
* ''[[Tahaan]]'' (2008) (dir. [[Santosh Sivan]])
* ''[[Sarkar Raj]]'' (2008) (dir. Ramgopal Verma)
* ''[[Sarkar Raj]]'' (2008) (dir. [[Ram Gopal Varma]])
* ''[[Sobar Upore Tumi]]'' (2009) (dir. F. I. Manik)
* ''[[Sobar Upore Tumi]]'' (2009) (dir. [[F. I. Manik]])
* ''[[Gumshuda]]'' (2010) (dir. Ashoke Viswanathan)
* ''[[Gumshuda]]'' (2010) (dir. Ashoke Viswanathan)
* ''[[Gosainbaganer Bhoot (film)|Gosainbaganer Bhoot]]'' (2011) (dir. [[Nitish Roy]])
* ''[[Gosainbaganer Bhoot (film)|Gosainbaganer Bhoot]]'' (2011) (dir. [[Nitish Roy]])
Line 98: Line 94:
* ''[[Shabdo]]'' (2013) ([[Kaushik Ganguly]])
* ''[[Shabdo]]'' (2013) ([[Kaushik Ganguly]])
* ''[[Kagojer Nouka]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Kagojer Nouka]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Santiniketane]]'' (2013) (dir. Ashoke Viswanathan)
* ''[[Shantiniketan-e]]'' (2013) (dir. Ashoke Viswanathan)
* ''[[Gunday]]'' (2014)
* ''[[Gunday]]'' (2014)
* ''[[Children of War (2014 film)|Children of War]]'' (2014) (dir. Mrityunjay Devvrat)
* ''[[Children of War (2014 film)|Children of War]]'' (2014) (dir. Mrityunjay Devvrat)
* ''[[Jeeya Jurir Xubax]] (2014) ([[Cinema of Assam|Assamese film]]; dir. Sanjib Sabhapandit)<ref name="hindu">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/a-struggle-still/article5922106.ece | title=A struggle still | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=17 April 2014 | access-date=22 August 2014 | author=Pisharoty, Sangeeta Barooah | location=Delhi}}</ref>
* ''[[Jeeya Jurir Xubax]]'' (2014) ([[Cinema of Assam|Assamese film]]; dir. Sanjib Sabhapandit)<ref name="hindu">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/a-struggle-still/article5922106.ece | title=A struggle still | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=17 April 2014 | access-date=22 August 2014 | author=Pisharoty, Sangeeta Barooah | location=Delhi}}</ref>
* ''[[Unfreedom]]'' (2014) (dr. [[Raj Amit Kumar]])
* ''[[Unfreedom]]'' (2014) (dr. [[Raj Amit Kumar]])
* ''[[Chakra (2016 film)|Chakra]]'' (2016) (dir. [[Zubeen Garg]])
* ''[[Chakra (2016 film)|Chakra]]'' (2016) (dir. [[Zubeen Garg]])
* ''[[Fever (2016 film)|Fever]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Fever (2016 film)|Fever]]'' (2016)
* ''Dev Bhoomi'' (2016) (dir. Goran Pascaljevic) Won Best Picture Award at the Bari International Film Festival in Italy
* ''Dev Bhoomi'' (2016) (dir. Goran Pascaljevic) Won Best Picture Award at the Bari International Film Festival in Italy
* ''[[Love Express (2016 film)|Dev Love Express]]''
* ''[[Love Express (2016 film)|Love Express]]'' (2016) (dir. [[Rajiv Kumar Biswas]])
* ''[[Pensando en el]]''
* ''[[Pensando en el]]''
* ''[[The Answer (2018 film)|The Answer]]'' (2018). Starred as Paramahansa Yoganand,the film won a record 17 major International Awards & 48 Nominations.
* ''[[The Answer (2018 film)|The Answer]]'' (2018). Starred as Paramahansa Yoganand, the film won a record 17 major International Awards & 48 Nominations.
* ''[[High Life (2018 film)|High Life]]'' (2018) (English language film)
* ''[[High Life (2018 film)|High Life]]'' (2018) (English language film)
* ''[[Josef Born in Grace]]'' (2019) (dir Susant Misra)
* ''[[Joseph – Born in Grace]]'' (2019) dir [[Susant Mishra]]
* ''Sannyasi Deshonayok'' (2020)
* ''Sannyasi Deshonayok'' (2020)
* ''[[Raktabeej]]'' (2023)
* ''[[Raktabeej 2]]'' (2025)
* ''[[Roi Roi Binale (film)|Roi Roi Binale]]'' (2025) (dir. Rajesh Bhuyan)
{{div col end}}
{{div col end}}


Line 133: Line 132:
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best Actor in a Leading Role]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best Actor in a Leading Role]]
| {{nom}}
| {{nom}}
| <ref name=BAFTA>{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/explore?year=1986&type=film+ |title=Awards Database: Search our record of winners & nominees, Year of Presentation: 1986, Award: Film |publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] |access-date=19 Jan 2020}}</ref>
| <ref name=BAFTA>{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/explore?year=1986&type=film+ |title=Awards Database: Search our record of winners & nominees, Year of Presentation: 1986, Award: Film |publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] |access-date=19 January 2020}}</ref>
|-
|-
! 1986
! 1986
Line 143: Line 142:
|-
|-
! 1997
! 1997
| ''[[Lathi (1996 film)|Lathi]]
| ''[[Lathi (1996 film)|Lathi]]''
| {{won}}
| {{won}}
|
|
Line 170: Line 169:


==Political career==
==Political career==
Banerjee unsuccessfully contested the [[1991 Indian general election|1991 Lok Sabha election]] in [[Calcutta North West (Lok Sabha constituency)|Calcutta North West]] from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]. He got 89,155 votes and stood third.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PC: Calcutta North West 1991|url=https://www.indiavotes.com/pc/detail/4978/9/10|access-date=2020-11-06|website=Indiavotes.com}}</ref>
Banerjee unsuccessfully contested the [[1991 Indian general election|1991 Lok Sabha election]] in [[Calcutta North West (Lok Sabha constituency)|Calcutta North West]] from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]. He got 89,155 votes and stood third.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PC: Calcutta North West 1991|url=https://www.indiavotes.com/pc/detail/4978/9/10|access-date=6 November 2020|website=Indiavotes.com}}</ref>


As an active member of the BJP, he was critical of [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]]'s order to shoot the Karsevaks who had once climbed the [[Babri Masjid]] prior to its [[Demolition of the Babri Masjid|demolition]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Banerjee |first1=Victor |title=A CHRISTENING IN BLOOD |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/a-christening-in-blood/cid/938331 |website=[[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]] |access-date=18 October 2021}}</ref>
As an active member of the BJP, he was critical of [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]]'s order to shoot the Karsevaks who had once climbed the [[Babri Masjid]] prior to its [[Demolition of the Babri Masjid|demolition]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Banerjee |first1=Victor |title=A CHRISTENING IN BLOOD |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/a-christening-in-blood/cid/938331 |website=[[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]] |access-date=18 October 2021}}</ref>
Line 180: Line 179:


==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0051856}}
* {{commons category-inline}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0051856}}


{{Navboxes
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Victor Banerjee
|title = Awards for Victor Banerjee
|list =
|list =
{{Padma Bhushan Award Recipients 2020–2029}}
{{Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Actor}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Actor}}
{{NationalFilmAwardBestSupportingActor}}
{{NationalFilmAwardBestSupportingActor}}
{{Padma Bhushan Award Recipients 2020–2029}}
}}
}}


Line 209: Line 210:
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts]]
[[Category:People associated with Shillong]]
[[Category:People associated with Shillong]]
[[Category:People from Shillong]]

Latest revision as of 13:37, 3 January 2026


Victor Banerjee
Banerjee in 2013
Born (1946-10-15) 15 October 1946 (age 79)
Jalalpur, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day West Bengal, India)
OccupationActor
Years active1977–present
Spouse(s)Maya Bhate Banerjee
Children2
HonorsPadma Bhushan (2022)

Victor Banerjee (born 15 October 1946) is an Indian actor who appears in English, Hindi, Bengali and Assamese language films. He has worked with directors such as Roman Polanski, James Ivory, Sir David Lean, Jerry London, Ronald Neame, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal, and Montazur Rahman Akbar. He won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film Ghare Baire. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, in 2022 for his contribution to cinema by the Indian Government in the field of art.[1][2]

Personal life[edit | edit source]

While in Calcutta, Banerjee performed in plays. He also performed during his time in Bombay.

He has a daughter who was a VFX supervisor for 16 years.[3]

Art aficionado[edit | edit source]

Banerjee established The Calcutta Art Gallery in the late 1970s which was the first commercial art gallery in the city.[4]

Film career[edit | edit source]

In 1984, Banerjee portrayed Dr. Aziz Ahmed in David Lean's film of A Passage to India, bringing him to the attention of western audiences.[5] He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for the role in 1986, and won the Evening Standard British Film Award and NBR Award (National Board Review, USA) for it. In April 1985, Banerjee received the "Show-a-Rama Award" from the Motion Picture Association of America as "New International Star."[citation needed]

He acted in Merchant Ivory Productions Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures, Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khilari and Ghare Baire and in Mrinal Sen's Mahaprithivi. On the set of Gunday starring Priyanka Chopra, Banerjee has said that he feels "all work is a challenge and therefore fun."[6]

He was also cast in the critically acclaimed role of God in the 1988 production of the York Mystery Plays, by director Steven Pimlott. He was the first Asian to play a lead role in British Theatre.[7]

Filmography[edit | edit source]

Awards and nominations[edit | edit source]

Civilian Awards[edit | edit source]

Film awards[edit | edit source]

Year Award Film Category Result Ref.
1986 BAFTA Awards A Passage to India Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated [10]
1986 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Ghare Baire Best Actor Won
1997 Lathi Won
1985 Evening Standard British Film Awards A Passage to India Best Actor Won
1984 National Board of Review Awards Best Actor Won [11]
1985 National Film Awards Ghare Baire Best Supporting Actor Won [12]

Political career[edit | edit source]

Banerjee unsuccessfully contested the 1991 Lok Sabha election in Calcutta North West from the Bharatiya Janata Party. He got 89,155 votes and stood third.[13]

As an active member of the BJP, he was critical of Mulayam Singh Yadav's order to shoot the Karsevaks who had once climbed the Babri Masjid prior to its demolition.[14]

He has been highly critical of what he called Navjot Singh Sidhu's pacifist attitude to terrorism exported from Pakistan.[15]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Padma Awards 2022: Complete list of recipients". mint. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Padma Honours: Victor Banerjee To Receive Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri For Sonu Nigam". NDTV. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  3. ↑ "Victor Banerjee's daughter walks a different road - bollywood news : glamsham.com". www.glamsham.com. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Calcutta becomes new vogue-city in business of art, Bengal painters emerge from the shadows". India Today. 15 November 1989. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  5. ↑ "The return of Victor Banerjee - Times of India". The Times of India. 29 July 2003. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "I have a kitchen to run: Victor Banerjee defends his brief role in 'Gunday'". News18. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Schafer, Elizabeth (2019). Theatre and Christianity. London: Macmillan International, Higher Education Red Globe Press. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-352-00557-8.
  8. ↑ Pisharoty, Sangeeta Barooah (17 April 2014). "A struggle still". The Hindu. Delhi. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Padma Awards 2022 List: CDS General Bipin Rawat among recipients; Full List of Padma Awards winners". Jagranjosh.com. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Awards Database: Search our record of winners & nominees, Year of Presentation: 1986, Award: Film". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  11. ↑ National Board of Review of Motion Pictures :: Awards for 1984
  12. ↑ "32nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "PC: Calcutta North West 1991". Indiavotes.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  14. ↑ Banerjee, Victor. "A CHRISTENING IN BLOOD". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Victor Banerjee Slams Navjot Singh Sidhu". Business Standard India. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2021.

External links[edit | edit source]

Retrieved from "https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Victor_Banerjee&oldid=471138"
Discover more