Srijit Mukherji is a filmmaker whose name will resonate with Bengali movie lovers for generations to come. More than being a writer, director, editor, lyricist, or actor, he is first and foremost a storyteller. Widely considered among the finest directors of Bengali cinema, Srijit Mukherji is celebrated for bringing a refreshing change to the industry during an era when it was largely dominated by remakes from other regions
He made his Bengali debut in 2010 with Autograph, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, Nandana Sen, and Indraneil Sengupta, and his Hindi debut with Begum Jaan in 2017, later adding Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga and Shabaash Mithu to his Hindi repertoire.
His directorial work in Hindi also extends to web series, with Ray (Season 1), Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke, and Shekhar Home. To date, he has directed 24 Bengali feature films, and Lawho Gouraanger Naam Re marks his 25th Bengali feature film, with an exciting slate of upcoming releases, including Lawho Gouraanger Naam Re, Emperor vs Sarat Chandra, and Winkle Twinkle.
To date, Srijit Mukherji has won five National Awards, including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Chotushkone (62nd, 2014), Best Director (Bengali) for Ek Je Chhilo Raja (66th, 2018), and both Best Director (Bengali) and Best Adapted Screenplay for Gumnaami (67th, 2019).
Over his career, Srijit Mukherji has earned seven international awards—among them Best Director for Ek Je Chhilo Raja (Rainbow Film Festival, London 2018), Best Story for Vinci Da (Rainbow Film Festival, London 2019), Best Film for Ek Je Chhilo Raja (Dhaka International Film Festival 2019), Best Screenplay for Padatik (New York Indian Film Festival 2024), double honors as Best Director and Best Screenplay for Baishe Srabon (International Bangla Film Academy Awards 2011), and Best Director for Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei (Rainbow Film Festival, London 2025).
Srijit Mukherji has won four Filmfare Awards—Best Story and Best Film for Vinci Da (2019), Best Screenplay for Dwitiyo Purush (2020), and Best Screenplay for Padatik (2024). Recognized at India’s oldest film awards, the WBFJA, Srijit Mukherji has earned four wins—Best Director for Ek Je Chhilo Raja (2018),
Best Lyricist for Ahare Mon (2018), Best Screenplay for Dwitiyo Purush (2020), and Best Director for Padatik (2024). Across the Telecine Awards, instituted by the Government of West Bengal, Srijit Mukherji has secured eight honors:
Best Film and Best Director for Autograph at the 10th edition in 2010, Best Director for Baishe Srabon at the 11th edition in 2011, Best Director for Chotushkone at the 14th edition in 2014, Best Film and Best Director (Critics) for Vinci Da at the 18th edition in 2019, and Best Film and Best Director (Critics) for Gumnaami at the 19th edition in 2019.
Another feather in his cap is Baishe Srabon being listed among the 250 highest-rated Indian movies, standing as the only contemporary Bengali film alongside eternal classics like Pather Panchali, Aparajito, Apur Sansar, Jalshaghar, and Charulata.
Out of the three current Superstars of Bengali cinema, Srijit Mukherji has directed Prosenjit Chatterjee in as many as nine films and Dev in two, while Jeet’s only collaboration remains a brief cameo in Hemlock Society, with a full-fledged project still awaited.
He has worked with 16 different music directors in his career so far, among which his most frequent collaborations have been with Indraadip Dasgupta across 12 films and Anupam Roy in 10 films.
In an interview, Srijit Mukherji revealed that he had once offered Jeet the role of Hani Al Qadi in Mishawr Rawhoshyo—a casting he believed would have been perfect—but Jeet turned it down, and the role ultimately went to Indraneil Sengupta, who not only justified the part but also won the Filmfare Awards East for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male).
There is no doubt that the expectations surrounding Srijit Mukherji’s films are always elevated, thanks to the quality and success of his early projects. However, barring Padatik, his recent works over the last couple of years have not quite lived up to those expectations, leading many fans to voice their concerns across social media. This dip could be attributed to his bold streak of experimentation—be it attempting a black-and-white science fiction romance in X=Prem, reviving the charisma of Mahanayak Uttam Kumar through Oti Uttam, or exploring the life of Gauranga in the biopic Lawho Gouraanger Naam Re.
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