Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar


Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar are an Indian filmmaker duo working predominantly in Marathi cinema and Marathi theatre. Bhave along with Sukthankar have made fourteen feature films, more than fifty short films, and four TV serials; all of which have been written by Bhave. The duo have won various national and international accolades.

Early life

Sumitra Bhave

Bhave was born on 12 January 1943 in Pune. She completed her graduation from Fergusson College, Pune, and received a master's degree in Political and Science Sociology from Pune University. She received another master's degree in Political Science and Sociology and a Diploma in Rural Welfare from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and later began her voluntary work for the various organisations. She taught at the Karve Institute of Social Service, Pune, for a decade and later worked as a Project Manager for Community Aid and Sponsorship Program, Mumbai. Bhave has published various investigation and research papers on the subject. She worked as a Marathi language newsreader with All India Radio, New Delhi.

Sunil Sukthankar

Sukthankar was born on 31 May 1966 in Karad. He completed his graduation in Commerce from Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce, Pune and joined the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune to pursue a course in film direction. His diploma film was titled Anuttar. As a theatre activist, Sukthankar wrote and directed several plays and street plays.

Career

In 1985, while working as the Director of Research Project for Stree Vani, Bhave made a debut short film Bai about a woman from the slums to display her strength to survive adversities. The film, produced by Stree Vani, was well received and went on to win the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film on Family Welfare at the 33rd National Film Awards. It was honoured for "its realistic portrayal of poor, oppressed housewife who succeeds in her determined effort to rehabilitate herself and realise her potential to be on her own". Her next short film Paani, made in 1987, also fetched her another National Film Award. The film was adjudged the Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional Film at the 35th National Film Awards. Bhave later made several other short films like Mukti, Chakori, Laha, and Three Faces of Tomorrow. Bhave has received a Chitra Ratna Puraskar and Kamdhenu Award for literary contribution.
After a career as a theatre activist, Sukthankar was introduced to Bhave through her daughter while she was making her debut short film Bai. After completing his graduation and film direction course from the Film and Television Institute of India, he joined Bhave again as an assistant and worked on three short films.

Collaboration

1995—2009

In 1995, Bhave collaborated with Sukthankar as a director and made their film debut with a Marathi film Doghi. The film depicts a story about two sisters and their mother caught in rigid and superstitious social structure. The film received wide critical acclaim and won several awards including the Best Film at the 32nd Maharashtra State Film Awards and the Best Film on Other Social Issues at the 43rd National Film Awards. Their next film Zindagi Zindabad was made in Hindi in 1997. The film was based on a real-life story of a teenager who risked his own life to care for a person stigmatised by HIV/AIDS. In 2002, two of the films made by Bhave and Sukthankar, both made in Marathi, Dahavi Fa and Vastupurush, were released. The filmmakers duo initially approached the Children's Film Society to produce Dahavi Fa but the organization refused the script for not fitting "into their 'objectives'". The film was finally funded by their friends and was released under the duo's production company "Vichitra Nirmiti". Both films received wide critical acclaim; Vastupurush was awarded the Best Feature Film in Marathi at the 50th National Film Awards, Dahavi Fa was adjudged the Best Film at the 40th Maharashtra State Film Awards, and the duo won the Best Director award. The duo considers Vastupurush as their "important and favourite film".
In 2004, Bhave—Sukthankar made their next Marathi film Devrai on the subject of schizophrenia with Atul Kulkarni and Sonali Kulkarni playing the lead roles. The film was appreciated for its depiction of schizophrenia and performances of its leads, and won several awards upon its release including the Best Film on Environment Conservation / Preservation at the 52nd National Film Awards, Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress award at the 11th Screen Awards Marathi and the Award for Best Film with Social Message at the 42nd Maharashtra State Film Awards. In 2006, two of Bhave—Sukthankar's Marathi films were released; Badha and Nital. While Badha depicts a story of a woman from the shepherd community battling depression due to the "shamans, stigma and superstition" in their community, Nital focuses on the stigma associated with the disease vitiligo in Indian society. Nital was adjudged the Best Film at the 44th Maharashtra State Film Awards, and the duo won the Best Director award.
In 2007, Bhave—Sukthankar made a short film in Hindi, Bewaqt Barish, financed by the European Union and produced by Muktangan Mitra. The film focuses on the issues around HIV/AIDS, sex and sexuality and is based on the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief's work with rural and tribal community in the Rajasthan and Odisha states of India. Two of the duo's Marathi films were released in 2009; Ek Cup Chya and Gho Mala Asla Hava. Ek Cup Chya depicts a story of a common man who challenges the Government authorities using the Right to Information Act, 2005, an act of the Parliament of India that gives its citizens the right to access government records. The film was awarded the Third Best Film at the 2009 Maharashtra State Film Awards and Bhave—Sukthankar won the Best Director award. Gho Mala Asla Hava premiered at the Pune International Film Festival and is a comical representation of marital problems. Bhave had initially had plans to make it as a short film. The film marked the debut of actress Radhika Apte, who had previously acted for the theatre.

2010—present

In 2010, the duo made the Hindi language feature-cum-documentary film Mor Dekhne Jungle Mein. The film was produced by the BAIF Development Research Foundation and was inspired by their "Wadi" project. It focuses on urban youth involvement in rural development and rehabilitation of tribal families. Bhave—Sukthankar's 2011 Marathi film Ha Bharat Majha depicts the contrast in the Indian society who support the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement started by activist Anna Hazare but continue to practice small corrupt acts in their daily lives. The film was awarded the Best Marathi Film at the 10th Pune International Film Festival. The duo made a Marathi film in 2013, Samhita. The film received positive reviews for its story, direction, music, and performances. It received two awards at the 60th National Film Awards, and Bhave was awarded for the Best Screenplay at the 11th Pune International Film Festival. Their next Marathi film, Astu, dealt with the subject of Alzheimer's, and is about a Sanskrit scholar who is suffering from it. The film was appreciated for its depiction of the disease and performances of its leads, and won several awards. Bhave won Best Dialogue at the 61st National Film Awards. Though the film was completed in 2013, it did not find any distributor and was released through crowdfunding in 2016.
In 2015, the duo made a short film in Hindi, Phir Zindagi which deals with topic of organ donation. Their upcoming Marathi film Kaasav depicts the issue of depression among youngsters in relation to the life and nesting cycle of olive ridley sea turtles. The film was awarded the Best Feature Film at the 64th National Film Awards. Kaasav became the fifth Marathi film to win in this category. The film was also awarded the Best Film at the 55th Maharashtra State Film Awards.

Filmography

Short films and TV serials

Feature films

Awards

Indicates an award for Sumitra Bhave

YearAwardCategoryFilmResult
1985National Film AwardsBest Non-Feature Film on Family WelfareBai
1987National Film AwardsBest Educational / Motivational / Instructional FilmPaani
1995National Film AwardsBest Film on Other Social IssuesDoghi
1996Cinema Delle Donne ItalyGrand Jury PrizeDoghi
1996Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest FilmDoghi
1996Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest Art DirectorDoghi
1996Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest ScriptDoghi
1996Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest StoryDoghi
1996V. Shantaram Award2nd Best FilmDoghi
1996V. Shantaram Award2nd Best DirectorDoghi
1996V. Shantaram AwardBest Film on Other Social IssuesDoghi
1997Kalnirnay AwardBest DirectorDoghi
2002Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest FilmDahavi Fa
2006Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest DirectorDahavi Fa
2002Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest StoryDahavi Fa
2002Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest StoryVastupurush
2002Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest DialogueVastupurush
2002Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest ScreenplayVastupurush
2002Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest Lyrics Dahavi Fa
2002Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest LyricsVastupurush
2002National Film AwardsBest Feature Film in MarathiVastupurush
2004National Film AwardsBest Film on Environment Conservation / PreservationDevrai
2005Screen Awards MarathiBest FilmDevrai
2005Screen Awards MarathiBest DirectorDevrai
2006Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest FilmNital
2006Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest DirectorNital
2009Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest Film Ek Cup Chya
2009Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest Director Ek Cup Chya
2011Pune International Film FestivalBest Marathi FilmHa Bharat Majha
2012Prabhat Film AwardsBest CostumeSamhita
2012Prabhat Film AwardsBest Art directionSamhita
2012Pune International Film FestivalBest ScreenplaySamhita
2013Delhi International Film FestivalBest Regional FilmAstu
2013Indian Film Festival StuttgartAudience Award for Best FilmAstu
2013National Film AwardsBest DialogueAstu
2013Kolhapur International Film FestivalAudience Award for Best FilmAstu
2013Kolhapur International Film FestivalBest FilmAstu
2013Kolhapur International Film FestivalBest DirectionAstu
2013Kolhapur International Film FestivalBest ScreenplayAstu
2014Marathi International Cinema and Theatre Awards Best FilmAstu
2014Marathi International Cinema and Theatre Awards Best DirectionAstu
2014Marathi International Cinema and Theatre Awards Best Art DirectionAstu
2014Marathi International Cinema and Theatre Awards Best DialoguesAstu
2014Marathi International Cinema and Theatre Awards Best ScreenplayAstu
2014Marathi International Cinema and Theatre Awards Best StoryAstu
2014New York Indian Film FestivalBest FilmAstu
2016National Film AwardsBest Feature FilmKaasav
2016Maharashtra State Film AwardsBest FilmKaasav
2016Zee Chitra Gaurav AwardsBest FilmKaasav
2016Zee Chitra Gaurav AwardsBest DirectorKaasav
2016Zee Chitra Gaurav AwardsBest ScreenplayKaasav
2016Zee Chitra Gaurav AwardsBest DialoguesKaasav

Awards