Koushik Sen (born 19 September 1968) is an Indian actor in film, television and theatre, based in Kolkata. He is the director of the theatre group Swapnasandhani. He won a Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for best supporting actor for his performance in the Mrinal Sen directed film Aamar Bhuvan.^[2] He was awarded Girish Purashkar 2023 by the Cultural Department of the Government of West Bengal for his extraordinary contributions to theatre.^[3] This year he was also awarded Telly Academy Best Actor Award for Godhuli Alap series.

Personal life

Kaushik Sen was born into a Baidya Brahmin family on 19 September 1968. He is the son of actress Chitra Sen and actor Shyamal Sen. He studied at the Julien Day School, and graduated from Scottish Church College, both in Kolkata. Sen is married to Reshmi Sen and has a son, Riddhi Sen.^[4]

Stage performance

Since 1992 he has been the director of Bengali theatre group Swapnasandhani. The group has staged around fifty plays and performed in all the major theatres at Kolkata. Their most recent plays are Hamlet and Taray Taray.

In 2010, the group staged the play Birpurush, which was inspired by Rabindranath Tagore's poem. It was a political play and dealt with the contemporary context of West Bengal. The play stirred up some controversies.^[5]

Sen appeared with Soumitra Chatterjee in the play Tiktiki.

Works

Sen made his acting debut in 1979 with Mrinal Sen's Ekdin Pratidin as a child actor.^{[citation needed]} He has acted in more than seventy films. His best known performances in films are: Wheel Chair (1995), Aamaar Bhuvan (2002), Shunyo E Buke (2005), BankuBabur Bandhu (2006), Dwando (2009), Iti Mrinalini (2011), Charuulata 2011 (2011), Piyalir Password (2012), Abar Byomkesh (2012), Goynar Baksho (2013), Rupkotha Noy (2013), Kolkata Calling (2014), Bhengchi (2015), Babar Naam Gandhiji (2015), Rajkahini (2015), Kahaani 2 (2016), Lion (2016), Zulfiqar (2016), Jawker Dhan (2017), Durga Sahay (2017), Raktokarobi (2017), Laboratory (2018), Rasogolla (2018), Barunbabur Bandhu (2019), Durgeshgorer Guptodhan (2019), Ekannaborti (2021), Belashuru (2022), Kaberi Antardhan (2023), and Ardhangini (2023).

Filmography

Plays

• Taraye Taraye based on Srijato's Tara Bhora Akasher Niche
• Nirbhaya based on Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children
• Macbeth (also performed at Bharat Rang Mahotsav)^[8]
• Jal Chhabi (debut)
• Tikitiki
• Punoscho^[9]
• Bhalo Rakkhosher Golpo

Television

• Kalpurush
• Ek Akasher Neeche
• Asamapto (2005)
• E Kamon Meye (2005)
• Tiktiki
• Ei Ghar Ei Sangshar
• Uro Megh
• Gaaner Oparey
• Swapath
• Raaikishori (2014)
• Byomkesh (2014 TV series)
• Sindoorkhela
• Moinaker er Upakhyan
• Godhuli Alap

Web series

Awards

• 2003 BFJA Award in the category best actor in supporting role, for the film Aamar Bhuvan.^[12]
• 2023 Girish Purashkar for extraordinary contributions in Theatre by the Cultural Department of Government of West Bengal
• 2023 Best Actor Telly Academy Award for Godhuli Alap television series