Atarthi, Premankur

Atarthi, Premankur (1890-1964) novelist, journalist, and film director, was born on 1 January 1890 in faridpur. His father, Mahesh Chandra Atarthi, was a propagator and writer of the brahma samaj. Premankur's initial schooling started at Brahmo School, Kolkata. He then studied variously at Duff School, Keshab Academy, City School and Brahma Boys Boarding and Day School.

Premankur was imaginative and fond of adventure from boyhood. Failing to do well in his studies, he ran away to Bombay. At Bombay he learnt to play the sitar under Ustad Karamatullah. Returning to Kolkata, he started working at a sports goods shop in Chowringee. Subsequently, he worked for the Baikali, Yadughar, Hindustan, bharatvarsa, Sangkalpa, Nachghar and bharati. He also edited the Betarjagat, the Bangla magazine of All-India Radio.

Premankur entered the cinema world with a role in the Bangla film Punarjanma. He also directed movies, first for a film studio in Lahore and then for the New Theatres Ltd, Kolkata. Among the movies which he directed are Dena-Paona, Kapalkundala, Dikshul, Bharat-Ki-Beti, Sudhar Prem, Ihudi-Ki-Ladki.

Premankur was also a novelist. Among his novels are Anarkali (1925), Bajikar (1929), Chasar Meye (1924), Takht Taus, Mahasthabir Jatak (3 vols, 1944-54). Premankur Atarthi died on 13 October 1964. [Ayub Hossain]