Sudipto Sen

Sudipto Sen
Born (1972-01-16) 16 January 1972 (age 54)
Siliguri, West Bengal, India
EducationUniversity of Calcutta
Occupations
  • Film director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1990s–present

Sudipto Sen is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his work in Hindi cinema. He has directed various feature films such as The Last Monk (2006), Lucknow Times (2015), The Kerala Story (2023), and Bastar: The Naxal Story (2024). Sen also established Sipping Tea Cinemas, which serves as the production banner for many of his films.

Sen received the National Film Award for Best Direction for The Kerala Story.

Early life and education

Sudipto Sen was born in a Sen family in Siliguri, West Bengal. He has a bachelor's in physics and a master's in applied psychology from University of Calcutta.

Career

Early work

Sen began his career directing documentaries in the late 1990s. His early work includes The Other Wealth (1997), described as an experimental short documentary. During this period, he also produced several development-focused films, reportedly collaborating with institutions like the World Bank.[citation needed]

Feature films

Sen made his feature film debut with The Last Monk (2006), which was screened at international festivals such as Cannes, Rotterdam, Raindance, and Singapore. This was followed by Akhnoor (2007), an Indo-French co-production that received awards at Brussels, and San Francisco.

His later feature works include Gurujana (2022), a biographical film on 15th-century Assamese philosopher Srimanta Sankardeva, which was officially selected for the Indian Panorama section at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

In 2023, Sen directed The Kerala Story, a film based on alleged cases of religious conversion and terrorism. It generated widespread public debate and commercial success, reportedly grossing over ₹242 crore domestically—making it one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of the year. The film also received criticism for its screenplay, cast performances, its failure to maintain factual accuracy and was characterised as an propaganda film.

In 2024, he released Bastar: The Naxal Story, which dealt with the Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh and received attention for its depiction of internal conflict in India.

Filmography

As director

Short films
YearTitleNotes
1997The Other WealthShort documentary
Documentary films
YearTitleNotes
2018Guru Ji: Ahead of Time45-minute documentary on the sculptor Ravindra Sharma.
2021In the Name of LovePrecursor documentary to The Kerala Story.
Feature films
YearTitleNotes
2006The Last Monk
2007 Akhnoor
2011Amrit Kumbh
2015Lucknow Times
2022Gurujana
2023The Kerala Story
2025Aasma
2024Bastar: The Naxal Story
TBASaharasri

As producer

YearTitleNotes
2026Charak: Fair of FaithDirected by Shieladitya Moulik; co-produced with Dhaval Jayantilal Gada.

Projects in development

Jury member

Awards

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef
2025National Film AwardBest DirectorThe Kerala StoryWon

See also

References

  1. ↑ K. Jha, Subhash (8 May 2023). "Sudipto Sen director of 'The Kerala Story': The same people who were criticising us have watched the film and are praising us". The Times of India.
  2. ↑ "Who is Sudipto Sen, the director behind the controversial movie The Kerala Story". Firstpost. 12 November 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  3. ↑ "Director Sudipto Sen hints at The Kerala Story sequel: Here is what we know so far". CNBC TV18. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Sudipto Sen celebrates Charak's success at Cannes 2025; says, "It is a victory for our Indian culture, demonstrating to the world the power and significance of our mythology"". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  5. ↑ Bharat, Monali. "71st National Film Awards 2025 — Complete Winners List". Bru Times.
  6. ↑ "Sudipto Sen on receiving his National Award for The Kerala Story: Big box office was first award, this is double whammy". Hindustan Times. 24 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Sudipto Sen: कौन हैं सुदीप्तो सेन जिन्होंने 'द केरल स्टोरी' बनाई? बिंदुओं में समझे करियर से लेकर सभी विवाद" [Sudipto Sen: Who is Sudipto Sen The Kerala Story movie director? Know his career, controversies and unknown facts.]. Amar Ujala (in Hindi). 10 May 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "'द केरला स्टोरी' के डायरेक्टर हैं इस यूनिवर्सिटी से पास आउट, जानें सुदिप्तो सेन की एजुकेशन के बारे में" [The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen schooling and higher education from University of Calcutta. Know about his education qualification detail.]. ABP Live (in Hindi). 10 May 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  9. 1 2 "The Last Monk to be screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  10. 1 2 Sinha, Vaishnawi (3 May 2023). "Who is Sudipto Sen, director of controversial film The Kerala Story? All about ISIS, 'love jihad' plot". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "How Adah Sharma's The Kerala Story can be a huge surprise at the box office?". Firstpost. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  12. 1 2 "'Gurujana' is a musical tribute to 15th–16th century Assamese polymath Srimanta Sankardeva". Press Information Bureau. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 27 November 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  13. ↑ "Gurujana". IFFI. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  14. ↑ "The Kerala Story box office day 12 collection: Film hits ₹150 crore mark, is second highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  15. ↑ "The Kerala Story Box Office". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  16. ↑ "How a Low-Budget Hindi Film Ignited Deadly Religious Tension". Time. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "The Kerala Story pulled out of multiplexes in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu. 7 May 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Kerala Story: Why an Indian film on Islamic State is so controversial". BBC News. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "Bastar box office collection day 3: Adah Sharma's film barely crosses Rs. 2 cr. mark in first weekend lags far behind The Kerala Story". The Indian Express. 18 March 2024.
  20. ↑ "In The Name Of Love". The Film Catalogue. Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  21. ↑ "More Hollywood hotties are coming for you". The Siasat Daily. 2 December 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  22. ↑ "Lucknow Times (2015)". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  23. ↑ "Divya Dutta begins work for Lucknow". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "'The Kerala Story' director Sudipto Sen fell sick, hospitalised". Mint. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  25. ↑ "The Kerala Story box office collection: Sudipto Sen-directorial crosses Rs 175 crore". Business Today. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  26. ↑ Mishra, Pratikshya (15 March 2024). "'Bastar: The Naxal Story' Review: Nothing Can Save This Film From Itself". The Quint. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  27. ↑ "'Saharasri' poster: Subrata Roy biopic to be helmed by 'The Kerala Story' director". The Hindu. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  28. ↑ "Madhur Bhandarkar's Chandni Bar Rights Sold To Sudipto Sen, Latter Plans 2nd Part". News18. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  29. ↑ "Sudipto Sen on Charak, Controversy, and Cannes: 'Backlash Means You're On The Right Path'". ETV Bharat. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  30. ↑ "'Kerala Story' Director Unveils Ambitious Slate, Takes 'Charak' to Cannes Market (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 22 October 2026 – via AOL.
  31. ↑ "Advisors". IACCF. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  32. ↑ "Nadav Lapid's 'vulgar' remark on The Kashmir Files a personal opinion, says IFFI jury member Sudipto Sen". India Today. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  33. ↑ "71st National Film Awards 2025 full list of winners: 12th Fail wins Best Film; Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey, Rani Mukerji bag top acting honours". Daily News and Analysis. 4 August 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  34. ↑ "Sudipto Sen on Best Director win at National Awards: Vindication of our 10-year struggle". India Today. 1 August 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2025.