Ek Doctor Ki Maut (transl. Death of a Doctor) is a 1990 Indian Hindi-language drama film by Tapan Sinha, which depicts the ostracism, bureaucratic negligence, reprimand and insult of a doctor and his research, instead of recognition.[1] The film is based on the 1982 Ramapada Chowdhury story Abhimanyu.[2] The movie is loosely based on the life of Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyay, an Indian physician who pioneered the In vitro fertilisation treatment around the same time when another leading scientist Dr. Robert Edwards was conducting separate experiments in England.[3][4]
| Ek Doctor Ki Maut | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Tapan Sinha |
| Written by | Ramapada Chowdhury (story, Abhimanyu) Tapan Sinha (screenplay) |
| Based on | Abhimanyu by Ramapada Chowdhury |
| Produced by | National Film Development Corporation of India |
| Starring | Pankaj Kapur Shabana Azmi Anil Chatterjee Irrfan Deepa Sahi |
| Cinematography | Soumendu Roy |
| Edited by | Soumendu Roy |
| Music by | Vanraj Bhatia |
Release date |
|
Running time | 122 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Plot edit
After years of painstaking research at the cost of his personal life, Dr. Dipankar Roy (Pankaj Kapur) discovers a vaccine for Leprosy. The news is flashed over television and overnight, an insignificant junior doctor receives international recognition. Professional jealousy and abuse of power threaten Dr. Roy, even as the Secretary of Health reprimands him for breaking the news to the press. He is asked to report to the Director of Health. Professional colleagues Dr. Arijit Sen and Dr. Ramananda invite him to a lecture but, it is merely a pretense to humiliate him. Dr. Roy suffers a mild heart attack, but he refuses to go to the hospital. His wife (Shabana Azmi) and a few others like Dr. Kundu (Anil Chatterjee) and Amulya (Irfan Khan) stand by Dr. Roy, but the harassment continues; a letter from a British foundation, John Anderson Foundation, is suppressed and Dr. Roy is transferred to a remote village. The last straw is two American doctors receiving credit for discovering the same vaccine. Dr. Roy is shattered. However, in the end, Dr. Roy gets an invitation from the John Anderson Foundation inviting him to be a part of an eminent group of scientists working on other diseases. Dipankar Roy realizes that his research was fruitful. He also decides to accept the invitation as he just wants to work for the betterment of mankind.[5][6]
Cast edit
- Pankaj Kapur as Dr. Dipankar Roy
- Shabana Azmi as Seema
- Anil Chatterjee as Dr. Kundu
- Irrfan Khan as Amulya
- Deepa Sahi
- Vijayendra Ghatge as Dr. Sen
- Sushant Sanyal
- Kaushal Kumar Singh
Reception edit
The film was greatly applauded by film critics and writers. Tapan Sinha, the director, was inspired by the life and death of Subhash Mukhopadhyay and dedicates this film to him.
Awards edit
38th National Film Awards, India edit
- 1990 National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film
- 1990 National Film Award for Best Direction: Tapan Sinha
- 1990 National Film Award - Special Jury Award: Pankaj Kapoor (Dr. Dipankar Roy).
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards edit
- 1991 Best Film
- 1991 Best Director
Filmfare Awards edit
- 1992 Filmfare Best Screenplay Award: Tapan Sinha.
References edit
- ^ Gupta, Uttaran Das (11 January 2019). "'Ek Doctor Ki Maut' and the dangers of bureaucracy superseding science". Business Standard India. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "'Ek doctor ki maut' writer Ramapada Chowdhury passes away at 95". The Indian Express. 29 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ Times News Network (14 October 2003). "Honour fails to cheer doctor's wife". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- ^ "Subhash Mukhopadhyay - the unlucky doctor behind India's first Test-tube baby". Sify. 4 October 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2010.
- ^ "Anyone who is not a doctor should watch Pankaj Kapur's Ek Doctor Ki Maut before blaming them". ThePrint. 23 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1990)". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
