Koushik Sen was born on September 19, 1968. He is an Indian actor who works in films, television, streaming services, and theatre. He lives in Kolkata, India. He started and leads a theatre group called Swapnasandhani. He won the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie Aamar Bhuvan, which was directed by Mrinal Sen. In 2023, he received the Girish Purashkar from the Cultural Department of the Government of West Bengal for his important work in theatre. In 2024, he was given the Telly Academy Best Actor Award for his performance in the series Godhuli Alap.
Personal life
Kaushik Sen was born on September 19, 1968, into a Baidya Brahmin family. He is the son of actress Chitra Mondal Sen and actor Shyamal Sen. He attended Julien Day School and graduated from Scottish Church College, both located in Kolkata. Sen is married to Reshmi Sen and has a son named Riddhi Sen. He serves as a Vice President of the "West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum" alongside Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, Aparajita Auddy, Bharat Kaul, and Sumanta Mukherjee.
Stage performance
Since 1992, he has been the director of the Bengali theatre group Swapnasandhani. The group has put on about fifty plays and performs regularly in major theaters in Kolkata and other countries around the world. Their most recent plays are Hamlet and Taray Taray. They recently performed Hamlet at Chicago NABC2024, where it received a lot of praise and a standing ovation. Soon, they will travel to Australia to perform their newest play, Andhar Ghonay.
In 2010, the group staged the play Birpurush, which was inspired by a poem by Rabindranath Tagore. The play was political and addressed current issues in West Bengal. It caused some controversy.
Sen appeared in the play Tiktiki alongside Soumitra Chatterjee.
Filmography
Sen began his acting career in 1979 as a child actor in Mrinal Sen's film Ek Din Pratidin. He has appeared in more than seventy films. His most well-known performances include: Chalchitro (1981), Wheel Chair (1995), Aamaar Bhuvan (2002), Shunyo E Buke (2005), Banku Babur Bandhu (2006), Dwando (2009), Iti Mrinalini (2011), Charulata 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), Ardhangini (2023), Dabaru (2024), and Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei (2025).
Plays
- Marx in Kolkata (inspired by Howard Zinn's Marx in Soho)
- Hamlet
- Taraye Taraye (inspired by Srijato's Tara Bhora Akasher Niche)
- Bidehi (inspired by Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts)
- Nirbhaya (inspired by Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children)
- Antigone (based on Sophocles' play Antigone)
- Macbeth (also performed at Bharat Rang Mahotsav)
- Malyaban
- Jal Chhabi (debut)
- Tikitiki (inspired by Anthony Shaffer's Sleuth)
- Punoscho
- Bhalo Rakkhosher Golpo
- Prothom Partha
Awards
- In 2003, received the BFJA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the film Aamar Bhuvan.
- In 2023, honored with the Girish Purashkar by the Cultural Department of the West Bengal Government for special contributions in Theatre.
- In 2023, won the Best Actor Telly Academy Award for the TV series Godhuli Alap.