{{Short description|Bengali singer, songwriter, composer and painter}} {{Infobox person | name = Upal Sengupta | image = Chandrabindoo @ AACUED.jpg | caption = Upal Sengupta (second from left), performing with Chandrabindoo in 2010 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|10|23|df=y}} | citizenship = Indian | alma_mater = Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata, India | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|composer|cartoonist|illustrator}} | years_active = 1989–present | spouse = Gargi Gangopadhyay }}
'''Upal Sengupta''' (Bengali: উপল সেনগুপ্ত) is an Indian Bengali singer, songwriter, composer, painter and illustrator based in Kolkata, West Bengal. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the Bengali band Chandrabindoo.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Basu |first=Sohinee |title=Revisiting Chandrabindoo's dictionary for Bengalis in love |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/events/chandrabindoos-valentines-day-2022-music-concert-at-iccr-featured-somlata-acharyya-chowdhury-prabuddha-banerjee-ranajoy-bhattacharjee-nilanjan-and-prasen-with-upal-and-anindya/cid/1852563 |website=The Telegraph (India)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-02-15 |title=Amid Chandrabindoo's album recording, Upal revives an old song for V-Day |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/amid-chandrabindoos-album-recording-upal-revives-an-old-song-for-v-day/articleshow/68006526.cms |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2019-07-09 |title=Upal off to the Maasai Mara with family |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/upal-off-to-the-maasai-mara-with-family/articleshow/70143696.cms |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-08-04 |title=Somlata, Upal & Joy's dil, dosti and music |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/somlata-upal-joys-dil-dosti-and-music/articleshow/112247782.cms |access-date=2025-10-19 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
== Personal life == Upal Sengupta was born on October 23, 1968.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-10-23 |title=Upal's birthday plans revealed |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/upals-birthday-plans-revealed/articleshow/71723462.cms |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-10-23 |title=Upal celebrates b'day with friends and family |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/upal-celebrates-bday-with-friends-and-family/articleshow/78826874.cms |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> He did his schooling from Julien Day School, Kolkata, and earned his graduation degree in ceramic arts from the Government College of Art & Craft.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-04-27 |title=Any form of art gives me a lot of peace: Upal |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/any-form-of-art-gives-me-a-lot-of-peace-upal/articleshow/109642843.cms |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2012-06-14 |title=Upal Sengupta's painting exhibition |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/kolkata/upal-senguptas-painting-exhibition/articleshow/14118459.cms |access-date=2025-10-19 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> He is married to Gargi (née Gangopadhyay); they are childless.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-08-23 |title=Forget flowers, Kolkatans are now gifting seeds and plants |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/forget-flowers-kolkatans-are-now-gifting-seeds-and-plants/articleshow/70806212.cms |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-02-16 |title=Since you said yes to Chandrabindoo! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/calcutta-times/since-you-said-yes-to-chandrabindoo/articleshow/1095582.cms |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
== Career == Sengupta formed Chandrabindoo in 1989 with Anindya Chatterjee, Chandril Bhattacharya and others, most of them being college friends.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) {{!}} Graphiti {{!}} A musical journey |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100516/jsp/graphiti/story_12450730.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315222907/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100516/jsp/graphiti/story_12450730.jsp |archive-date=2012-03-15 |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-14 |title=Chandrabindoo is back: Why the return of the Kolkata band is laden with nostalgia |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/chandrabindoo-kolkata-band-nostalgia-9778834/ |access-date=2025-10-19 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> He contributes as the band's frontman, songwriter, composer and music director.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Upal Sengupta {{!}} Music Department, Composer, Actor |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4945944/ |access-date=2025-10-19 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref> As of 2025, the band has released ten albums, the first being ''Aar Jani Na'' (1997) and the latest being ''Talobasha'', released in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-14 |title=Chandrabindoo is back: Why the return of the Kolkata band is laden with nostalgia |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/chandrabindoo-kolkata-band-nostalgia-9778834/ |access-date=2025-10-19 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=SNS |date=2024-11-09 |title=Back with Talobasha: Chandrabindoo's long-awaited tenth album to complete 100-song goal |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/supplements/marquee/back-with-talobasha-chandrabindoos-long-awaited-tenth-album-to-complete-100-song-goal-1503362789.html |access-date=2025-10-19 |website=The Statesman |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganguly |first=Dharitri |date=2024-11-30 |title=Interview: Chandrabindoo on their 10th album, 'Talobasha' |url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2024/Nov/30/interview-chandrabindoo-on-their-10th-albumtalobasha |access-date=2025-10-19 |website=Indulgexpress |language=en}}</ref>
Apart from his work with Chandrabindoo, Sengupta has also worked as a solo artist and playback singer for films, having lent his voice to tracks like "O Thakur" (2015), "Hello Hello Hello" (2022) and "Bondhu Bhaabi" (2024). He has also appeared in movies such as ''Chokher Bali'' (2003) and ''Praktan'' (2016).<ref name=":4" /> In 2023, he directed an animated short film, ''Mirage''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Upal Sengupta forays into filmmaking, creates an animated short film, Mirage |url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/upal-sengupta-forays-into-filmmaking-creates-an-animated-short-film-mirage/212fcb6879855 |access-date=2025-10-19 |website=OTTPlay |language=en}}</ref>
Besides his contributions to cinema and music, Sengupta is active as a painter, cartoonist and illustrator.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitra |first=Pooja |title=Chandrabindoo at 35: Band member Upal Sengupta looks back at the journey |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/people/chandrabindoo-celebrates-35-years-with-new-album-talobasha-and-upal-sengupta-talks-about-the-bands-music-memories-and-more/cid/2063574 |website=The Telegraph (India)}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-04-03 |title=Upal's cartoons gain popularity on social media |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/upals-cartoons-gain-popularity-on-social-media/articleshow/63592817.cms |access-date=2025-10-19 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-01-12 |title=Definitive proof that Upal Sengupta is a master of Origami |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/definitive-proof-that-upal-sengupta-is-a-master-of-origami/articleshow/52310155.cms |access-date=2025-10-19 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Government College of Art & Craft alumni Category:Bengali musicians Category:1968 births Category:Singers from Kolkata Category:Indian illustrators Category:Indian singers Category:Living people