Ghatak is regarded as one of the best Indian directors in this century together with Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen. Despite that he is still largely unknown in and outside of India. Fortunately this is slowly changing as his films get accessible again and can now be studied in detail.

Ghatak wrote numerous short stories, plays and articles about cinema.

Ghatak was a professor at the "Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)" and among his students were John Abraham, Kumar Shahani and Mani Kaul.

His later years were affected by severe alcoholism.

Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945-1985". Pages 387-392. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988.