Bengali screen goddess Suchitra Sen no more

Risingbd Desk, DHAKA, Jan 17: Legendary Bengali actress Suchitra Sen, who was undergoing treatment for respiratory problems, passed away at a hospital in Kolkata on Friday morning. She was 82.

Actress Suchitra Sen suffered a massive heart attack after which her condition had turned very critical, doctors attending on her said.

After having stabilized for the last 2-3 days, the condition of the 82-year-old actress had started deteriorating since last night and in the morning she suffered a heart attack, the doctors said.

Sen was admitted to Belle Vue Clinic on December 23 following a respiratory tract infection. Later, she was treated in a private intensive treatment unit for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

 

Ms Sen began her career with the Bengali film ‘Shesh Kothay’ in 1952 and is known for her role in Bimal Roy’s ‘Devdas’ (1955) and ‘Aandhi’ (1975).


Ms Sen was also the first Indian actress to be awarded at an international film festival – Best Actress award for ‘Saptapadi’ at the Moscow film festival in 1963.

She also acted in a number of Bollywood films such as Devdas and Aandhi.

Sen teamed up with Bengali star Uttam Kumar to form a popular pair that delivered a series of hits in Bengali cinema for over two decades.

But she quit films in 1978 and led a hermit-like existence, reportedly refusing to meet people outside her own family. She had not been seen in public or photographed in the past three decades.

 

"As one half of one of Indian cinema`s most popular and abiding screen pairs, Suchitra Sen redefined stardom in a way that few actors have done," film critic Saibal Chatterjee siad.

"While she and Uttam Kumar reigned over Bengali films for over two decades, her Garbo-esque retreat from the public life after her retirement only strengthened her allure."

Mr Chatterjee said Sen "combined understated sensuality, feminine charm and emotive force and a no-nonsense gravitas to carve out a persona that has never been matched, let alone surpassed in Indian cinema".

Sen made her debut in 1953 with the hugely popular comedy Share Chuattar (Seventy-four-and-a-half), which was also her first film with Kumar.

Her performance as a nurse hired by a psychiatrist to develop personal relationships with male patients in the 1959 film Deep Jwele Jaai was hailed as one of her best.

The late Bollywood star Dev Anand, who acted with her, once described Sen as "the doe-eyed, dusky beauty and immensely popular star of Bengal".

Sen is survived by her actress daughter Moon Moon Sen. her grand daughters, Riya and Raima Sen, are also actresses.

 

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have expressed deep shock at the death of legendary actress Suchitra Sen.

In a message of condolence, the President said the death of legendary actress is an end of era of Bengali cinema.

Suchitra Sen was also an asset of the country as her native home is in Pabna and she had millions of fans in Bangladesh, he said.

The President said Bengali people have lost a charismatic figure of classical Bengali cinema at her death. "Suchitra Sen will remain ever as an inspiration for making classic cinemas on true Bengali culture," he said.

 

In a message of condolence, the Prime Minister said, Suchitra Sen, Greta Garbo of Bengali movies, is one of the most favourite actresses, who she admired most.

“Bengali people have lost a distinctive figure of classical Bengali daughter, wife and caring mother at her death,” she said.

The Prime Minister said, Suchitra Sen, who in her career mainly focused on the regions of Bengal and Bangladesh, will remain ever remember as an inspiration for making ameliorative cinemas on Bengali literature and culture.

Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim and Cultural Minister Asaduzzaman Noor also expressed deep shock at the death of veteran actress Suchitra Sen.

 

risingbd/mukul