Most Read

Suchitra Sen: A paragon of beauty

26 January 2005, 18:00 PM
LIFESTYLE
In the space of a few seconds a range of a dozen emotions could flicker across a silent close-up of Suchitra Sen's face. She was one of the great silently emotive actresses of Bangla cinema. "She is the face that launched umpteen hits. She was a rage, the kind that only Marilyn Monroe succeeded in being in Hollywood," critics say.

Indeed, one only has to recall her film hits to realise the truth of this statement. There are Share Chuattar, Sagarika, Harano Sur, Saptapadi, Deep Jeley Jai (remade in Hindi as Khamoshi), Uttar Phalguni, Aandhi, Devdas and Saat Pake Bandha.

Suchitra's ethereal beauty, coupled with her unparalleled talent and, above all, her on-screen chemistry with the late Utttam Kumar, gave her an eternal place in Bangla cinema. She fitted perfectly into the mould of the articulate, if tragic, heroine carving out an independent space outside that of family and tradition.

Google News LinkFor all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

Born as Roma Sen, Suchitra made her debut in the unreleased Shesh Kothay in 1952. In the following year, she starred opposite Uttam Kumar for the first time in Sharey Chuattar. This comedy film, the breakthrough film of director Nirmal Dev, was hugely popular. However, it is remembered more for launching the star pair of Suchitra and Kumar. Following this hit, the duo starred in films such as Shap Mochan, Sagarika, Harano Sur, Saptapadi, Bipasha and Grihadah.

Suchitra's forays into Hindi films were few but memorable. She made her Hindi film debut as Paro in Bimal Roy's Devdas opposite Dilip Kumar in 1955. Her next Hindi film was Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Musafir, which received a lukewarm response at the box office.

Gulzar's controversial film Aandhi (1977) turned out to be Suchitra's swansong. In the film she plays a politician whose marriage falls asunder because of her busy political career. Some of the obvious parallels between her character and that of then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, led to Aandhi even being banned for some time. Cast with the talented Sanjeev Kumar, Suchitra gave a mellow, mature performance as a politician.

The charismatic actress currently leads a reclusive life in Kolkata. A devotee of Ramkrishna Mission, Suchitra occupies herself with meditation and prayer. Carrying on in the film world after her are her daughter Moon Moon Sen and granddaughters Riya and Raima.

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent