Suchitra Sen: the very best heroine of Bengali and Hindi cinema. Explore her life, awards, and filmography of the first Indian actress to win an international prize.

Born Name : Roma Dasgupta

Born : 6 April 1931
Place : Sirajganj, Bengal, British India Bangladesh.
Died : 17 January 2014 (aged 82)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Occupation : Actress
Years active : 1952–1979
Works : Filmography
Spouse :
Dibanath Sen (m. 1947; died 1970)
Children :
Moon Moon Sen
Relatives :
Grand Daughter : Raima Sen
Grand Daughter : Riya Sen
Awards :
Padma Shri (1972)
Banga Bibhushan (2012)

About :

Born as Roma Dasgupta on April 6, 1931, Suchitra Sen became a pioneering Indian actress in both Bengali and Hindi cinema. Her iconic pairing with Uttam Kumar led to timeless classics in Bengali movie records.

A trailblazer, Sen made history as the first Indian actress to be venerated at an global movie competition. The Silver Prize for pleasant Actress at the 1963 Moscow worldwide film pageant became offered to her for “Saat Pake Bandha.” In popularity of her contributions, she acquired the distinguished Padma Shri in 1972.

After accomplishing repute, Sen chose to step far from public existence in 1979, harking back to the reclusive Greta Garbo. Even if offered the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2005, the highest cinematic honor in India, she declined to maintain her privacy. In 2012, the West Bengal government bestowed upon her the highest honor, Banga Bibhushan.
Her cinematic adventure began with Sukumar Dasgupta’s “Saat wide variety Kayedi” (1953). However, it become her role as Vishnupriya in Devaki Kumar Bose’s “Bhagaban Shree Krishna Chaitanya” (1953) that propelled her to stardom.

Personal Life and Education

Suchitra Sen, born on April 6, 1931, in Bhanga Bari village, belonged to a Bengali Baidya-Brahmin family. Her father, Korunamoy Dasgupta, worked as a Sanitary Inspector in Pabna Municipality, at the same time as her mom, Indira Devi, was a homemaker. She changed into the 5th toddler and 2d daughter, with poet Rajanikanta Sen as her grandfather.

After receiving education at Pabna government girls excessive faculty, Suchitra’s own family moved to West Bengal all through the 1947 Partition. At the age of 15, in 1947, she married Dibanath Sen, the son of industrialist Adinath Sen. They’d a daughter named Moon Moon Sen, who later have become an actress. Adinath Sen became supportive of Suchitra’s appearing profession, making an investment substantially until his loss of life in 1970.

Suchitra Sen made a a hit entry into Bengali movies in 1952, observed via a much less a success transition to Hindi cinema. Unconfirmed reviews in the Bengali press cautioned strain on her marriage because of her growing success within the film enterprise.

Conjugal Life:

Suchitra Sen was a legendary Indian actress who worked in Bengali and Hindi cinema. She was married to Dibanath Sen,
a wealthy industrialist, in 1947 when she was only 15 years old.

Their marriage was reportedly strained by her success in the film industry and her rumored affair with her co-star Uttam Kumar.

However, Sen remained devoted to her husband until his death in 19702 She had one daughter, Moon Moon Sen, who also became
an actress and her two grand daughter Raima Sen & Riya Sen who also pursued a career in acting.

Sen was known for her reclusive lifestyle and avoided public appearances after her retirement from films in 1978. She refused
many prestigious awards, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, to stay out of the limelight She died in 2014 at the age of 82

Suchitra Sen’s conjugal life was a contrast between her glamorous screen persona and her private persona. She was a devoted
wife and mother, but also a fiercely independent and successful actress. She was admired by millions of fans, but shunned
the media and the public. She was a mystery and a legend.

Career:

Suchitra Sen embarked on her film career with “Shesh Kothaay” in 1952, even though it remained unreleased. The turning factor got here in 1953 with “Sharey Chuattor,” wherein she starred contrary Uttam Kumar.

This film now not simplest became a field-workplace hit however additionally established Uttam-Suchitra as an iconic on-screen pair, dominating Bengali cinema for over two decades.

Collaborating in 30 out of her 60 movies with Uttam Kumar, they became synonymous with Bengali dramas. No matter her extraordinary Hindi debut in “Devdas” (1955), she wasn’t nominated for a Filmfare award. Her melodramas, in particular with Uttam Kumar, solidified her reputation because the maximum celebrated Bengali actress.

All through the 1960s and ’70s, Sen’s cinematic journey thrived with significant works like “Deep Jwele Jaai” (1959) and “Uttar Falguni” (1963), both directed through Asit Sen.

Her portrayal in “Deep Jwele Jaai” showcased her versatility, incomes acclaim. Internationally, Sen garnered recognition via winning the exceptional Actress award at the Moscow global movie competition in 1963 for “Saat Paake Bandha.”

No matter her excellence, a Filmfare nomination for “Aandhi” (1974) didn’t result in a win. Suchitra Sen’s enduring legacy lies in her redefinition of stardom, blending sensuality, appeal, emotive force, and gravitas in a way unparalleled in Indian cinema.

Fantastic Movies of Suchitra Sen

Suchitra Sen starred in severa exceptional films, leaving an indelible mark on Bengali and Indian cinema. Some of her acclaimed films include:

1. Sharey Chuattor (1953): This film, directed by Nirmal Dey, marked the beginning of the iconic pairing of Suchitra Sen and Uttam Kumar.
2. Devdas (1955): Suchitra Sen played Paro in this adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel. The film, directed by Bimal Roy, is considered a classic.
3. Deep Jwele Jaai (1959): Directed by Asit Sen, this film showcased Suchitra Sen’s versatility in portraying the character of Radha Mitra.

   

4. Uttar Falguni (1963): Another collaboration with Asit Sen, this film saw Suchitra Sen in a dual role, portraying a courtesan and her daughter.
5. Saat Paake Badha (1963): Suchitra Sen received the Best Actress award at the Moscow International Film Festival for her role in this film.

   

6. Alo Amaar Alo (1973): She won the BFJA Award for Best Actress for her performance in this film.
7. Aandhi (1975): Though the Filmfare Award for Best Actress eluded her, Suchitra Sen received acclaim for her role in this Hindi film.
8. Saptapadi (1961): This film earned her the BFJA Award for Best Actress.

These movies constitute only a fraction of Suchitra Sen’s giant filmography. Her collaborations with Uttam Kumar, mainly, are celebrated for his or her on-display chemistry and lasting effect on Bengali cinema.

In Retirement :

In spite of gives from famend directors like Satyajit Ray and Raj Kapoor, Suchitra Sen declined due to scheduling conflicts. This brought about the shelving of Ray’s task, “Devi Chaudhurani,” based totally on a novel with the aid of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and her rejection of Raj Kapoor’s offer for a film below the RK banner.

After her husband’s loss of life in 1970, Sen endured performing till the setback of the movie “Pronoy Pasha,” prompting her retirement in 1978 after a a success career spanning over 25 years. No matter an ongoing undertaking titled “Nati Binodini,” co-starring Rajesh Khanna, Sen decided to give up appearing, ensuing in the task being abandoned halfway via filming.

Opting for a life of seclusion, she stayed far from the general public eye after retirement, dedicating her time to the Ramakrishna venture.

Death :

Suchitra Sen turned into admitted to the clinic on December 24, 2013, recognized with a lung contamination. Initially recuperating, her condition deteriorated, main to her demise at eight:25 am on January 17, 2014, because of a coronary heart assault. She turned into 82.

Leaders, which includes India’s President Pranab Mukherjee, high Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Bangladesh’s high Minister Sheikh Hasina, and BJP’s high Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, expressed condolences. A gun salute preceded her cremation, as ordered by way of Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal’s chief Minister.

Honoring her desire for privateness, her remaining rites passed off at Kolkata’s Kaioratola crematorium, just 5 and a 1/2 hours after her passing. Despite being Bengal’s renowned “Mahanayika,” she chose obscurity, closing an enigma until the quit. Heaps of fans accumulated on the crematorium to bid farewell, highlighting the impact of her legacy. Her clinical remedy, too, came about in seclusion and secrecy.

Awards :

Suchitra Sen’s illustrious profession became embellished with numerous awards, recognizing her awesome contributions to Indian cinema:

• 1962: BFJA Award for Best Actress for “Saptapadi”
• 1964: BFJA Award for Best Actress for “Uttar Phalguni”
• 1973: BFJA Award for Best Actress for “Alo Amaar Alo”
• 1976: BFJA Award for Best Actress (Hindi) for “Aandhi”
• 1963: 3rd Moscow International Film Festival for Best Actress for “Saat Paake Badha”
• 1972: Padma Shri for notable contribution in arts
• 1975: Filmfare Award for Best Actress for regional cinema “Priya Bandhabi”
• 2012: Banga Bibhushan for lifetime achievement in film acting
• 2014: Filmfare East Lifetime Achievement Award (Posthumous)

Notably, in 1963, Suchitra Sen made history with the aid of turning into the primary Indian actress to receive an international award on the Moscow international movie festival. Her legacy continues to polish thru these accolades, honoring her extraordinary skills and impact on the sector of cinema.

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Reference : www.biographiess.com