Suchitra Sen passes away

Legendary Bengali actress of yesteryears Suchitra Sen died in a Kolkata hospital on Friday morning. She was 82.

The great actress was honoured with a gun salute during her funeral at the Keoratala crematorium on Friday afternoon.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was present at the crematorium.

Hospital sources said she died of a cardiac arrest at 8.25am. She was admitted to the Belle Vue Clinic on December 23 with severe respiratory tract infection.

A seven-member medical board, headed by doctor Subrata Maitra, was treating her over the past three weeks as her condition fluctuated between critical and stable.

Sen, who was called Bengal's Greta Garbo for leading a reclusive life after quitting films, began her career with the Bengali film 'Shesh Kothay' in 1952, and is also known for her role in Bimal Roy's Bollywood blockbusters 'Devdas' (1955) and 'Aandhi' (1975).

She was born as Rama Dasgupta in Pabna, now in Bangladesh, on 6 April, 1931.

From the Fifties to the Seventies Sen had teamed up with another matinee icon, Uttam Kumar, to create one of the most famous pairs in Bengali films that delivered a series of hits.

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

But after her 1978 movie, 'Pronoy Pasha' flopped, she disappeared from the public eye and even allegedly refused the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2005, preferring not to make a public appearance.

“An era has ended,” remarked veteran actress and film director Aparna Sen in her immediate reaction.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the hospital as the news of her death broke.

Chief Minister described her as a “legendary figure” who stayed away from public eye for over thirty years while most crave attention.

“When I came to see her for the second time at the hospital, she asked who I am, with lot of affection,” Banerjee said, adding, her family wanted that her final rites be completed peacefully at a crematorium in the city.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, describing herself as an ‘admirer’ of Suchitra Sen, said in her passing away Bengalis have lost an iconic figure.

“The Bengalis have lost a role model of a traditional daughter, wife and mother,” the Prime Minister said in a condolence message.

Hasina said she is an admirer of Suchitra Sen’s talented acting, her Press Secretary Abul Kalam told bdnews24.com.

“She will be remembered forever for her inspiring roles in Bengali cinema,” the Prime Minister said.

Suchitra Sen is survived by her actress daughter Moon Moon Sen and two granddaughters, Raima and Riya Sen.