Suchitra Sen: Remembering the timeless icon on her 94th birthday
On what would have been her 94th birthday, the family of legendary Bengali actress Suchitra Sen paid tribute to her legacy with traditional rituals at her Ballygunge residence. The house was adorned with flowers, lamps were lit in her memory, and sweets were distributed—just as they are every year.
"Like always, we light lamps and share sweets with everyone," said her granddaughter, actress Raima Sen, in a statement to local media.
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Suchitra Sen, born as Rama Dasgupta in Pabna, Bangladesh, was one of Indian cinema's most iconic stars. After migrating to Kolkata during the 1947 Partition, she married Dibanath Sen and began her journey in films with the encouragement of her in-laws.
She debuted in 1952, but her breakout role came in 1953's "Shaare Chuattar", opposite Uttam Kumar—marking the start of Bengali cinema's most beloved screen duo.
Sen rose to national prominence with her role as Parvati in Bimal Roy's Hindi classic "Devdas" (1955), for which she received a National Film Award. She starred in more than 60 films, including "Deep Jwele Jai", "Pothe Holo Deri", "Saat Paake Bandha", "Rajlokkhi O Srikanto", and the politically controversial "Aandhi", where her resemblance to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi drew both acclaim and censorship.
In 1963, she became the first Indian actress to win Best Actress at the Moscow International Film Festival, and in 1972, she was awarded the Padma Shri. In 2012, she was honoured with West Bengal's highest civilian award, Banga Bibhushan.
Despite her massive popularity, Sen famously withdrew from living the public "celebrity life" after her final film, "Pronoy Pasha" in 1978. She made only two public appearances thereafter—once at the funeral of Uttam Kumar, and again in 1989 after the death of her spiritual guide, Bharat Maharaj. Her wish to keep her private life secret was maintained by her family, doctors, and the media alike.
Even her final days at Kolkata's Belle Vue Clinic and her funeral in 2014 were kept strictly confidential, with limited attendance and no media access.
Suchitra Sen's legacy continues to live on through her timeless films and the enduring affection of audiences across generations.
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