Indian actress Anjana Bhowmick passes away

Veteran Indian actress Anjana Bhowmick has passed away on Saturday morning after battling a prolonged illness. The esteemed thespian was 79 years old at the time of her passing. The actress was admitted to a hospital in south Kolkata on Friday night due to respiratory problems, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Bhowmick, the mother of actors Nilanjana Sengupta and Chandana Sharma and the mother-in-law of the legendary actor-producer Jisshu Sengupta, who is married to Nilanjana, had been ailing for some time due to age-related reasons. According to India Today, she had been bedridden for the past five to six months. Her family was by her side during her final moments when she passed away.

Born on December 30, 1944, as Arati Bhowmick in Cooch Behar, Bengal Presidency, she belonged to a family with a rich acting heritage, as her father Bibhutibhushan Bhowmick was also a thespian. She completed her schooling in Kochbihar and furthered her education at Sarojini Naidu College for Women in Dum Dum. After relocating to Kolkata, she graduated from the University of Calcutta.

Bhowmick marked her debut on the silver screen in 1964 with Pijush Bose's film "Anustup Chanda." For her inaugural film, she chose the name Anjana, a decision that garnered her considerable recognition in the industry.

Her second film, "Thana Theke Aschi," directed by Hiren Nag, paired her with Bengali cinema heavyweight Uttam Kumar. The duo received immense praise for their performances, and their on-screen chemistry was widely appreciated. They went on to collaborate on several subsequent films, including "Raj Drohi" (1966), "Nayika Sangbad" (1967), "Chowringhee" (1968), "Kokhono Megh" (1968), and "Roudra Chhaya" (1973). Anjana's noteworthy performance alongside Soumitra Chatterjee in the film "Maheshweta" (1967) was also highly appreciated.

Bhowmick tied the knot with Navy officer Anil Sharma and subsequently settled in Mumbai. The couple welcomed their first child, Nilanjana, in 1975, followed by their second child, Chandana, in 1982.

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Expressing his sorrow at the passing of Bhowmick, Srijit Mukherji shared on X (formerly Twitter), "Anjana Bhowmick was my favorite actress from the Golden Age. Her spontaneity and timing were exemplary, and her chemistry with Uttam Kumar was the finest. I say this, keeping Suchitra Sen, Supriya Devi, and Sabitri Chatterjee in mind. Rest in peace."