Saumitra Chatterjee (August 19, 1935 – November 15, 2020) was a revered actor, play-director, playwright, writer, thespian, and poet, celebrated for his remarkable contributions to Bengali cinema, theatre and liturgy.
Born in Mirjapur Street (now Surya Sen Street) in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on August 19, 1935, Soumitra graduated from the City College, Kolkata, in Bengali literature and did his post graduation from the University of Calcutta. While still a student, he learnt to act under noted actor-directors of Bengali theater, Ahindra Choudhury and Sisir Bhaduri, the pioneers of modern Bengali theatre. While pursuing acting roles, he started working at All India Radio as an announcer.
I think Just Remaining Alive is not a life. If You’re Not Being Culturally Alive. If You’re Not Being Creatively Alive. If You’re Not Being Critically Alive. Then you are not alive. To me that is not life. Then you are just physically alive. Which is priceless to me.
Saumitra Chatterjee, Anandabazar Patrika, 8 January 2018
Saumitra with Satyajit
He tried for a role in Satyjit Ray’s Aparajito (1956) but Ray thought he was too old for the role. One day when he was visiting the set of Ray’s next film Jalsghar (1958), Ray called him over and introduced him to actor Chhabi Biswas as “This is Soumitra Chattopadhyay; he’s playing Apu in my next film Apur Sansar (1959)”, leaving him much surprised.
Known for his unparalleled versatility and nuanced performances, Saumitra Chatterjee collaborated extensively with the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray (fourteen films). His films with Ray include Abhijan (The Expedition, 1962), Charulata (The Lonely Wife, 1964), Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest, 1969); Ashani Sanket (Distant Thunder, 1973); Sonar Kella (The Fortress, 1974) as Feluda, Joi Baba Felunath (The Elephant God, 1978) as Feluda, Ghare Baire (The Home and the World, 1984), and Ganashatru (Enemy of the People, 1989).
His portrayal of Feluda, the iconic detective in Ray’s films, endeared him to audiences across generations. After Apur Sansar, he also worked with Sharmila Tagore in a number of Ray’s films, apart from working with leading star actor of the period, Uttam Kumar, with whom he has often been compared, in eight films.
Soumitra also collaborated with Mrinal Sen in Akash Kusum (1965) and with Tapan Sinha in Kshudhita Pashan (1960), Jhinder Bandi (1961), Atanka (1986), and Wheel Chair (1994). In the romantic film Teen Bhubaner Pare (1969), he shared the screen with actress Tanuja, he worked again with Tanuja in Prothom Kadam Phool (1969). He worked with Asit Sen in Swaralipi (1961), Ajoy Kar in Saat Pake Bandha (1963) & Parineeta (1969), and Tarun Mazumdar in Sansar Simante (1975) and Ganadevata (1978), where he played a negative role. Basanta Bilap (1973), Ashani Sanket (1974), Sansar Simante (1975), and Babu Moshai (1977) are some of his notable films from that period.
In the 80s & 90s, he started working with contemporary directors, like Goutam Ghose (Abar Aranye – 2003, Shunyo Awnko – 2013, ), Aparna Sen, Anjan Das, and Rituparno Ghosh (Asukh). He also worked in Kony (1986), directed by Saroj Dey, Agnisanket (1989), Rupkatha Noy (2013), Mayurakshi (2017), Agradani (1983), Dekha (2000), Podokkhep, and Krantikaal (2006) to great critical acclaim.
The Genius
He made his directorial debut, Stree Ki Patra (1986), which was based on the Bengali short story “Streer Patra” by Rabindranath. In a career spanning 60 years, he steadfastly refused to work in Hindi films like his Bengali contemporaries, turning down offers from the likes of Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani.
Throughout his illustrious career, Chatterjee received numerous accolades, including 3 National Awards, 8 Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards, 7 Filmfare Awards (East & South), the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1995), 2 Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (1998, 2012), the Padma Bhushan (2004), the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2012) and the Legion d’Honour awarded by the French Government (2018).
Beyond the realms of cinema, Chatterjee’s stage performances and poetry recitations showcased his multifaceted artistic prowess. Besides publishing over 12 poetry books, He also published 3 Drama collections and multiple other books.
Saumitra Chatterjee’s legacy lives on through his body of work, which continues to resonate with audiences who appreciate the subtleties of his craft. His ability to bring depth to characters, coupled with his distinctive baritone voice, made him a cultural icon. His demise on November 15, 2020, marked the end of an era, leaving behind a void that is deeply felt in the world of Indian cinema.
