Suchitra Sen: queen of hearts for Bengali cine fans

'Mahanayika' Suchitra Sen (1931-2014), a name of mystery, ethereal beauty, stylish icon of endless time and an actress par excellence, has been acknowledged as the queen of hearts for Bengali cine fans across generations. Her animated eyes, mysterious smile, hypnotising celluloid performance, subtle gestures and magnetic voice - all these characterised the beauty of Suchitra Sen, who vibrated the silver screen during her peak time as a dream girl. Mrs Sen has dominated Bengali movie as a green queen with the symbol of Bengali femininity, grace, fair, and lovely during her era. She symbolised the golden age of Bengali cinema with some notable films like- "Agnipariksha", "Devdas" and "Saat Paake Bandha" etc. As a true star, Sen knew how to play the arresting looks and sexy twists on her face for capturing the spectators. Suchitra coasted on the secrecy, not giving herself absolutely open, or not revealing everything entirely. She always seized the viewers puzzlingly. No other heroine in Bengali film caught the mind's eye as Sen has done.
The film legend Suchitra Sen was born Rama Dasgupta Krishna on April 6, 1931, in Pabna, Bangladesh. She spent her childhood in the house at Hemsagar Lane before her family moved to India during the partition in 1947. She was one of the five children of Karunamoy Dasgupta, a school headmaster, and Indira Devi, a homemaker. Ms Sen's husband, Dibanath Sen, whom she married in 1947, died in 1970. She is survived by her daughter, actress Moon Moon Sen, and two granddaughters, Raima Sen and Riya Sen, who are also actresses.
Four years after her marriage, Suchitra Sen stepped into the film world with "Shesh Kothaay" in 1952, but the film never got released. Next, she acted opposite matinee idol Uttam Kumar in "Sharey Chuattor", a film through which history was rewritten. Her pairing with Uttam Kumar became so successful that they appeared as icons for Bengali classics for more than two decades. Ms Sen and Uttam Kumar were the most successful romantic duo in the history of Bengali cinema; famous for their passionate performances. They appeared together in 30 memorable films, such as "Agnipariksha" (1954), "Harano Sur" (1957), "Indrani" (1958), "Sagarika" (1956), "Saptapadi" (1961), "Bipasha" (1962), "Grihadaha" (1967), "Kamal Lata" (1969), "Alo Amar Alo" (1972), "Har Mana Har" (1972) and "Priyo Bandhabi" (1975). The onscreen chemistry between the two represented an unbeatable significant epoch of Bengali cinema.
Most acclaimed performance of Sen was in Bengali film "Dweep Jele Jaai" (1959), in which she played the role of a psychiatric nurse who fell in love with a male patient. At that time, critics said, "Suchitra is an unsuccessful heroin without Uttam." But "Dweep Jele Jaai" was a blockbuster after release without Uttam. Suchitra's other landmark film was "Uttar Falguni" (1963) with Asit Sen produced by Uttam Kumar. She carried the film single-handedly in the dual role of a courtesan Pannabai and her daughter Suparna, a lawyer.
Watching their on-screen chemistry, film lovers gave them a single identity: Suchitra-Uttam/Uttam-Suchitra. Uttam himself once said, "Had Suchitra not been by my side, I would never have been Uttam." On the other hand, after Uttam's death, Torun Kumar, a film director, offered Ms Sen to act in his film. Then Suchitra said, "Who will be my hero, with whom I will act? Can you cast a co-artiste like him?"
Sen appeared in 52 Bengali and seven Hindi films at the height of her fame. Her first Bollywood film was Bimal Roy's "Devdas" (1955), a major box-office success. "Champakali," with Bharat Bhushan, "Sarhhaad" and "Bombai Ka Babu" with Dev Anand and "Mamta" were some of her other notable Hindi films. Her role in Hindi film "Aandhi" opposite Sanjeev Kumar is memorable as well as controversial.
In 1963, Sen became the first Indian actress to be honoured at an international film festival winning the best actress award for "Saat Paake Bandha" at Moscow film festival. She was given the Padma Shri in 1972.
Famous filmmaker Satyajit Ray could not create any film with Ms Sen though he wanted Suchitra to act in his proposed film "Devi Chaudhurani."
After her movie "Pronoy Pasha" with Soumitra Chatterjee' flopped in 1978, Sen quietly left the limelight and even allegedly refused the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, in 2005 preferring not to make a public appearance. As a follower of the Ramakrishna Mission order, Sen spent her retired life in meditation and prayer. As per her wishes, her family maintained secrecy even when she was hospitalised. Ms Sen was often compared to Hollywood icon Greta Garbo, who also shunned public contact.
Suchitra Sen bid farewell to this world on January 17, 2014, following a massive heart attack, after battling a critical lung infection for 26 days at a Kolkata nursing home, marking the end of one of the most enduring chapters of popular Bengali cinema.
The demise of Sen was the demise of a beautiful era of Bengali cinema. She will always be the one and only Diva of Bengali cinema. There has been no one like her and perhaps will never be anyone like her. Film lovers feel that such a talent is born only once and there is no parallel. She left behind a rich legacy of golden classics.

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