Iconic Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee (85) dies of COVID-19
Legendary actor Soumitra Chatterjee, part of some of Bengali cinema's finest gems of all time, has passed away at the age of 85. Chatterjee had been undergoing treatment at a hospital since testing positive for the novel coronavirus last month. At that time, his health condition was described as stable, but deteriorated as days passed. May his soul rest in peace.
He breathed his last around 12 pm today
"We declare with heavy heart that Shri Soumitra Chattopadhyay breathed his last at 12:15 pm at Belle Vue Clinic today (November 15, 2020). We pay our homage to his soul (sic)," an official statement read.
Chatterjee was hospitalized on October 6
Chatterjee was taken to the Belle Vue Clinic in Kolkata on October 6, a day after he tested positive for COVID-19. However, as days passed, concerns over his health grew. Doctors also feared a cancer relapse - the actor had survived prostate cancer in the past. He was also given plasma therapy to fight the fatal virus.
A popular face of Satyajit Ray's cinema
Chatterjee is arguably one of the most popular faces of late legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's films, having worked with him in 14 movies. In fact, he had made his acting debut with Ray's Apur Sansar, the third part in the widely-acclaimed Apu Trilogy. Further, he is known for portraying the character of private investigator Feluda in a number of Ray's works.
'End of an era for Bengali cinema'
Since the news of Chatterjee's death surfaced, tributes have been pouring in from all corners. Filmmaker Onir has tweeted, "End of an era for Bengali cinema. There are too many performances of this amazing artist that have enriched our lives for decades to mention a few. World cinema will celebrate this beautiful man and his art for eternity. Rest in peace (sic)."
He also featured in 'Parineeta' and 'Sonar Kella'
Apart from the said movies, Chatterjee also popularly starred in Charulata, Parineeta (1969), Sonar Kella (1974), Devdas (1979), Ghare Baire (1984). His other notable works include Ashani Sanket, Aranyer Din Ratri, Shakha Proshakha, Jhinder Bandi, and Saat Pake Bandha. More recently, he featured in Sujoy Ghosh's 2015 short film Ahalya. His last silver screen performance was seen in the 2019 movie Sanjhbati.
The country has lost many stars this year
This year, the country has lost many stars from the entertainment fraternity. Earlier in April, actors Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor passed away. In June, veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee and young actor Sushant Singh Rajput also bid adieu.
