Mamata Shankar honored with Padma Shri: Revisiting her recent roles
What's the story
Renowned for her work with cinematic legends Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, Mamata Shankar—a world-famous dancer and choreographer—was recently honored with the Padma Shri.
From her debut in Sen's Mrigayaa to her recent performances, she continues to mesmerize audiences with her timeless artistry.
As a tribute to her illustrious career, we revisit five of her most memorable roles from the past seven years—each a testament to her unparalleled acting prowess.
#1
'Maacher Jhol': Shankar as the ailing mother
In Pratim D Gupta's 2017 film Maacher Jhol, Shankar plays an ailing mother whose illness brings her son Dev D (Ritwick Chakraborty), a professional chef, back to Kolkata from Paris.
Known to be choosy about her roles, Shankar reportedly agreed to do the film immediately after reading the script. Though she spends most of the film bedridden, she gives her character a delightful energy.
The film is available on SonyLIV.
#2
'Ahare Mon': Shankar's portrayal of Charulata
In Gupta's anthology film Ahare Mon (2018), Shankar plays Charulata Dutta, a widow who befriends another resident at her retirement home. Her character goes on a quest to find a stranger from her past, making for an intriguing narrative.
Shankar's chemistry with co-star Anjan Dutt adds to the film's appeal. The film also features Adil Hussain, Chakraborty, Paoli Dam, Parno Mittra, and Chitrangada Chakraborty in the lead roles.
The movie is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
#3
'Shah Jahan Regency': Shankar as Mrs. Sarkar
In Srijit Mukherji's 2019 film Shah Jahan Regency, Shankar plays Mrs. Sarkar, a woman stuck in a loveless marriage.
Her character looks for companionship at a Kolkata hotel while managing an NGO and her son's romantic affairs. Shankar effortlessly brings this complicated character to life.
Based on the popular novel Chowringhee by Mani Shankar Mukherjee, the film also stars Abir Chatterjee, Parambrata Chatterjee, Dutt, Swastika Mukherjee, Rudranil Ghosh, and Rittika Sen.
The movie is available on Hoichoi.
#4, #5
'Antardhaan' and 'Antarleen'
In Arindam Bhattacharya's thriller Antardhaan (2020), Shankar plays Aparajita Ray, a mystic who gets embroiled in a missing person case. Her performance keeps you on the edge of your seat till the very end.
In another thriller Antarleen (2016), she plays Swati Dutta, a seemingly innocent grandmother with hidden secrets.
Both films highlight Shankar's versatility as an actor.
The former is on ZEE5 while the latter can be streamed on Hoichoi and JioCinema.