Bengali actor Sreela Majumdar (65) dies: Reflecting on her career
What's the story
Acclaimed Bengali actor Sreela Majumdar, who worked with esteemed directors like Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal, and Prakash Jha, died at her Kolkata residence on Saturday. She was 65. Per reports, Majumdar had been battling cancer for three years and is survived by her husband and son. Throughout her career, she played memorable roles in over 40 films, including Ek Din Pratidin, Mandi, and Damul. Let's reflect on her remarkable journey.
Condolences
'She could've been utilized more': Colleagues express grief
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has offered condolences, stating that Majumdar was a powerful actor who played exceptional roles in numerous significant Indian films. She said her death was a "big loss" for Bengali cinema. Bengali actor Rituparna Sengupta, who co-starred with Majumdar in multiple films, said, "She had delivered so many memorable performances under the direction of filmmakers like [Sen] and others." "She could have been utilized more by the industry," she added.
Twitter Post
Here's the X post by CM Banerjee
Saddened by the news of the demise of film actress Sreela Majumdar today afternoon. Sreela was a noted and powerful actress who played outstanding roles in several significant Indian films.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 27, 2024
It is a big loss for Bengal film industry and we shall miss her stellar presence. My…
Acting credits
'Mandi,' 'Chokh': Revisiting Majumdar's acclaimed performances
Born to Ramchandra Majumdar and Nani Majumdar, the late actor made her debut in the film Parasuram (1979), directed by Sen. Majumdar went on to deliver outstanding performances in Sen's other films, such as Ek Din Pratidin, Akaler Sandhane (1981), and Kharij (1982), which received critical acclaim. She also played significant roles in Benegal's Mandi (1983) and Utpalendu Chakraborty's Chokh (1983). During her career, she acted in 43 films.
Voice dubbing
Voice dubbing for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in 'Chokher Bali'
Majumdar was also known for her emotive voice dubbing for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the Bengali film Chokher Bali (2003), directed by Rituparno Ghosh. It was based on the eponymous 1903 novel by Rabindranath Tagore. The movie, which received critical and commercial acclaim, also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali. It was the Official Selection at the Chicago International Film Festival and also had screenings at various film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival.
Final work
Her final film was 'Palan,' sequel to 'Ek Din Pratidin'
In 2008, Majumdar appeared in Kanoj Das's Rangamati, which also starred Amitabh Bhattacharjee, Soumitra Chatterjee, Pratim Chattopadhyay, and Kunal Mitra. She went on to act in Abhisandhi (2011), Amar Prithibi (2015), Bhalobasar Bari (2018), and Shankar Mudi (2019). In one of her notable roles, she starred in The Parcel (2020), a psychological thriller film helmed by Indrasis Acharya. Her last movie was Palan (2023) directed by Kaushik Ganguly—a sequel to Ek Din Pratidin—which received widespread acclaim.