The Dadasaheb Phalke title-holder, actor-director Soumitra Chatterjee breathed his last after fighting with Covid-19 so long. Here's how India showed their homage to the legend, read on.
Soumitra Chatterjee's presence on the screen used to create magic. His and Satyajit Ray's duo was one of a kind; they have given us back to back fourteen timeless films. He has always fought whatever hurdle came to him. He had combat cancer and other ailments too, he gave a good fight to corona virus, but ultimately he surrendered. Here's what other prominent personalities have to say.
Actress Rituparna Sengupta said, "I have no clue how to react to this news. He has faced danger in his lifetime, but he has always overcome those hurdles. I have always prayed for his good health. But, I don't know what happened today, what went wrong.
When I first joined this industry, I have always received his blessings, love, knowledge. The aura that he carried with himself, the personality that he had can never be replicated. How wonderful actor he was, the whole world knows."
"He is my first co-actor in my acting life. When I met him, I was a teenage girl and used to call him 'kaka' (uncle). As a duo, we never gave it a thought about how successful we were cause we were not that kind of people. He always used to tease me by saying I'm a big director. We always used to chat after the shoot; literature was our common topic to discuss.
I still cannot believe that he is no more and I cannot call Soumitra da anytime now. I feel like the world is unknown to me now", said actor-director Aparna Sen.
Kaushik Sen, an actor, thespian, shared, "I would have never got into this profession if I had never met Soumitra Chatterjee. So, when I received a letter from him asking me to do a theatre piece 'Ghatak Bidaayer' directed by him, it was like out of the world feeling. He changed my life. Then I have worked under him for a long time, and then eventually I directed many theatres where he acted. It was like a blessing for me."
Mamata Banerjee tweeted her thoughts on his demise,
Feluda’ is no more. ‘Apu’ said goodbye. Farewell, Soumitra (Da) Chatterjee. He has been a legend in his lifetime. International, Indian and Bengali cinema has lost a giant. We will miss him dearly. The film world in Bengal has been orphaned 1/2
Actress Swastika Mukherjee wrote on Twitter,
This year will take it all.
Parents, legends, childhood, nostalgia. All of it. Merciless year.
— Swastika Mukherjee (@swastika24)
Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankar tweeted,
Deeply grieved at the passing of veteran actor Soumitra Chattopadhyay. Heartfelt condolences. A void difficult to fill.
He was first Indian film personality conferred with Ordre des Arts et des Lettres France's highest award for artists; also winner of Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1)
Apart from them, Rahul Bose, Richa Chadha, Varun Grover, Mirzapur actress Shriya Pilgaonkar and many more actors and actresses and other personalities shared their heartfelt condolences on Twitter.