Suchitra Sen Birth Anniversary: 9 lesser-known facts about the most famous Bengali heroine of all time

Suchitra Sen was the best-known Bengali heroine of all time. Despite ups and downs in her personal life, her professional graph continued to grow consistently. The diva was the first to play the role Paro in Bollywood.

Her performance in the 1955 film Devdas was unparalleled, and many heroines thereafter have attempted to replicate it without success. She appeared in numerous highly acclaimed Bengali films, as well as a number of Hindi blockbusters. In her 1975 film Aandhi, she played a lady in a position of influence inside the government. 

That position sparked controversy since it was said to be modelled on the then-Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. She is the only actor in India who declined to accept the Dadasaheb Phalke Award because she did not want to travel to New Delhi to receive it.

Her daughter Moon Moon Sen and granddaughters Riya and Raima Sen have had great careers in Bollywood and Tollywood. She lived alone, liked a solitary lifestyle, and was frequently seen as a loner with a Greta Garbo-like demeanour. 

Suchitra Sen was the first Bengali actor to win Best Actor Female at an international film festival. It was for her performance in Saat Paake Bandha at the 1963 Moscow Film Festival.

Gujarat banned Suchitra Sen's film Aandhi for 20 weeks after its release. It was later shown on a state-run national television station when the Janata Party took power in 1977.

In 2012, Suchitra Sen received the highest accolade from the West Bengal government: the Banga Bibhushan.

After retiring from the film industry, Suchitra Sen maintained a low-profile public life. She spent most of her time at the Ramakrishna Mission.

In the Bengali cinema business, Suchitra Sen and Uttam Kumar were the most popular couple. They appeared in about 30 films together.

Suchitra Sen declined to work in Satyajit Ray's Chaudhurani due of a scheduling issue. As a result, the Oscar-winning filmmaker never completed the picture!

In Uttar Falguni, Suchitra Sen portrayed both the courtesan Pannabai and her daughter Suparna, who is a lawyer. Suchitra Sen was born in Pabna District, presently in Bangladesh. Shesh Kothaay, Suchitra Sen's debut Bengali film, was never released.