Bengali actor and playwright Manoj Mitra died at the age of 86 on Tuesday morning. The artist was renowned for his farces and fantasy plays that frequently addressed social and political issues. Mitra died in a Kolkata hospital due to age-related ailments, according to family sources. A doctor at the hospital confirmed that Manoj Mitra's death occurred at approximately 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday. "He was admitted to the hospital on November 3 with multiple health issues and his condition worsened over time. Unfortunately, he left us this morning," the doctor told PTI.
Here is all we know about Manoj Mitra:
1. Manoj Mitra was born on December 22, 1938, in Satkhira, Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Satkhira, Bangladesh), as per IMDb.
2. Manoj Mitra wrote over 100 plays, including Sajano Bagaan, Chokhe Angul Dada, Kaalbihongo, Parabas, Alokanandar Putra Kanya, Narak Guljar, Aswathama, Chakbhanga Madhu and Mesh O Rakhash.
3. Manoj Mitra appeared in Satyajit Ray's classics Ghare Baire and Ganashatru.
4. Manoj Mitra collaborated with acclaimed directors such as Tapan Sinha, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Basu Chatterjee, Tarun Majumdar, Shakti Samanta and Goutam Ghose.
5. In 1985, Manoj Mitra won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Best Playwright.
Many prominent personalities, including West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, paid tribute to Manoj Mitra by sharing heartfelt messages on social media. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the politician wrote, “Saddened by the demise of the famous actor, director and playwright, 'Banga Bibhushan' Manoj Mitra today morning. He had been a leading personality in our theatre and film worlds and his contributions have been immense. I convey my condolences to his family, friends and admirers.”
Saddened by the demise of the famous actor, director and playwright, 'Banga Bibhushan' Manoj Mitra today morning.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 12, 2024
He had been a leading personality in our theatre and film worlds and his contributions have been immense.
I convey my condolences to his family, friends and…
Manoj Mitra was first hospitalised on September 20, facing breathing difficulties, imbalanced sodium and potassium levels, and other health complications, according to PTI. Though he was discharged at the end of September, his health continued to deteriorate.
