Celebrating Suchitra Sen

Born Rama Dasgupta on April 6, 1931 in Pabna, Bangladesh, Suchitra Sen's father Karunamoy Dasgupta was a headmaster in a local school and mother Indira Devi, a housewife.

Suchitra Sen married Dibanath Sen, a marine engineer and son of a wealthy Calcutta businessman, in 1947. She had a daughter, Moon Moon Sen, who is an actress, with him. Her grand-daughters Raima and Riya are also actresses.

Suchitra Sen's first film was the unreleased Shesh Kothai in 1952. Her first release was Saat Number Kayedi in 1953.

Also in 1953, she was seen opposite Uttam Kumar in the Bengali film Sharey Chuattor which turned out to be a box office hit and became the genesis of the Uttam-Suchitra legend, still Bengal's most revered screen couple. Of the 60 films Ms Sen worked in, 30 were with Uttam Kumar.

She went on to deliver a series of Bengali hit films like Kajori (1953), Sadanander Mela (1954) and Agnipariksha (1954) before making her Bollywood debut in 1955 with Bimal Roy's classic Devdas opposite Dilip Kumar. Her serene beauty made her the perfect Paro in Bimal Roy's adaptation of the Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay novel.

Back in Bengal, Suchitra Sen appeared in women-oriented hit films like Sabar Uparey (1955), Sagarika (1956), Shilpi (1956), Harano Sur (1957) and Chaoa Paoa (1959). Among her most acclaimed performances is that of the psychiatric nurse in a relationship with a male patient in 1959's Deep Jwele Jaye. The movie was remade in Hindi in 1969 as Khamoshi with Waheeda Rehman in the role played by Suchitra Sen.

In 1961, Ms Sen played the role of the beautiful Rina Brown opposite Uttam Kumar in the film Saptapadi (1961). The movie was critically acclaimed and was a huge hit, winning her the Silver Prize for Best Actress at the Moscow International Film Festival. This made Suchitra Sen the first Indian actress to be awarded abroad.

In 1963, Suchitra Sen delivered another landmark performance in the film Uttar Falguni (1963) in which she played a double role of a courtesan and her daughter. The film won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali.

The same year, Ms Sen became the first actress in Indian cinema to win an award in an international film festival when she won the Best Actress award at the Moscow Film Festival for her role in the film Saat Paake Bandha.

In 1966, Suchitra Sen also featured in Mamta, the Hindi remake of Uttar Falguni, opposite Dharmendra. She was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actress award that year.

Through the ‘60s and ‘70s, Suchitra Sen appeared in successful films lie Grihadaha (1967) and Megh Kalo (1970).

Ms Sen continued to act in films despite the death of her husband in 1970. She was seen in movies like Nabaraag (1971), Alo Amaar Alo (1972) and Priyo Bandhabi (1975).

One of the actress' most memorable roles was as an ambitious politician, reportedly inspired by Indira Gandhi, in Gulzar's Aandhi (1975).

Suchitra Sen last featured in the 1978 flop Pranoy Pasha opposite Soumitro Chatterjee, after which she retired from both the big screen as well as public life.

In 2005, the reclusive actress allegedly refused the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, preferring not to make the public appearance and trip to New Delhi that it would require.

In 2012, the legendary actress was awarded the Banga Bibhushan award by the West Bengal government for her contribution to Bengali cinema. Ms Sen's daughter Moon Moon Sen and grand-daughter Raima Sen received the prestigious award from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.