Sabitri Chatterjee

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Sabitri Chatterjee
The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to Ms. Sabitri Chatterjee, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 31, 2014.jpg
Chatterjee receiving the Padma Shri Award from Indian president Pranab Mukherjee, 2014
Born (1937-02-21) 21 February 1937 (age 88)
Comilla, Bangladesh
NationalityIndian
Occupation Actress
Years active1947–present
FatherSashadhar Chatterjee[ citation needed ]
Awards BFJA Awards
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Banga Bibhushan
Padma Shri

Sabitri Chatterjee (born 21 February 1937) is an Indian actress who is known for her work in Bengali theatre and cinema. Her career spans more than seventy years. [1] She twice won the BFJA Awards. In 1999, she was conferred with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for acting in Bengali theatre. In 2013, she was awarded by the Government of West Bengal its highest civilian award; the Banga Bibhushan.

Contents

In 2014, Government of India conferred upon her its fourth-highest civilian award the Padma Shri. [2]

She was born in Comilla, in British India (now in Bangladesh). During the partition of Bengal, she was sent to the safety of an older, married sister's house in Kolkata located at Tollygunge. During her adolescence, she was noticed by Bhanu Banerjee who took her to Uttar Sarathi group theatre for a role in their play Natun Ihudi. Later she emerged as a prominent thespian personality for the title role in the play Shyamali which was staged at Star Theatre. She made her big screen debut in Uttam Kumar starrer Sahajatri (1951) directed by Agradoot and appeared as her first female lead in Sudhir Mukherjee's comedy film Pasher Bari (1952) which was a major success at box office. She is remembered for her roles in films such as Raat Bhor (1955), Upahar (1955), Abhayer Biye (1957), Nupur (1958), Gali Theke Rajpath (1959), Marutirtha Hinglaj (1959), Kuhak (1960), Badhu (1962), Bhranti Bilas (1963), Uttarayan (1963), Jaya (1965), Kal Tumi Aleya (1966), Nishipadma (1970), Dhanyi Meye (1971) and Malyadan (1971) to name a few. Soumitra Chatterjee described her as the finest actor he has worked with.[ citation needed ]

Early life and background

Sabitri was born on 21 February 1937 in a small town of Kamalapur in Comilla District of present-day Bangladesh [3] and is youngest among ten sisters. [4] Her father Sashadhar Chatterjee, who belonged to a famous Kulin Rarhi Brahmin family from a Kulin Brahmin village called Kanaksar in Bikrampur, worked as a station master in Indian Railways. During the partition of Bengal, young Sabitri was sent to the safety of an older, married sister's house in Kolkata located at Tollygunge – the hub of filmmaking in Kolkata. Being brought up in Tollygunge she often saw filmstars of that time. [5]

Career

Film career

When Sabitri Chatterjee was in class ten, she was noticed by veteran actor Bhanu Banerjee who picked her up for a role in Natun Ihudi, a play of Uttar Sarathi group theatre on the refugees from East Pakistan. The play was being directed by Kanu Banerjee – the actor who would later perform as Harihar Roy, in Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali and Aparajito . Sabitri also acted the film version of the play which was released in 1953.[ citation needed ] She made her big screen debut in Uttam Kumar starrer Sahajatri (1951) directed by Agradoot and appeared as her first female lead in Sudhir Mukherjee's comedy film Pasher Bari (1952) which was a major success at box office.[ citation needed ]

Sabitri Chatterjee's next film assignment was Subhada (1952) – a film based on a novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and directed by Niren Lahiri along with Chhabi Biswas and Pahari Sanyal. In this film, she played the role of an unfortunate girl named Lalana. In the same year, she appeared in the Uttam Kumar starrer family drama Basu Poribar (1952), directed by Nirmal Dey, which had Supriya Devi in the role of Uttam Kumar's sister. Sabitri and Uttam Kumar had been friends since 1951, Uttam Kumar offered her to act in a theatrical production to be produced by his group Krishti O Srishti. The Uttam-Sabitri combination became a favourite of the Bengali cine-goers and their friendship withstood strong but false rumours of marriage. [1]

They would be responsible for a series of films, including Lakh Taka (1953), Kalyani (1954), Anupama (1954), Raikamal (1955), Nabojanma (1956), Punar Milan (1957), Marutirtha Hinglaj (1959), Raja-Saja (1960), Dui Bhai (1961), Bhranti Bilas (1963), Momer Alo (1964) and Nishipadma (1970). They also had major roles in Mrinal Sen's first feature film Raat Bhore (1955) and Tapan Sinha's second effort Upahaar (1955). Bhranti Bilas, Mouchak and Dhanyi Meye rank high among the Bengali comedy films.[ citation needed ]

In the early eighties, Sabitri did not appear on screen as before. However, in the late 1980s, she came back with films such as Mamoni, Anandalok and Haar-Jeet.

TV career

Sabitri Chatterjee continues to act in commercial Bengali cinemas and television till date. She is one of the stars of the mega soap opera Sonar Horin, that has run more than 1000 episodes, which was aired on ETV Bangla. She has acted as Muktokeshi in the serial Subarnalata. (The title role was played by the National Film Award-winning Ananya Chatterjee), an adaptation of Ashapurna Devi's novel, which was aired on Zee Bangla and as Sona thamma in Jol Nupur which was aired on Star Jalsha.

She is acted as a senior matriarch of a family in the TV serial Kusum dola, which is aired in STAR Jalsha. She has played the master chef in Joto Hashi Toto Ranna, which is a fiction cum reality cookery show, where kitchen skills are weaved around a fictional plot revolving around a certain Gupta family. She played a minor role in 2012 Star Jalsha serial Tapur Tupur, and is currently playing the role of a yesteryear actress in Chokher Tara Tui. [6] This TV serial is also aired in Star Jalsha. She acted in an Indian Bengali show named Andarmahal , which aired on the popular Bengali entertainment channel Zee Bangla.

Awards

Filmography

TitleYearRoleRef.
1951Sahajatri
1952Aladin O Ascharya Pradeep
Basu Paribar
Mahishasur Badh
Pasher Bari
Sabitri Satyaban
SubhadaLalana
1953Adrishya Manush
Blind Lane
Kajari
Keranir Jiban [8]
Lakh Taka
Natun Yahudi
Rami Chandidas [9]
Sitar Patal Prabesh [10]
Swashurbari
1954 Annapurnar Mandir [11]
Atom Bomb
Bhanga Gora
Champadangar Bou
Ladies Seat
Kalyani
Moyla Kagaj
1955Anupama
Ardhangini [12]
BidhilipiSandhya
Bratacharini
Drishti [13]
Dui Bon
Godhuli [14]
Paresh
Pather Sheshe
Raikamal Raikamal
Raat Bhor
Upahar Krishna
1956Daner MaryadaUsha
Gobindadas
Maa
Mamlar Phal
Nabajanma
Paradhin
Sabdhan
Sadhana
Sinthir Sindur
1957Abhishek
Abhoyer Biye
Baksiddha
Basantabahar
Chhayapath
Ektara
Kancha Mithe
Madhabir Janya
Natun Prabhat
Punarmilan
Shesh Parichoy
Taser Ghar
1958Dakharkara
Daktarbabu
Marmabani
Meghamallar
Nupur
1959Abak Prithibi
Gali Theke Rajpath
Marutirtha Hinglaj
Noukabilas
Rater Andhakare
Sashibabur Sangsar
1960Gariber Meye
Haat Baralei Bandhu
Kshudha
Kuhak
Raja Saja
1961Dui Bhai
1962Badhu
Naba Diganta
1963Akashpradip
Bhrantibilas
Shes Anko Lata Bose
Uttarayan
1964 Momer Alo Deepa
Pratinidhi
1965Antaral
Dinanter Alo
Gulmohar
JayaJaya
1966Joradighir Chowdhury Paribar
Kal Tumi AleyaSonaboudi
Sushanta Sha [15]
1967GrihadahaMrinal
1968Baluchari
Pathey Holo Dekha
1970Aleyar Alo
Nishi Padma Padma
Kalankita Nayak
Manjari OperaManjari Devi
Muktisnan
1971 Dhanyee Meye
Malyadaan Patal
Pratham Pratishruti
1972 Sesh Parba
1974 Mouchak
1975 Phool Sajya
1976 Sei Chokh
1977Mantramugdha
1978Aguner Phulki
1979Brajabuli
Heerey Manik
1980 Rajnandini
1981Pratishodh
1986 Mamoni
1988 Anandalok
1992 Bahadur
2000 Har Jeet
2006 Podokkhep Shobita
Tapasya
2012 Hemlock Society
2014 Highway
2016 Thammar Boyfriend Nandini Mitra [16]
Praktan
2018 Maati
2022 Aporajeyo
2023 Pradhan
2025 Aamar Boss

Television

YearSerialRoleChannel
2006Sonar Horin ETV Bangla
2007–2008SanaiMrs. Choudhury Akash Bangla
2010–2012 Subarnalata Muktakeshi Zee Bangla
2011–2013Tapur Tupur Star Jalsha
2011–2015 Ishti Kutum
2013–2015 Jol Nupur Kamalini Krishnendushekhar Basumallick
2014–2016Chokher Tara Tui
2016–2017 Ei Chheleta Bhelbheleta Shaluk's Maternal Grandmother Zee Bangla
2016–2018 Kusum Dola Savitri Chatterjee Star Jalsha
2017–2018 Andarmahal Swatilekha Dutta Zee Bangla
2017–2018 Sanyashi Raja Rashmani Basu Star Jalsha
2019–2020 Mayurpankhi Kamalini Sen
2019–2022 Mohor Saraswati Bose
2021–2022 Dhulokona Ratulmani Ganguly
2023BalijhorSrot's Grandmother
2025–presentChirosokha

Notes

  1. 1 2 Sengupta, Sujit. "Sabitri Chatterji". calcuttaweb.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2003. Retrieved 4 December 2006.(in Bengali)
  2. ↑ "Padma Awards Announced". Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "মহানায়কের প্রতি প্রেম নিয়ে আজও অকপট, আজীবন অবিবাহিতই রয়ে গেলেন সাবিত্রী". Hindustantimes Bangla (in Bengali). 21 February 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  4. ↑ আনন্দ, ওয়েব ডেস্ক, এবিপি (26 June 2022). "নাচের চরিত্রে অভিনয় করে ১০-১৫ টাকা উপার্জন, সিনেমা দেখার পয়সা জোগাড় করতে কী করতেন সাবিত্রী?". bengali.abplive.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 19 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "We had no food for days on end: Sabitri Chatterjee - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  6. ↑ "Sabitri Chatterjee turns masterchef for Joto Hashi Toto Ranna - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Padma Awards Announced". Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 25 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Keranir Jiban (1953)". Bengal Film Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "Rami Chandidas (1953)". Bengal Film Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "Sitar Patal Prabesh (1953)". Bengal Film Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "অন্নপূর্ণার মন্দির (১৯৫৪)". banglacinema100.com. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "Ardhangini (1955)". Bengal Film Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "Drishti (1955)". Bengal Film Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Godhuli (1955)". Bengal Film Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Sushanta Sha (1966)". Bengal Film Archive. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "Actor Sabitri Chatterjee to star in rom-com opposite Abir Chatterjee". Hindustan Times . 30 November 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
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