Chabi Biswas was sublime in Maya Mrigo.

Chabi Biswas was sublime in Maya Mrigo.

Legendary actor Chabi Biswas was unparallel and sublime in the film Maya Mrigo. The film was directed by renowned director Chitta Basu in 1960. The film was based on the classic literature of Niharranjan Gupta. The writer always had glorified the character of mother in his literature. He had been prominent for his epic literature “Ulka” which was successful as play in Kolkata and also used in the bollywood film Meri Surat Teri Ankhen.

Maya Mrigo was the debut of the actor Biswajeet Chatterji and actress Sandhya Roy who were launched together as romantic pair in Bengali film in 1960. Chabi Biswas played the role of eminent barrister in the film, the husband of Sunanda Basu and the father of Biswajeet Chatterji. Sunanda Basu and Sandhya Rani were sisters. Sandhya Rani was married to Bikash Roy, who had a number of children. But Sunanda Basu was child-less. She took one son of Sandhya Rani and brought him up as her own son.

During second world war, Bikash Roy lost his limbs and Sandhya Rani lost all their children. Being helpless she came to Kolkata in the house of Chabi Biswas who had given shelter to a number of tenants including Uttam Kumar, Tarun Kumar, Tulsi Chakaravarty, Jahar Roy and others.

Sunanda Debi never greeted Sandhya Rani well, as she feared that if Biswajeet Chatterji came to know that he was the son of Bikash Roy and Sandha Rani, it would have been fatal for her. Bikash Roy died in the film. At the end of the film the truth was unfolded, but Chabi Biswas explained to everyone that both Sunanda Debi and Sandhya Rani, were accepted as the mother of Biswajeet, as one gave birth while the other brought up the child.

Manobendra Mukherjee composed excellent music in the film with hit songs like “bidhi re” and “metidiamericar kabyo” sung by him, “ore shon shon gerobaj” sung by Hemanta Mukherjee, and “bok bok bok bokum bokum paira” sung by Sandhya Mukherjee. But Chabi Biswas’s brilliant personality had overshadowed all the other performances in the film. He showed a contrast of expressions, including the kindness shown to Sandhya Rani and also the strictness shown to his tenants. The film should be restored for the brilliant performance of Chabi Biswas and also classic literature of Niharranjan Gupta.

Memsaheb was well directed.

Memsaheb was well directed.

The film Memsaheb, released in early 70s was well directed by eminent director Pinaki Mukherjee. Pinaki Mukherjee became extremely popular amongst intellectuals of Bengal after making the film Chowrangee. Chowrangee was the story of Sata Bose, a brilliant receptionist narrating the story of Grand Hotel during the early 60s. Uttam Kumar’s film released in late 60s ended up being a blockbuster.

The story of Memsaheb was written by Nimai Bhattacharya. The film was made at the backdrop of Bangladesh independent movement. Bangladesh formed part of Pakistan till the early 70s. As East Pakistan, the citizens were unhappy and wanted to sever ties with Pakistan. Indira Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister during the early 70s, send Indian armed forces to help the Bangladesh citizens to fight out for independence. Bangladesh became an independent nation after the war.

Uttam Kumar was a journalist in the film who fell in love with a simple middle-class Bengali girl played by Aparna Sen. Aparna Sen was brought up by his uncle Bikash Roy. She became a Professor of History and inspired Uttam Kumar to be ambitious.

Uttam Kumar got promoted from staff reporter to main reporter, but the newspaper agency in Kolkata during the naxalite period did not do good business. So a number of staff lost jobs due to the company’s inability of paying them. Uttam Kumar also lost his job. Aparna Sen gave her savings to Uttam Kumar to re-establish himself as a journalist by settling in New Delhi.

Uttam Kumar joined a profitable newspaper agency and came to meet the political stalwarts. He got the assignment of covering the Bangladesh war. Both Uttam Kumar and Aparna Sen decided to marry each other after Uttam Kumar returned back to India after the War ended. But at that time, while invigilation relating to exams were in process in a college in Kolkata, Aparna Sen was killed by the bullet of naxalite. The film ended with a tragic note.

The music of the film composed by Ashima Bhattacharya was very impressive. Rabindrasangeet was sung by Ashima herself and Sailen Mukherjee. Manna Dey’s song “aaj khushi” became a big hit. The credit for the success of the film goes to director Pinaki Mukherjee, as he directed the film very well. The film should be restored for the realistic story, brilliant direction and powerful performances of Uttam Kumar and Aparna Sen.

Suchitra Sen and Bikash Roy were unparallel in Surjotoron.

Suchitra Sen and Bikash Roy were unparallel in Surjotoron.

Director Agradoot gave hit romantic films one after the other in the mid-50s. Very significantly most of those films involved the eternal pair of Bengali celluloid namely Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen, and that too during the early phase of their career. All the films, Agniparikkha, Sabar Upare, Pathe Holo Deri, Sagarika did great business in the mid-50s.

Surjotoron was written by eminent lyricist Gouri Prasanna Mojumdar. Surjotoron was related to the story of a young architect engineer played by Uttam Kumar who dreamt about creating a huge building named Surjotoron for the slum-dwellers. The idea was that of Suchitra Sen who was an eminent writer in the film and daughter of huge builder Kamal Mitra.

Uttam Kumar learned architecture from an old engineer played by Kali Banerjee. But Kamal Mitra, an eminent builder gave a number of projects to Asitboron, who was also an architect engineer, but very incompetent in work. He destroyed the goodwill of Kamal Mitra in the market, and Bikash Roy bought all the shares of Kamal Mitra in the real estate sector.

At the end of the film, Uttam Kumar did build Surjo Toron. Bikash Roy committed suicide to allow Uttam Kumar to marry Suchitra Sen. He left his voice recorded in a record player which expressed the reasons for his death. He was evicted from his slum during infancy, by the eminent builders. He spend his teenage in prison. He became a big builder later on and wanted to marry Suchitra Sen. With the work of Uttam Kumar in building Surjotoron, a huge flat complex, build to accommodate the slum-dwellers, his dream was fulfilled. He never wanted to survive any more.

Although Uttam Kumar was the hero of the film, the performance of Bikash Roy and Suchitra Sen did outcast him. Bikash Roy’s mellifluous voice left the viewers spellbound. Suchitra Sen gave able lips in Sandhya Mukherjee’s brilliant songs “amar jibone nei alo, ache aleyar hatchani”, and “e aral aar sohite parina ogo akaron”, which had fantastic orchestration relating to piano.

The film should be restored for the uncommon story and powerful performance of Bikash Roy and Suchitra Sen.

Bikash Roy and Bengali films.

Bikash Roy and Bengali films.

During the golden age of Bengali cinema, that is the 40s, 50s and 60s, few actors had glorified silver screen in the most dynamic manner, such that the following generations were inspired by their dynamism. Chabi Biswas was considered to be the greatest character actor ever to have graced Indian screen by Oscar winning director Satyajit Ray. During that period, Bikash Roy was one of the colourful personalities whose mellifluous voice had enchanted audience of All India Radio and Bengali silver screen for more than 30 years.

Born on 16th May, 1916, Bikash Roy did BA from Presidency College in Kolkata and passed Bachelor of Law Exam subsequently. He was a famous lawyer of Alipore Sessions Court and District court. In 1932, he joined All India Radio under the supervision of Birendra Krishna Bhadra. He also worked in Signet Press. After coming in contact with notable director Jyotirmoyee Roy, he made his debut in the film Abhijatri in the 40s. He came to limelight with powerful performances in the film Bhuli Nai and Biyallish. His villainish andaz of dialogue throwing was used to perfection in the film Biyallish, where he played the role of a cruel officer who tortured Pradeep Kumar and Manju Dey, who were freedom fighters.

In Jighansha in 1951, noted director of all times, Ajoy Kar cast Bikash Roy in the role of an insane botanist who later turned out to be the murderer. The film had similarity with Arthur Conan Doyle’s epic novel The Hound of Baskervilles. Bikash Roy was the member of the Princely Estate, who could not inherit the property of his ancestors and went on killing one generation after the other by employing his relative Manju Dey who seduced the prince played by Biren Chatterji to a marshy land and were planned to be killed. Sishir Batabyal, the actor who played the role of Sherlock Holmes in the film unearthed the mystery. Bikash Roy’s modulation of voice rocked Bengali silver screen and from that time he became one of the leading stars of Bengali cinema. Bollywood film Bees Saal Baad was the remake of Jighansha.

He acted in the role of hero in the film Ratnadeep opposite Anubha Gupta in 1951 directed by Debaki Kumar Bose, Chele Kar opposite Arundhuti Debi in 1954 directed by Chitta Bose, Sajghar opposite Suchitra Sen in 1955 directed by Ajoy Kar, Bhalobasha opposite Suchitra Sen in 1955 directed by Debaki Kumar Bose, to name a few. But within short period of time his ability to play diverse types of characters established him as a powerful character artist. He had contributed in more than 100 films of Bengali superstar Uttam Kumar.

He played the role of eminent barrister in Suchitra Sen’s epic film Uttar Falguni in style. He was the husband of the Suchitra Sen, who was a baijee named Panna Bai, and defended her in a murder case where she killed Kalipada Chakravarty on provocation. He won the BFJA award for the best supporting actor for his dynamic performance. In the 60s, he played different type of roles and most of the performances had been versatile. Some of his landmark performances came in the film Surjotoron opposite Suchitra Sen, Sreeti Tuku Thak opposite Suchitra Sen, Jibon Trishna opposite Deepti Roy, Neel Akasher Neeche opposite Manju Dey, to name a few.

Viewers also remembered Bikash Roy for his stylish English accent that he used in landmark films like Sapmochon, Abhayer Biye, Jotu Griha, Shesh Anka, Chaddabeshi, etc. In some of these films the style was connected with comedy, while in others it had villainish mannerisms attached with it.

He had acted in films of noted directors of Bengal, including Tapan Sinha in the films Aarohi and Jotugriha, Mrinal Sen in Neel Akasher Neeche, Ajoy Kar in Jighansha, Rajen Tarafdar in Jiban Kahini, Haridas Bhattacharya in Indranath Srikanto and Annadadidi, Arogyo Niketan directed by Bijoy Bose, Chaya Surjo directed by Partho Pratim Choudhury. Besides, Bikash Roy made meaningful films as director.

Most of the films he directed were critically acclaimed like Raja Saja, where Uttam Kumar played the main role, Carey Saheber Munshi where Chabi Biswas played the main role, Basant Bahar where Bosonto Choudhury played the main role, Morutirtha Hinglaj where Uttam Kumar and Anil Chatterji played the main roles, etc.

Bikash Roy acted in more than 200 films, and articles after articles can be devoted his different styles of performances in various films. With his death in 1987, Bengal lost one of the versatile actors whose style and diction had remained unparallel.

Uttam Kumar showed his excellence in his last film Ogo Bodhu Sundari too.

Uttam Kumar showed his excellence in his last film Ogo Bodhu Sundari too.

Bengali superstar Uttam Kumar dominated Bengali cinema from the late 40s and for 35 years remained the uncrowned king of Bengali cinema. Even in his last film Ogo Bodhu Sundari released in 1980, he showed his excellence. He died at the set of Ogo Bodhu Sundari after suffering heart attack.

Uttam Kumar played the main role in Pijush Bose’s film Ogo Bodhu Sundari based on Bertrand Russell’s classic literature Pygmalion. He was married to Sumitra Mukherjee in the film. She met Meenakshi Goswami and her new husband Haradhon Banerjee in parties. Uttam Kumar brought Moushumi Chatterji from the streets and taught her Bengali and English.

Uttam Kumar’s assistant Santosh Dutta told him that it was not possible to reform Moushumi Chatterji as she spoke absolutely rustic language. She used to show games with two monkeys on streets. Uttam Kumar taught her horse riding, motor driving, swimming and made her modern.

Sumitra Mukherjee got irritated with Uttam Kumar and went to her grandfather Bikash Roy’s house. Her brother Ranjit Mullick fell in love with Moushumi Chatterji. Uttam Kumar proved that if proper training is given to even an uneducated person, that person can be trained.

Bappi Lahiri composed music for the film and all the songs of Uttam Kumar were sung by Kishore Kumar. The songs like “shudhu tumi nou abalakanto”, “ami ekjon shantoshishto”, “ei to jiban” became super hit. The most striking factor was that it was Uttam Kumar’s last film. He was in his 50s. Even then his glamour and dynamism still played a huge role.

The coloured film became super hit due to sheer brilliance of Uttam Kumar. The comedy sequences in the film were well portrayed by Moushumi Chatterji, Santosh Dutta and Sumitra Mukherjee. It is sad that Uttam Kumar died at such an age, otherwise he could have given super hits for more years later.

Uttam Kumar and Anil Chatterji complimented each other in Agnisangskar.

Uttam Kumar and Anil Chatterji complimented each other in Agisangskar.

Director Agradoot played a pivotal role in the early success of Uttam Kumar in films like Agniparikkha, Sabar Opore in the mid-50s. From that time onwards the main director of Agradoot Bibhuti Laha tried to make realistic films with Uttam Kumar.

In Agnisangskar, Uttam Kumar was the Chief Engineer of the industrial firm owned by Anil Chatterji. Just because Anil Chatterji had partial amount of insanity, his mother Chaya Debi ran the firm with the responsible officers. As the manager Bikash Roy ill-treated the workers, she made Uttam Kumar, the manager. She also asked Supriya Debi to go to the industry and check the working regularly, as she herself was ill. Supriya Debi admired the working of Uttam Kumar and fell in love with him.

Supriya Debi had no relationship with Chaya Debi, but was brought by her with the aim of making her daughter-in-law. In the meantime Uttam Kumar was given the responsibility of bringing back Anil Chatterji from Kolkata, as never liked the native place. Anil Chatterji came back and got involved with Supriya Debi. But she was not interested to marry Anil Chatterji, she asked Uttam Kumar to leave the job. After Uttam Kumar got settled elsewhere Supriya Debi got entangled marriage according to hindu rites.

At that time Anil Chatterji called Uttam Kumar in his native place and after communication left him. He committed suicide and implicated Uttam Kumar for his death. All the evidence went against Uttam Kumar and he was awarded death penalty. At that time the diary of Anil Chatterji was recovered and due to insistence other Board Members of the company like Chabi Biswas, the Judge stopped the sentence and Uttam Kumar was released.
While Uttam Kumar was effortless in his romantic performance, Anil Chatterji showed his range in playing the mentally deranged character. Anil Chatterji already gathered fame by playing brilliant characters in Ghatak’s Meghe Dhaka Tara, Tapan Sinha’s Nirjan Saikate, Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar. In this film he balanced the romantic appeal of Uttam Kumar with his aggressive acting. The film became successful and attracted the attention of educated viewers. Hemant Kumar’s music was impressive with Sandhya Mukherjee’s song “tomar duarkhani” becoming hit. The film should be preserved

Uttam Kumar was unparallel in Bibhas.

Uttam Kumar was unparallel in Bibhas.

Uttam Kumar, the greatest superstar of Bengali Silver Screen was unparallel in Bibhas. He played the role of a young man of Kolkata who went to a village to get shelter after his brothers threw him out of the family.

The story of the film was written by Samaresh Bose. Uttam Kumar did not contribute in his family, yet he had good voice and sung well in cultural programs. His elder brothers compelled him to sign in the deed of the house mentioning that he had no claim over property. He signed it and left the house.

He was given shelter in the village by Kamal Mitra who was a village doctor and politician. Uttam Kumar knew basics of the work of compounder and started working as Kamal Mitra’s assistant. He was allowed to stay in his house. Bikash Roy also worked as his assistant.

Uttam Kumar fell in love with Lalita Chatterji, the daughter of Kamal Mitra. Even Anubha Gupta, the daughter in law of Kamal Mitra attracted him. After meeting most of the villagers Uttam Kumar came to know that Kamal Mitra had acquired property in the village after cheating many villagers.

Uttam Kumar became extremely popular in the village and even contested elections against Kamal Mitra. The last portion of the film was related to the enmity of Kamal Mitra with Uttam Kumar, the person who was given shelter by Kamal Mitra himself.

Uttam Kumar’s lips in Hemant Kumar’s songs “jakhon porbe na mor payer chino ei bante”, and “tarae tarae joluk bati” mesmerized the viewers and the listeners. The film ended up being super hit. Uttam Kumar had the charisma of adjusting himself in non-glamorous roles like the one in Bibhas and having the last smile at the end of the film.
The high standard of literature being used in Bengali films of the 50s and 60s created a difference and Uttam Kumar’s films became path –breaker in every aspects of film making. Bibhas should be restored and preserved.

Review of Suchitra Sen's Uttar Falguni.

Review of Suchitra Sen’s Uttar Falguni.

Suchitra Sen was the greatest actress Bengal had ever produced in the history of cinema. She had remained one of the most versatile actresses produced by Indian cinema in the last 60 years.

Uttar Falguni was released in 1963, at a time when Suchitra Sen was ruling the Bengali silver screen. While romantic performance in 30 films opposite superstar Uttam Kumar established her as the queen of Bengali cinema, her performance in female dominated films like Deep Jele Jai created a new dimension in the world of creative arts.

Uttar Falguni was directed by Asit Sen. The music was composed by Robin Chatterji. Suchitra Sen played the role of the girl Debjani, who loved Barrister Manish (played by Bikash Roy), but due to repayment of loan of father Jahar Ganguly, married a characterless person Rakhal Bhattacharya played by Kalipada Chakravarty. Bikash Roy went abroad and asked Suchitra Sen to wait till he returned to India. But due to compelling circumstances Suchitra Sen married Kalipada Chakravarty.

Suchitra Sen gave birth to Kalipada Chakravarty’s daughter and to rear her up became Pannabai (a singer who earned money by performing in mujras). She admitted her daughter in a missionary school and promised before the principal that she would never disclose her identity before her daughter. But her husband Rakhal Bhattacharya used to visit Suchitra Sen’s house and take money with the threat that he would find out her daughter and disclose his identity before her.

Bikash Roy came back to India, went to Lucknow to meet Suchitra Sen. He even agreed to marry her but Suchitra Sen said that it was too late. Instead she asked her to take the responsibility relating to education of her daughter. Bikash Roy send Suchitra Sen’s daughter Suchorita (also played by Suchitra Sen) abroad. She became a Barrister and returned back with young barrister played by Dilip Mukherjee.

But when Sucharita was seen in Kolkata High Court with Bikash Roy, her father Rakhal Bhattacharya blackmailed her mother saying that he would disclose the fact that Suchitra Sen’s mother was a baijee. Debjani (Suchitra Sen) killed Rakhal Bhattacharya by firing 6 bullets.

When the murder case was tried in Court of law, Sucharita compelled Bikash Roy to disclose his relationship with Debjani. That was the most delirium scene of the film. Bikash Roy told the entire history of the sacrifice of Debjani and all her efforts to make her daughter a barrister. Sucharita pleaded before the court to acquit her mother as the murder did occur out of adequate provocation. Her mother died at the witness box itself.

The film was remade in hindi with the title Mamta. But it miserably failed to match the epic performance of the stars in Uttar Falguni. Undoubtedly it was the best performance of Suchitra Sen in her double role. Bikash Roy also rose up to the occasion in an Uttam Kumar production, where Uttam Kumar did not play the role but left it upto the experience of respectable Bikash Roy.

Uttar Falguni had been a milestone of Indian classic cinema and should be preserved for the following generations.

Remembering Tapan Sinha - the legendary storyteller.

Remembering Tapan Sinha – the legendary story – teller.

Tapan Sinha, the legendary story-teller and path-breaker in Bengali cinema had died recently at the age of 84 years. Very recently he had been awarded the highest award Dada Saheb Phalke for his notable contribution to films for more than 50 years. Being a big admirer of John Ford and Billy Wilder, Tapan Sinha worked under the dynamic personility Charles Cryton in Pinewood Studios in London.He returned back to India with a vision of merging the environment, mystery, tribal reality, social concerns with literary flavour and his dynamism shaped and nurtured silver screen from its infancy to a field of exhibition of work of art.

Most of his films received awards in India including national awards and also international awards. He had used the immortal literature of legendary writers of Bengal including Rabindranath Tagore, Jorasondho, Sorodindu Bandhopadhyay, Subodh Ghosh, to name a few and mesmerized the audience with his powerful script, outstanding camera work, meaningful casting and innovative story-telling.

The subjects with which he had made films never matched with each other showing the dynamism of the legend of legends. The story of Kabuliwala was based on Tagore’s realization of affection of an afghan father for his small daughter. Chabi Biswas astonished the viewers with his dynamic performance and created a standard which was not reached by even stalwart actor of bollywood Balraj Sahani in Bimal Roy’s Kabuliwala.

In that respect, no other director other than Satyajit Ray had such a strong casting sense that was exhibited by Tapan Sinha. His team of actors varied from film to film and the audience found that the actor or actresses he chose in the respective film matched the literary character that was depicted in novels. Nirmal Kumar, the jailor in the film Louhakapat was matchless with his poetic eyes which expressed his compassion towards the prisoners.

His casting of Uttam Kumar in the film Jhinder Bandi, the adaptation of Anthony Hopp’s Prisoner of Zenda, stormed Bengali films in the early 60s. Uttam Kumar looked like a European actor on horseback which was required in the film considering the chivalry that was required from Shankar Narayan Singh, the prince of Jhind, a land of warriors. The same Uttam Kumar was used in a different way by Tapan Sinha in the film Jotu Griha.

Uttam Kumar was a notable engineer in the film, who married Arundhuti Debi, but could not beget any child due to deficiency of Arundhuti Debi. He had property, pomp, grandeur, recognition in the society, yet due to lack of children ultimately the relationship ended up in separation. In their separation also the relationship between Uttam Kumar and Arundhuti Debi was divine, and their feelings for each other touched the souls of the audience when in the last scene their trains crossed one another thereby providing a new path for the spouses. The depiction of Anil Chatterji, a middle-class worker in Uttam Kumar’s firm who had many children and was needy, yet happy with his struggling life, had not been forgotten by cinematic audience.

The same Tapan Sinha brought out the best from Tragedy King Dilip Kumar in the film Sagina Mahato, which was remade in hindi as well. Dilip Kumar was tribal leader and leader of worker’s union in the hilly districts of West Bengal. He was used by the local political leaders including Anil Chatterji for mobilizing the ideal youth of the place, but when Dilip Kumar gained popularity, his powers were taken away and he was proved to a traitor. The powerful performance of both Dilip Kumar and Anil Chatterji had not been forgotten by cinematic audience even after 40 years of the date of creation of the film.

He used Ashok Kumar and Vaijayantimala in style in the film Hate Bajare, where the notable contribution of a compassionate doctor attracted the attention of the viewers. Villains like Ajitesh Banerjee and comedians like Chinmoy Roy surprised the viewers with a different style of acting. Again in Nirjan Saikate, Anil Chatterji’s performance as an observer questioned the fate of five widows in the film namely Sharmila Tagore, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Bharati Devi, Chaya Devi, Renuka Debi, all of whom received National awards for their individual performance.

When the works of Tapan Sinha are analyzed it becomes a question to the historians in respect of where to start and when to end. The work of Kali Banerjee, a compounder in the film Arohi, with an emotional relationship with his master played by Bikash Roy, requires special mention. The feelings of a semi-educated rural person was displayed in style by Kali Banerjee who sacrified his earnings for the education of his master’ son.

Tapan Sinha’s other landmark films include Khudito Pashan, Khaniker Atithi, Golpo Holey Sotti. Tapan Sinha even showed the unrest existing in Kolkata during the naxalite period in films like Ekhoni and Aponjon. Besides there were films based on reflections like the film Atithi were Tagore’s complex observations were highlighted. His comedy films like Bancharamer Bagan and Baidurjo Rahasya addressed the interests of common audience of the country.

Radhamohan Bhattacharya, an eminent scholar and versatile personality was used by Tapan Sinha in dynamic roles like the royal diwan in Jhinder Bandi, the medical expert in Khoniker Atithi, the noted novelist in Kabuliwala and the urdu poet in Khudito Pashan.

In the late 90s, Tapan Sinha even made films based on antisocial activities like Antardhan and Atonko, where Soumitra Chatterji depicted the concerns of middle-class father in a complex society. Most of Tapan Sinha’s films were remade in hindi and provided fresh ideas for other directors in bollywood industry like Bimal Roy, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, etc.

He is probably the most unsung, unrecognized, unlamented maestros of golden age of Bengali cinema, but the intellectuals of India and abroad consider Tapan Sinha as the greatest director of all times after Satyajit Ray and had remained an institution by himself.

The viewers pay their regard and respect to the departed soul.

Manju Dey - the towering actress of Bengali films

Manju Dey – the towering actress of Bengali films.

Manju Dey was considered one of the towering actresses of Bengali films of the 50s and 60s. Along with an enterprising screen presence she also had a mellifluous voice. She mesmerized the viewers with her powerful performance in the film Jighansha, directed by renowned Bengali director Ajoy Kar. The film was based on the detective story of Arthur Conan Doyle titled The Hound Of Baskervilles. In the early 50s, the black –white classic took the Bengali audience by storm.

Manju Dey played the role of the daughter of Bikash Roy, who was one of the successors of the princely estate who was deprived of his right over property. He stayed in the same estate in the disguise of an old botanist. He used Manju Dey, his daughter to act as witch who sang spooky songs around marshy land and drew the prince towards that area when Bikash Roy hired a serial killer to kill him. The detective in the film played by Shishir Botobyal, who played the same role as Sherlock Holmes in The Hound Baskervilles detected the identity and solved the mystery. The same film was remade in hindi with the title Bees Saal Baad, where Wahida Rehman played the role of Manju Dey and Biswajeet played the role of the prince.

Manju Dey impressed the viewers with her role in Mrinal Sen’s film Neel Akasher Niche. She played the role of wife of Bikash Roy, a middle-class Bengali and was sympathetic towards Kali Banerjee, a Chinaman in the film who came from China and settled in the streets of Kolkata to sell his produce. The film required the depth of acting from Manju Dey in respect of showing compassion towards a foreigner who had come from a distant place and struggled to earn his livelihood in Kolkata.

She was sublime in the film Biyallish (42), opposite Pradeep Kumar. The film was based on the Indian freedom struggle and how the domestic wives of the nation participated in the freedom movement. She and her husband Pradeep Kumar was tortured by British officer played by Bikash Roy and yet she was firm in her commitment.

She established herself as a successful director with the film Abhishapto Chambal based on the novel by Tarun Bhadhuri, the father of Jaya Bhaduri. She acted in the film and showed her powerful personality. She learned horse-riding and acted along with other dacoits like Shekhar Chatterjee and others. Pradeep Kumar played the role of the husband of Manju Dey in the film and impressed with his manly performance. He died and after that it was left upto Manju Dey to take revenge against the alleged offenders. Her other successfully directed film included Shajarur Kanta (Porcupine’s thorn), which was a crime-thriller and impressed the viewers again.

Manju Dey also contributed in the classic films in the 50s including Tapan Sinha’s film Kabuliwala based on the epic novel of Rabindranath Tagore. She played the role of the mother of the little girl Mini, who had attachment towards an Afghan fruit-seller played by Chabi Biswas. Later on Chabi Biswas was imprisoned and after being released from jail came to their house. All preparations were made for the marriage of Mini. Manju Dey advised her husband played by Radha Mohan Bhattacharya to give the money that was saved for the lighting in the marriage to be given to Chabi Biswas so that he could go back to his own country and meet his own daughter who was of same age of Mini.

Manju Dey was used in off-beat films and experimental roles in her illustrious career and although her position was not same as the greatest actress of Bengal, that is Suchitra Sen, whenever her films like Kar Pape opposite Asit Boron, Upahaar opposite Uttam Kumar, etc., are revisited it will be inferred that she was one of the most dynamic actresses of Bengali films during the classic period. According to critics, other than Suchitra Sen and Arundhuti Debi, Manju Dey had the most dynamic personality and for those reasons her films should be preserved and restored.