Veteran actor and Dadasaheb Phalke award recipient Soumitra Chatterjee passed away at a Kolkata Nursing home today. He was 85. The actor had been hospitalised on October 6, 2020, after being tested Covid positive. However, he was declared Covid negative later. But he succumbed to other ailments, the hospital sources say.

Chatterjee had started his career in All India Radio Kolkata as an announcer. He made his first appearance on the silver screen as Apu in the ‘Apur Sansar’ with the great maestro Satyajit Ray as the director. He has been active on big and small screens almost till the date he fell sick. The theatre personality, poet Soumitar Chatterjee has his own fan following. He is considered as one of the icons in the cultural arena of Bengal.

He had won a number of awards in home and abroad which include Padma Bhushan as well as the highest French civilian award Legion of Honour.
President Ram Nath Kovind has expressed grief over the death of Soumitra Chatterjee. He said, Indian cinema has lost one of its legends. In a series of tweets, Mr Kovind said, he will be especially remembered for the ‘Apu’ trilogy and other memorable performances in Satyajit Ray’s masterpieces. He made immense contributions to the craft of acting. 

The President said, Soumitra Chatterjee’s performances won him several national and international awards including Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Bhushan and Légion d’Honneur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed grief over the demise of Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee. 

In a tweet, Mr Modi said, Soumitra Chatterjee’s death is a colossal loss to the world of cinema, cultural life of West Bengal and India. He said, through his works, he came to embody Bengali sensibilities, emotions and ethos.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar expressed grief over the death of iconic Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee in a tweet, saying that the passing away of Soumitra Chatterjee is a big loss to the film industry. He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to family, friends and fans of the departed actor.