Kolkata, Apr 6 (UNI) Legendary Indian silver screen icon Mahanayika Suchitra Sen would have celebrated his 89th birthday, had she been alive.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid tribute to Mahanayika Suchitra Sen on the occasion.
“Tribute to Mahanayika Suchitra Sen on her birth anniversary. In 2012, we had felicitated her with the Banga Bibhushan Samman,the highest civilian honour in # Bangla,” she added.
Screen legend Suchitra Sen was born in Pabna district, now in Bangladesh as Roma Dasgupta on April 6, 1931.
There will be no one like Suchitra Sen ever. While there have been many actresses before and after her, many of whom have created a niche of their own in Indian cinema, Sen's enigma continues to enchant generation after generation.
Her grace, her immaculate style, her talent remain textbook examples for actresses in Bengali cinema.
Suchitra was the household name for all Bengali film lovers over the decades. She made the most outstanding partnership with co-actor Uttam Kumar, the legend of Bengali film. Uttam-Suchitra movies have become almost a different genre in the Bengali film chronicle.
Legendary actress took the nation by an 'Aandhi' when she made her foray into films and soon became one of the best known faces of Bengali cinema. Her portrayal of Paro in her first Hindi movie, Bimal Roy's 'Devdas' opposite Dilip Kumar, earned her a 'Best Actress' Award.
Two years later, in 1957, she starred again with Kumar in 'Musafir'. Extremely selective about the movies she chose, Sen refused Raj Kapoor's offer for a film under RK banner and could not work on Satyajit Ray's 'Devi Chawdhurani' due to date hassles, a film which Ray eventually never made.
Known as the Greta Garbo of Bengali cinema, Sen is known for her performances in films "Deep Jwele Jaai" and "Uttar Falguni" in Bengali as well as Hindi movies "Devdas", "Bombai Ka Babu", "Mamta" and "Aandhi Suchitra made her debut in films with 'Shesh Kothaay' in 1952, but it was never released.

The following year saw her act opposite Uttam Kumar in 'Sharey Chuattor' which was an instant box-office hit. The film also launchedg Uttam-Suchitra as a leading pair, which became Bengal's most loved onscreen pair in later years.
Some of her most famous films with Uttam Kumar are Agnipariksha, Harano Sur, Saptapadi, Pathey Holo Deri, Kamal Lata, Chaawa Paawa, Bipasha, Rajlakshmi Srikanto, Har Mana Har and others.
She also was also cast with another famous Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee. Some of her famous films with Chatterjee include Saat Paake Bandha, Datta, and Pranay Pasha.
Suchitra was also the first Indian actress to be awarded at an international film festival, receiving the Best Actress Award for Saptapadi at the Moscow film festival in 1963.
In 2012, the Bengal government bestowed its highest award 'Banga Bibhushan' on the actress.
Sen however removed herself from public glare after completing nearly 25 years in the film industry and led a reclusive life, surrounded by her immediate family, until her death on January 17, 2014 at the age of 82.
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