Soumitra Chatterjee or Soumitra Chattopadhyay (Shoumitro Chôttopaddhae;19 January 1935 – 15 November 2020) was an Indian film and stage actor and poet. He is best known for his collaborations with Oscar-winning film director Satyajit Ray, with whom he worked in fourteen films, and his constant comparison with the Bengali cinema screen idol Uttam Kumar, his contemporary leading man of the 1960s and 1970s. Soumitra Chatterjee is also the first Indian film personality to be conferred with the Commandeur de l’ Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France's highest award for artists. He is also the winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award which is India's highest award for cinema. In 2017 exactly thirty years after auteur Satyajit Ray was honoured with France's highest civilian award, the coveted Legion of Honor, thespian Soumitra Chatterjee, arguably, the most prominent face of Ray's films, also received the award.
Starting with his debut film, Apur Sansar (The World of Apu, 1959), the third part of Apu Trilogy, he went on to work in several notable films with Ray, including Abhijan (The Expedition, 1962), Charulata (The Lonely Wife, 1964), Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest, 1969); Ashani Sanket (Distant Thunder, 1973); Sonar Kella (The Fortress, 1974) as Feluda and Joi Baba Felunath (The Elephant God, 1978) as Feluda, Ghare Baire (The Home and The World, 1984) and Ganashatru (Enemy of the People, 1989). Meanwhile, he also worked with other noted directors of Bengali cinema, with Mrinal Sen in Akash Kusum (Up in the Clouds, 1965), Tapan Sinha in Kshudhita Pashan (Hungry Stones, 1960), Jhinder Bandi (1961), Asit Sen in Swaralipi (1961), Ajoy Kar in Saat Pake Bandha (1963), Parineeta (1969), and Tarun Mazumdar in Sansar Simante (1975) and Ganadevata (1978). He acted in more than 210 films in his career till 2016.
Hindi films YearTitleRoleNote1986NirupamaRamsundar MitraTelefilm based on Tagore's short story Dena Paona2002Hindustani SipahiYogen Chatterjee
Bengali films Year Title Role Notes 1959 Apur Sansar Apurba Kumar "Apu" Roy Debut 1960 Devi Umaprasad Roy Kshudhita Pashan Tax Collector 1961 Swaralipi Shyamal Teen Kanya Amulya BFJA Award for Best Actor Swayambara Pradip Jhinder Bondi Mayurvahan Punashcha 1962 Shasti Atal Jaler Ahwan Jayanta Chowdhury Agun Chandranath Banarasi Ratan Abhijan Narsingh BFJA Award for Best Actor 1963 Saat Pake Bandha Prof. Sukhendu Dutta Sesh Prohor Barnali Dr. Asesh 1964 Pratinidhi Niren Charulata Amal Kinu Gowalar Gali Indrajit Ayananta 1965 Baksha Badal Dr. Pratul Bhattacharya Ektuku Basha Sushanta Kapurush Amitabha Roy Akash Kusum Ajay Sarkar Eki Ange Eto Rup Soumen 1966 Monihar Ajoy Chowdhury / Kumar Kanch Kata Heere Uma Joradighir Chowdhury Paribar Lekhel Chowdhury 1967 Hathat Dekha Prastar Swakshar Binayendra / Binu Mahashweta Satinath Ajana Sapath Manimohan Mukherjee / Soumen Roy 1968 Parishodh Baghini Chiranjib BFJA Award for Best Actor 1969 Teen Bhubaner Pare Montu Parineeta Shekhar Chena Achena Prabal Aparichita Sujitnath Dutta 1970 Aranyer Din Ratri Ashim Chatterjee Aleyar Alo Pradip Padma Golap Tapas Roy / Gobordhan Bhattacharya Pratham Kadam Phool Sukanta Bose 1971 Malyadan Jatin Khuje Berai Shankar Banerjee Sansar Subhas 1972 Aparna Barin Jiban Saikate Dr. Sambit Banerjee Stree Sitapati BFJA Award for Best Supporting Actor 1973 Natun Diner Alo Amal Nakal Sona Himself Cameo Basanta Bilap Shyamsundar Ghosh Nishi Kanya Nishith Ashani Sanket Gangacharan Chakraborty BFJA Award for Best Actor Shesh Prishthay Dekhun Bilet Pherat Agni Bhramar Jhintu Chowdhury Epar Opar 1974 Jadi Jantem Koushik Mitra Asati Khokon Chowdhury Sangini Sonar Kella Pradosh Chandra Mitra / Feluda 1975 Chhutir Phande Gitin Sansar Simante Aghore Filmfare Award East for Best Actor; Also BFJA Award for Best Actor Nishi Mrigaya SI Manoj Roy 1976 Sudur Niharika Arunabha Mukherjee / Shankar Narayan / Rudra Narayan Datta Naren Nandita 1977 Babu Moshai Shyamal Chatterjee / Babu Moshai Filmfare Award East for Best Actor Mantra Mugdha Indranath Pratima 1978 Pranay Pasha Ganadevata Debu Pandit Filmfare Award East for Best Actor Nadi Theke Sagare Shyamapada 1979 Joi Baba Felunath Pradosh Chandra Mitra / Feluda Devdas Devdas Mukherjee Job Charnaker Bibi Noukadubi Ramesh 1980 Pankhiraj Shankar Gharer Baire Ghar Hirak Rajar Deshe Udayan Pandit 1981 Pratisodh Sanatan Chatterjee Nyay Anyay Shekhar Father 1982 Bijoyini Priyoranjan Roy Chowdhury Khelar Putul Dr. Raja Rasamoyeer Rasikata Sashadhar Preyashi Sukanta Matir Swarga 1983 Chena Achena Sanjoy / Prabal Agradani Punyo Chakraborty Filmfare Award East for Best Actor Indira Amarnath 1984 Amar Geeti Ramnidhi Gupta / Nidhu Babu Simantarag Ghare Baire Sandip Mukherjee Lal Golap Abhijit 1985 Baikunther Will Gokul Majumder Tagori Santu Sandhya Pradip 1986 Kony Kshitish Sinha / Khidda BFJA Award for Best Actor Urbashi Shyam Saheb Achena Mukh Subimal Basundhara Atanka Sudhanshu Mukherjee / Master Moshai 1987 Nyay Adhikar Ekti Jiban Gurudas Bhattacharya 1988 Agni Sanket BFJA Award for Best Actor Aagoon Debi Baran Agaman Pratik Sudhanshu Mukherjee 1989 Maryada Shatarupa Ghurghutiyar Ghotona Feluda Amar Sapath SI Sanat Banerjee 1990 Ganashatru Dr. Ashok Gupta Manasi Ekhane Aamar Swarga Apan Amar Apan Ekti Jiban Golokdham Rahasya Feluda Chetana Abhimanyu 1991 Mahaprithibi Abhagini Ek Pashla Brishti 1992 Rakte Lekha Mani Kanchan Antardhan Sushobhan Shakha Proshakha Prasanta Majumder 1993 Mon Mane Na Bhabatosh Bose Puraskar Samparka Pasanda Pandit Prajapati Mr. Chatterjee 1994 Sesh Chithi Uttoran Dr. Sengupta Gajamukta Wheel Chair 1995 Kumari Maa Sesh Pratiksha Boumoni Mashal Kakababu Here Gelen? Asit Dhar Mejo Bou Ujan Bhagya Debata Somnath Bhaduri Special appearance 1996 Sopan Mahan Lathi Sadananda 1997 Maan Apaman Chandragrahan Sarbajaya Samadhan Kalratri Saptami Bahurupa Kulangar 1998 Chowdhury Paribar Baba Keno Chakar Sanghat Gharer Lakshmi Ajab Gayer Ajab Katha Birchandra Putra Badhu Lola Luci 1999 Atmiya Sajan Niyoti Santan Jakhan Shatru Sei To Abar Kachhe Ele Asukh Sudhamoy Daay Dayitto Shibatosh Bose Kanchanmala Shatru Mitra Tomay Pabo Bole Mastan Raja Ambar Sen Antardhan Rahashya Ambar Sen Madhumalati Swamir Ghar Asit Roy 2001 Guru Shisya Shankar Maharaj 2003 Abar Aranye Ashim Bhalo Theko Anandi's uncle Patalghar Aghor Sen 2004 Shadows of Time Old Ravi 2005 Nishijapon Bimal Das 2006 Krantikaal Pratap Chandra Sinha BFJA Award for Best Actor MLA Fatakeshto Podokkhep National Film Award for Best Actor 2007 Minister Fatakeshto Chief Minister Ballygunge Court Krishnakanter Will 2008 10:10 Don Durgaprasad 2009 Angshumaner Chhobi Pradyut Dwando Based on Decalogue II by Krzysztof Kieślowski 2011 The Forlorn Short film 2012 Life in Park Street Niladri Paanch Adhyay Hrishi-da Hemlock Society Cornell 2013 Shunyo Awnko Murphy The Zero Act Bicycle Kick Rupkatha Noy Filmfare Critics Award Bangla for Best Actor 2014 Jara Roddure Bhijechhilo Daroka Bhaduri Doorbeen Byomkesh Basu 2015 Bela Seshe Biswanath Majumdar Ahalya Goutam Sadhu Room No. 103 Rudra Chatterjee Birat 22 2016 Sangabora Praktan Passenger in train Bastav Amitava Rakshit Romantic Noy Psychiatrist Nosto Purush Father Peace Haven 2017 Posto The Anniversary Ranjan Ganguly Sesh Chithi Shibnath Samantaral Sujan's father Mayurakshi Sushovan Secret Love Story Aniket 2018 Boxer Church Father Kusumitar Gappo Ratnakar Sen Jaal Kader Bhai Flat No 609 Valentines Day Tara Sankar Shonar Pahar Rajat Manojder Adbhut Bari Gobindonarayan 2019 Jonmodin Paresh Sengupta Basu Poribar Shesher Golpo Amit Ray Adda (2019 film) Dhritimaan Panja Sanjhbati Chhana Dadu Kolkatay Kohinoor Satyaki Basu 2020 Borunbabur Bondhu Barun Babu Sraboner Dhara Amitava Sarkar 2021 Abalamban Dayal Babu Deep6 Himself Abhijaan Himself 2022 72 Ghanta Stranger Belashuru Biswanath Majumdar
Bengali TV series YearTitleNoteDena PaonaKori Diye KinlamTritoyo PurushBangladeshi TV Series
Television Year Serial Role Channel 2007 Sanai Adityanarayan Choudhury Akash Bangla 2015 Jol Nupur Krishnendushekhar Basu Mallick Star Jalsha
Directorial venture YearTitleLanguageNote1986Stree Ki PatraHindiTelefilm based on Tagore's Streer PatraMahasindhur Opar HoteBengali
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References
External links
Soumitra Chatterjee poem