Supriya Choudhury

Actress. Bengali star of 60s socials best known as romantic lead opposite Uttam Kumar (with whom she apparently featured in 33 films). Spent some of her childhood in Rangoon; introduced into films by veteran Bengali actress Chandrabati Devi. Début in Nirmal Dey’s Basu Parivar, after which she married and retired from films for some years. Incarnated the ‘heroine’ of reformist middle-class pulp fictions. Adhered more to melodramatic orthodoxy than her chief rival, Suchitra Sen, evoking e.g. Jamuna’s acting in P.C. Barua productions and generating a sense of nostalgia for pre-Independence middle-class Bengali melodrama, thus providing a kind of cultural legitimation to the weepies of the Agradoot/Agragami/Yatrik units and film- makers like Piyush Bose. Known outside Bengal for her extraordinary performance as the heroine in Ghatak?’s Meghe Dhaka Tara and Komal Gandhar. These, and Ajoy Kar’s Suno Baro Nari, were rare instances in which she stepped out of her star image. Turned producer with the commercial flop Uttar Meleni.

FILMOGRAPHY: 1952: Basu Parivar; Prarthana; Madhurati; 1959: Amrapali; Ae Jahar Sey Jahar Noy; Sonar Harin; Shubha Bibaha; 1960: Uttar Megh; Meghe Dhaka Tara; Kono-Ek-Din; Ajana Kahini; Surer Pyasi; Natun Fasal; Suno Baro Nari; 1961: Komal Gandhar; Bishkanya; Agni Sanskar; Swaralipi; Swayambara; 1962: Kajal; Abhisarika; 1963: Begana; Nisithe; Uttarayan; Dui Nari; Surya Sikha; 1964: Aap Ki Parchhaiyan; Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein; Ayananta; Lal Patthar; 1965: Kal Tumi Aleya; 1966: Harano Prem; Sudhu Ekti Bachhar; 1967: Akash Chhoan; Jiban Mrityu; 1968: Teen Adhyay; 1969: Chiradiner; Mon-Niye; Sabarmati; 1970: Bilambita Lay; 1971: Jiban Jignasa; 1972: Andha Atit; Chinnapatra; 1973: Bon Palashir Padabali; 1974: Jadi Jantem; Rakta Tilak; 1975: Bagh Bandi Khela; Nagar Darpane; Sanyasi Raja; Sabhyasachi; 1976: Samrat; Banhi Sikha; Mom Batti; 1977: Bhola Moira; Sister; 1978: Dui Purush; 1979: Devdas; 1980: Dui Prithibi; 1981: Kalankini Kankabati; 1982: Uttar Meleni; Iman Kalyan; 1983: Raat Dastay; 1984: Anveshan; 1989: Kari Diye Kinlam; 1992: Honeymoon.

Actor