Supriya Devi

Supriya Devi (Supriya Choudhury; 8 January 1933 – 26 January 2018) was an Indian actress who is known for her work in Bengali cinema for more than 50 years.[1] She is best known for her portrayal of Neeta in Ritwik Ghatak's Bengali film Megha Dhaka Tara (1960).[2][3][4] She was conferred the Filmfare Award and the BFJA Award twice. In 2011, she received the Banga-Vibhushan, the highest civilian honour in West Bengal.[5] In 2014, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, the fourth highest civilian award in India, for her contributions to the entertainment industry.[6]

Supriya Devi
Devi receiving Padma Shri Award from Pranab Mukherjee
Born
Krishna Banerjee

(1933-01-08)8 January 1933
Myitkyina, British Burma (now Myanmar)
Died26 January 2018(2018-01-26) (aged 85)
Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, India
Other namesSupriya Choudhury
OccupationActress
Years active1952
1958–2018
Notable workAmrapali
Meghe Dhaka Tara
Shuno Baranari
Komal Gandhar
Swaralipi
Teen Adhyay
Sanyasi Raja
Sister
Spouses
Biswanath Chowdhury
​
​
(m. 1954; div. 1958)​
    ​
    (m. 1963⁠–⁠1980)​
    RelativesSean Banerjee (grandson)
    AwardsPadma Shri
    Banga-Vibhushan
    Filmfare Award
    BFJA Awards

    She made her debut in Uttam Kumar starrer Basu Paribar (1952) under the direction of Nirmal Dey and successively appeared in Prarthana (1952) directed by Pranab Ray.[2] However, IMDb lists 1951 Hindi film Shokhiyan as her first film. She, then took a hiatus and returned to filmdom in Marmabani (1958) under Sushil Majumdar's direction.[2] She rose to prominence after she had appeared in the Uttam Kumar blockbuster Sonar Harin (1959), directed by Mangal Chakraborty.[4] At the beginning of the 1960s, she came to a bigger attention for her successive roles in films such as Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960), Shuno Baranari (1960), Komal Gandhar (1961), Swaralipi (1961), Agnisanskar (1961) and others. She made her Bollywood debut opposite Dharmendra in Begaana (1963) under Sadashiv Rao Kavi's direction.[2]

    Early life

    Supriya was born in Myitkyina, Burma.[7] Her father was Gopal Chandra Banerjee, a lawyer. He was from Faridpur (now in Bangladesh).[7] During World War II, her family moved to Calcutta (present-day Kolkata, India).[7][8][9]

    Supriya was seven years old when she made her acting début in two plays directed by her father. She was a dancer since her childhood, even receiving an award from Thakin Nu, then-Prime Minister of Burma, who was moved by one of her dance recitals. From her childhood, her closest friend was Nihar Dutta, who married into the Guha Thakurata Family and became Mrs Nihar Guha Thakurata, an eminent Social Worker of Burma of her time.[10]

    In 1948, the Bannerjees left Burma for good and re-settled in Calcutta. They had been refugees in 1942 when the Japanese forces occupied Burma. The young Supriya and her family were forced to undertake an arduous trek on foot to the safety of Calcutta.[2][10]

    Career

    In Calcutta, she resumed her dance lessons and trained under Guru Muruthappan Pillai and later under Guru Prahlad Das. Supriya and her family were on friendly terms with Chandrabati Devi who was their neighbour. It was through Chandrabati Devi's inspiration and contacts that Supriya Choudhury stepped into the world of Bengali films.[11]

    She made her debut in Uttam Kumar starrer Basu Paribar (1952) under the direction of Nirmal Dey and successively appeared in Prarthana (1952) directed by Pranab Ray and Shyamali (1952) directed by Binoy Bandyopadhyay.[12] She, then took a hiatus and returned to filmdom in Marmabani (1958) under Sushil Majumdar's direction.[2][13] She rose to prominence after she had appeared in the Uttam Kumar starrer blockbuster Sonar Harin (1959) directed by Mangal Chakraborty.[14]

    She rose to higher prominence after she had played the role of Amrapali in Amrapali (1959) directed by Sree Tarashankar and produced by Nalanda Films.[15][16] Vyjayanthimala who was later found to play the same titular role was full of praise for her performance in the film.[17]

    At the beginning of the 1960s, she came to a bigger attention for her successive roles in films such as Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960), Shuno Baranari (1960), Komal Gandhar (1961), Swaralipi (1961) to name a few.[18][10] She made her Bollywood debut opposite Dharmendra in Begaana (1963) under Sadashiv Rao Kavi's direction.[19] She was applauded for her performance in the 1973 blockbuster Sanyasi Raja.[20][21]

    She was applauded for her performance in Raja Sen's National Award winning Bengali film Atmiyo Swajan (1998). Rediff described her performance in the film as "a fairly good fleshing out Supriya Devi".[22]

    Personal life

    In 1954, Supriya married Bishwanath Choudhury and a few years later her only daughter Soma was born.[23] The couple divorced in 1958.

    She retired from films for a while before returning in the late 1950s. Later she was married to Mahanayak Uttam Kumar in 1963 and was living together till the death of Uttam Kumar in 1980, who was also a childhood friend of her youngest brother.[14][24][25]

    Supriya died of a heart attack in Kolkata on 26 January 2018, aged 85.[26]

    Filmography
    Khelaghar
    1. The Namesake (2006) as Ashima's Grandmother
    2. Arjun Aamar Naam (2003)
    3. Ekti Nadir Naam (2002)
    4. Shesh Thikana (2000) as Sriradha's grandmother
    5. Atmiya Swajan (1998)
    6. Honeymoon (1992)
    7. Kari Diye Kinlam
    8. Iman Kalyan (1982)
    9. Kalankini Kankabati (1981)
    10. Uttar Meleni (1981)
    11. Dui Prithibi (1980)
    12. Debdas (1979) as Chandramukhi
    13. Bahnisikha
    14. Dui Purush (1978) as Bimala
    15. Sandhya Raag (1977)
    16. Sabyasachi (film) (1977)
    17. Sanyasi Raja (1975)
    18. Bhola Moyra
    19. Sister
    20. Jadi Jantem (1974) as Sujata
    21. Bagh Bondi Khela (1975)
    22. Raktatilak (1975) as Binata
    23. Bon Palashir Padabali (1973) as Padma
    24. Andha Atit (1972)
    25. Chhinnapatra
    26. Bilambita Loy (1970)
    27. Duti Mon (1969)
    28. Chiradiner (1969)
    29. Mon Niye (1969)
    30. Sabarmati (1969) Hiren Nag Chhaya Debi
    31. Jiban Mrityu
    32. Chowringhee (1968) as Karabi Guha
    33. Teen Adhayay (1968)
    34. Kal Tumi Aleya (1966) as Dr. Labanya Sarkar
    35. Shudhu Ekti Bachhar (1966)
    36. Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964) as Asha in Hindi Movie
    37. Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964) as Meera
    38. Nishithe
    39. Lal Pathar (1964)
    40. Begaana (1963)
    41. Surya Sikha (1963)
    42. Uttarayan (1963)
    43. Swaralipi
    44. Komal Gandhar (1961) as Anasuya
    45. Madhya Rater Tara (1961)
    46. Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960) as Nita
    47. Natun Fasal (1960)
    48. Suno Baranari (1960)
    49. Sonar Harin (1959)
    50. Amrapali
    51. Basu Paribar (1952) as Sukhen's Sister

    Awards
    • Won- Filmfare Awards East-Best Actress Award for Sister in 1977.
    • Won- Filmfare Awards East- Lifetime Achievement Award
    • Won- Padmashri-the fourth highest civilian award for her contribution to Indian Cinema.
    • Won- Banga-Vibhushan - the highest civilian award in West Bengal in 2011.
    • Won- BFJA Award-Best Actress Award for "Tin Adhay" in 1969.
    • Won- BFJA Award-Best Supporting Actress Award for "Chhinnapatra" in 1973.
    • Won- Kalakar Awards-Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

    References
    1. "Supriya Choudhury movies, filmography, biography and songs - Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
    2. Chatterji, Shoma (1 August 2003). "50 years of Supriya Devi". Screen Weekly. Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
    3. Gupta, Ranjan Das (24 March 2017). "'I never expected too much'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
    4. Correspondent, Special (2 February 2018). "Bengali actor Supriya Choudhury passes away". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
    5. "State honours nine with Banga-Vibhushan", timesofindia.indiatimes.com; accessed 2 February 2018.
    6. "Vidya Balan, Paresh Rawal get Padma Shri". Daily News and Analysis. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
    7. "আমি সেই মেয়ে : সুপ্রিয়া দেবী". Prothom Alo. 12 March 2015.
    8. "Biography for Supriya Choudhury". Supriya Choudhury. Internet Movie Database Inc. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
    9. "Padma Shri awardee Supriya Devi passes away at 83". The Economic Times. 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
    10. "Supriya Devi is no more, but her feminist legacy lives on". The Indian Express. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
    11. "Dada, Ami Bachte Chai - Upperstall.com". Upperstall.com. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
    12. "Memories and the man". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
    13. PTI. "Supriya Devi, veteran Bengali actress, dies at 85". livemint.com. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
    14. "Selling Uttam?". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
    15. "AMRAPALI - Film/Movie". citwf.com. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
    16. "Amrapali (1959) - Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
    17. Gupta, Ranjan Das (24 March 2017). "'I never expected too much'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
    18. "প্রয়াত বাংলা চলচ্চিত্রের স্বর্ণযুগের প্রখ্যাত অভিনেত্রী সুপ্রিয়া দেবী". Sangbad Pratidin. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
    19. "BEGANA - Film/Movie". www.citwf.com. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
    20. "Veteran Bengali actress Supriya Devi passes away". freepressjournal.in. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
    21. "বেণুদি ছাড়া আর কিছু বলা যেত না - Eisamay". Eisamay (in Bengali). 30 January 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
    22. "rediff.com, Movies: The old man and the society". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
    23. "দাদা আমি বাঁচতে চাই". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). Retrieved 26 January 2018.
    24. "Details". www.epaper.eisamay.com. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
    25. "Actor Supriya Devi's legacy was more than just being Uttam Kumar's heroine". dailyo.in. 26 January 2018.
    26. Bengali Actor Supriya Devi Dies, Mamata Banerjee Offer Condolences, NDTV; accessed 2 February 2018.
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