Veteran actor Soumitra Chattopadhyay died at the age of 85 on Sunday in Kolkata. He breathed his last at Bellevue Nursing Home in Kolkata after being hospitalised for nearly a month.
Soumitra Chattopadhyay had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on October 6. After he tested negative for coronavirus, Soumitra Chattopadhyay was shifted to a non-Covid Intensive Trauma Unit (ITU). Since then, the veteran Bengali actor had been under expert medical care with a special team set up to monitor his health. He was facing secondary infections due to the Covid-19 repercussions.
Soumitra Chattopadhyay was moved to the ITU and was put on oxygen support on October 9 after his health condition deteriorated. He had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on October 6.
“Mr Chattopadhyay has been shifted to the ITU after he has been experiencing restlessness and reached an acute confusional stage. We have shifted him to the ITU for close monitoring. He is having several co-morbidities, that’s why we need to be more careful,” a doctor had told PTI.
An Illustrious Career
Soumitra Chattopadhyay had an illustrious career and was conferred with many accolades including the Dada Saheb Phalke Award and Padma Bhushan Award. He was bestowed with France's highest civilian award, the Legion of Honour, in the year 2018.
Soumitra was always drawn towards performing arts. His acting stint started with essaying bitsy roles in theatre director Shishir Bhaduri's production when he was in college. Soumitra took up a full time job as an All India Radio announcer, but continued to pursue his passion.
And then, Soumitra happened to cross paths with Satyajit Ray who was looking for fresh faces for his 1956 film, Aparajito. Soumitra did not fit the bill, for he was too old for the role of Apu. Two years later, Ray cast him as the adult Apu.
Soumitra Chattopadhyay was known for his collaboration with Oscar-winner Satyajit Ray and the Feluda series. The thespian immortalised the titular role of Feluda in Satyajit Ray's films.
Soumitra Chattopadhyay was also a part of several other works of Satyajit Ray including Apu'r Sangshar or The World Of Apu. Some of Chattopadhyay's best works include Ashani Sanket, Ghare Baire, Aranyer Din Ratri, Charulata, Shakha Proshakha, Jhinder Bandi, Saat Pake Bandha, and more.