Suchitra Sen’s Uttar Falguni and Saat Pake Bandha had crossed 50 years.

Great Bengali actress and mahanayika Suchitra Sen had been the most popular actress of all times. Along with Mahanayak Uttam Kumar she had remained an institution by herself. The media is celebrating 50 years of her two classic films Uttar Falguni and Saat Pake Bandha. In Uttar Falguni she played the character of a tawaif Panna Bai, who sacrificed her life for her daughter and killed her husband at the end of the film who tortured her for the entire life. The film was directed by Asit Sen. In Saat Pake Bandha, she showed the complication of life of married women in India, whose mother interfered with the life of her husband Soumitra Chatterjee, and in the end it led to breaking of the wedlock. The film was directed by eminent director Ajoy Kar. A lot of celebrities of the present period had spoken about the 2 epic films. Singer Sandhya Mukherjee had said that both Sabitri Chatterjee and Suchitra Sen were the most powerful actresses of her times. She had sung the maximum number of songs for Suchitra Sen. But when the question came to a mix of beauty and quality of acting Suchitra Sen had no competitors. Madhabi Mukherjee had said that Suchitra Sen was a bit reserve and egoist as well. But the ego and the personality of Suchitra Sen, matched the status and level she reached in acting. Eminent director Gulzar spoke about the 82 year old Suchitra Sen. He said, among the different actresses that he used in his illustrious film career as director, Suchitra Sen was the most dignified actress of all times. She acted in the film Aandhi and made everyone spellbound. Both the films should be restored, and efforts should not be made to remake these classic films with modern masala.

Review of Suchitra Sen's Uttar Falguni.

Review of Suchitra Sen’s Uttar Falguni.

Suchitra Sen was the greatest actress Bengal had ever produced in the history of cinema. She had remained one of the most versatile actresses produced by Indian cinema in the last 60 years.

Uttar Falguni was released in 1963, at a time when Suchitra Sen was ruling the Bengali silver screen. While romantic performance in 30 films opposite superstar Uttam Kumar established her as the queen of Bengali cinema, her performance in female dominated films like Deep Jele Jai created a new dimension in the world of creative arts.

Uttar Falguni was directed by Asit Sen. The music was composed by Robin Chatterji. Suchitra Sen played the role of the girl Debjani, who loved Barrister Manish (played by Bikash Roy), but due to repayment of loan of father Jahar Ganguly, married a characterless person Rakhal Bhattacharya played by Kalipada Chakravarty. Bikash Roy went abroad and asked Suchitra Sen to wait till he returned to India. But due to compelling circumstances Suchitra Sen married Kalipada Chakravarty.

Suchitra Sen gave birth to Kalipada Chakravarty’s daughter and to rear her up became Pannabai (a singer who earned money by performing in mujras). She admitted her daughter in a missionary school and promised before the principal that she would never disclose her identity before her daughter. But her husband Rakhal Bhattacharya used to visit Suchitra Sen’s house and take money with the threat that he would find out her daughter and disclose his identity before her.

Bikash Roy came back to India, went to Lucknow to meet Suchitra Sen. He even agreed to marry her but Suchitra Sen said that it was too late. Instead she asked her to take the responsibility relating to education of her daughter. Bikash Roy send Suchitra Sen’s daughter Suchorita (also played by Suchitra Sen) abroad. She became a Barrister and returned back with young barrister played by Dilip Mukherjee.

But when Sucharita was seen in Kolkata High Court with Bikash Roy, her father Rakhal Bhattacharya blackmailed her mother saying that he would disclose the fact that Suchitra Sen’s mother was a baijee. Debjani (Suchitra Sen) killed Rakhal Bhattacharya by firing 6 bullets.

When the murder case was tried in Court of law, Sucharita compelled Bikash Roy to disclose his relationship with Debjani. That was the most delirium scene of the film. Bikash Roy told the entire history of the sacrifice of Debjani and all her efforts to make her daughter a barrister. Sucharita pleaded before the court to acquit her mother as the murder did occur out of adequate provocation. Her mother died at the witness box itself.

The film was remade in hindi with the title Mamta. But it miserably failed to match the epic performance of the stars in Uttar Falguni. Undoubtedly it was the best performance of Suchitra Sen in her double role. Bikash Roy also rose up to the occasion in an Uttam Kumar production, where Uttam Kumar did not play the role but left it upto the experience of respectable Bikash Roy.

Uttar Falguni had been a milestone of Indian classic cinema and should be preserved for the following generations.