KOLKATA: The Bengali entertainment industry has bid farewell to veteran actress Basanti Chattopadhyay, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 88. Her final on-screen appearance was in the television serial Geeta LLB, where she had fallen ill during filming in early 2024.
A stalwart of stage and screen, Basanti had worked with some of the greatest names in Bengali cinema’s golden era, including the legendary Uttam Kumar. She also starred alongside Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta, earning acclaim for her performances in Manjari Opera, Thogini and Alo. On television, she was a familiar face in hit serials like Baran, Durga Durgeshwari, and Bhutu.
She had been battling cancer for years, along with several other serious health conditions, including high cholesterol, kidney ailments and heart disease. Hospitalised for the past six months and placed in the ICU upon admission, she continued to fight bravely. Financial hardships meant that she worked well into her eighties, determined to carry on despite her declining health.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mourned her loss, calling it an irreparable blow to the world of art and entertainment. In a post on her X handle on Wednesday, the CM wrote: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of veteran television actress Basanti Chatterjee. Her death is an irreparable loss to our world of art and entertainment. My condolences to her family, friends, and admirers.”
Actor Bhaswar Chatterjee recalled how the veteran actress had to work till the last moment to sustain herself. For TV actress Shreema Bhattacharya, Basanti will forever remain the “warrior woman”.