Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee dies at 85 due to COVID-19 complications

Actor Soumitra Chatterjee passed away on Sunday in Kolkata following COVID-19 complications. He breathed his last at Bellevue Nursing Home in Kolkata after being hospitalised for nearly a month. Soumitra Chatterjee had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on October 6. After he tested negative for coronavirus, Soumitra Chatterjee 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.

An official statement from the hospital read, “We declare with heavy heart that Shri Soumitra Chattopadhyay breathed his last at 12:15 pm at Belle Vue Clinic today. We pay our homage to his soul.”Soumitra Chatterjee first rose to fame playing Apu in Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar. This was his debut film and he went on to work with the famed director in Charulata, Sonar Kella, Aranyer Din Ratri, Devi, Teen Kanya, Abhijan, Kapurush, Ashani Sanket, Joi Baba Felunath, Hirak Rajar Deshe, Ghare Baire, Ganashatru and Shakha Proshakha. Soumitra was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 59th National Film Awards. He was also bestowed the Padma Bhushan in 2004 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998. Soumitra won three National Film Awards for Antardhan (1991), Dekha (2000) and Podokkhep (2007). The French government honoured the actor with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Legion of Honour.