Only a few actors in the world leave a lasting impression on their fans’ hearts. Late Soumitra Chatterjee was a shining example of that, says SETC, an acting institute in Kolkata. His footprints are so deeply engraved in time that no one else can match them.
Some people may believe that celebrities like him easily rose to the top and never faced any difficulties in their early careers. It may surprise you to learn that a legend like Soumitra Chatterjee failed his first screen test. Yes! Despite his exceptional acting talent, a 20-year-old Soumitra was rejected in his first screen test for the lead role in Kartik Chattopadhyay’s 1957 Bengali film ‘Nilachale Mahaprabhu.’
Soumitra Chatterjee began acting in school plays and later pursued it professionally. He had no acting family background and struggled at the start of his career, just like thousands of other actors. According to the acting and modelling institute in Kolkata, he was deeply involved in the theatre culture and later began his film career with “Apur Sansar.”
Satyajit Ray is mainly responsible for Soumitra Chatterjee’s success in films, as with many other actors. The actor had such a close relationship with the genius director that he appeared in 14 of the director’s 29 films.
He was a person with many parts
Soumitra Chatterjee was a poet, essayist, playwright and painter all rolled into one. He was a Bengali actor who became a part of world cinema due to his class. Chatterjee also wrote a number of plays, prose, poetry, and translations.
He once stated that life without theatre is unimaginable and he was thus deeply involved in it, says the acting institute in Kolkata.
Soumitra Chatterjee, an Example of Excellence
Soumitra Chatterjee is an example of excellence in the Bengali film industry. He played a variety of roles that touched our hearts, but he also struggled in his career. We have a tendency to believe that stars like him walk onto the set, give their shot and then leave. That, however, is not the case. He, like other actors, made mistakes. At times, he had to take multiple shots to get a good take and he, like all other legends, improved over time.
His death has left a void that will never be filled. A small number of actors can transcend the screen and gain a place in their audiences’ hearts. Soumitra Chatterjee was one of them. His name will be remembered as long as the silver screen is lit, says a modelling and acting school in Kolkata.
