Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee in 2017
Born
Indira Chattopadhyay

(1952-04-26) 26 April 1952
Occupations
  • Actress
  • politician
Years active1967–present
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party (2019-present)
Indian National Congress (before 2019)
SpouseJayant Mukherjee
Children2
RelativesHemant Kumar (father-in-law)

Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay; 26 April 1952) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi cinema as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019.

Early and personal life

Chatterjee was born in Calcutta into a Bengali Brahmin family which hailed from Bikrampur in undivided Bengal. Her father, Prantosh Chattopadhyaya, was in the Indian Army and her grandfather was a judge. Her real name is Indira and Moushami is her screen-name.[1]

At a young age, Indira Chattopadhyaya (her real name) was married to Jayanta Mukherjee, a gentleman of her own community and similar family background, in a match arranged by their families in the usual Indian Bengali way. The couple have two daughters. Her husband, Jayanta Mukherjee, is the son of music composer and singer Hemant Kumar. Jayanta is also an exponent of Rabindra Sangeet. With the support and encouragement of her husband and father-in-law, Indira accepted the offer of acting in a film and took Moushami as her screen name. Thus, her film career began only after her wedding. She has always prioritised her family above everything else.[2] Her daughter Payal died on 13 December 2019.[3]

Career

1967–1984: Debut and breakthrough

Chatterjee made her film debut in the Bengali hit Balika Badhu (1967), directed by Tarun Majumdar.[4] In an interview, Moushumi Chatterjee quoted: "After Balika Badhu, I was flooded with Bengali movies but I wished to complete my studies. However, movies were in my fate hence when I was studying in class X, a close aunt of mine was on her death-bed and her last wish was to see me married. Hence, to satisfy her wish I got married."[4] She was called as Indira at home. She got engaged to guardian and neighbour Hemant Kumar's son, Jayant Mukherjee (Babu). "I fell in love with Babu. He was the first man I came in touch with outside my family."[5] She was then seen in Bengali films like Parineeta, Anindita.

She made her debut as the leading lady in the Hindi film Anuraag in 1972 was directed by Shakti Samanta. The film proved to be a major success. She played a blind girl who falls in love, and she earned her first and only nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress; Anuraag won the Filmfare Award for Best Film. About her Hindi film debut, she said in an interview: "As my father-in-law was a renowned film celebrity, many film personalities used to throng our house. One among them was filmmaker Shakti Samanta, who insisted upon me to act in movies. I declined, but both my father-in-law and my husband encouraged me, thus I got Anuraag."[4] When asked about her first role in Hindi films she said that "[w]hen Shaktida told me that I have to play a blind lady I was taken aback. I honestly told Shaktida that I may not do justice to the role as I have never studied a blind person, but Shaktida assured me that he will take me to a blind school and train me ... he insisted to do a small Mahurat shot before. [...] When I reached the studio I was excited to see Bollywood luminaries like Nutanji, Dadamoni (Ashok Kumar fondly called), Rajesh Khanna, S. D. Burman and others. The moment Shaktida called action I did my Mahurat shot confidently and was applauded. After the shot, Shaktida told me that I had given the shot so skillfully that there was no need to visit a blind school!"[4]

In 1973, she acted in Naina opposite Shashi Kapoor, Kuchhe Dhaage with Vinod Khanna and Us Paar with Vinod Mehra. In 1974, she acted with the then-struggling Amitabh Bachchan in the thriller Benaam and opposite Rajesh Khanna in the suspense drama Humshakal. Her most successful film came at the end of 1974, where she played a rape survivor in Manoj Kumar's Roti Kapada Aur Makaan.[6] She received her first and only nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to become a part of several successful films like Swarg Narak, Maang Bharo Sajna, Pyaasa Sawan, Jyoti Bane Jwala with Jeetendra, Swayamvar with Shashi Kapoor and Anand Ashram with Rakesh Roshan. She acted with Rishi Kapoor in four films none of which were successful.

She was paired with Vinod Mehra in 10 films,[7] including Anuraag, Us-Paar, Raftaar, Umar Qaid, Mazaaq, Zindagi and Do Jhoot. She only acted in 2 films with Amitabh Bachchan, Benaam and Basu Chatterjee's Manzil (1979). Her Bengali film with Uttam Kumar, Ogu Bodhu Sundari, released in 1981 and became successful. In 1982, she did the Marathi film (cameo role for song "Tumhi Adkitta Mi Ho Supari") Bhannat Bhanu. Her successful films with Rajesh Khanna included Bhola Bhala, Prem Bandhan and Ghar Parivar. She worked with Sanjeev Kumar in Angoor, Daasi and Itni Si Baat. In 1985, she acted in the Bengali film Pratigna.

After 1985, she graduated to supporting roles in several movies like Watan Ke Rakhwale, Aag Hi Aag and Ghayal.

1985–present: Transition period

From 1985 to 1991, Chatterjee got more offers as a character actress and she made the transition to roles of mother and bhabhi (sister-in-law), often pairing with Dharmendra or Sunil Dutt. She played Sunny Deol's sister-in-law in Ghayal. Occasionally, she got lead roles in films in the 1990s such as Ghar Parivaar and Aa Ab Laut Chalen, both opposite Rajesh Khanna, then Santaan, Prateeksha (1993) and Udhaar Ki Zindagi with Jeetendra. Some of her films as supporting actress since 1995 include Keemat: They Are Back (1998), Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999) and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, Hum Kaun Hai? (2004).

In 2006, Moushumi Chatterjee made a comeback to cinema, with Tanuja Chandra's Zindaggi Rocks. She did the Indo-Canadian production Bollywood/Hollywood in 2003.[7]

Her Bengali films as the lead heroine include Balika Badhu (1967), Parineeta (1969), Anindita (1972), Anand Ashram (1977), Ogu Bodhu Sundari (1981), Prarthana (1984), Shatarupa (1989), Kari Diye Kinlam (1989), Bidhilipi (1991) and later as supporting actress; Nater Guru (2003), Bhalobasar Anek Naam (2005), The Japanese Wife (2010) and Goynar Baksho (2013). She sang a song titled "Tomar Duare" in the film Mallick Bari (2009). In 2014, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for the Bengali film Goynar Baksho and received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

Political foray

Chatterjee contested in 2004 Lok Sabha election as a candidate for Indian National Congress, but lost.[8] In 2019, she joined Bharatiya Janata Party.[9]

Awards

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
1968 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Best Actress Balika Badhu Won
1972 Filmfare Awards Best Actress Anuraag Nominated
1974 Best Supporting Actress Roti Kapda Aur Makaan Nominated
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Best Supporting Actress Won
2002 Genie Awards Best Supporting Actress Bollywood/Hollywood Nominated
2014 Filmfare Awards Best Supporting Actress – Bengali Goynar Baksho Won
2015 Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award Won
2016 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Lifetime Achievement Award Won
2018 Power Brands Journalist Award Won

Filmography

Title Role Notes
1967 Balika Badhu Rajani First movie; Bengali
1969 Parineeta Lolita Bengali
1972 Anuraag Shivani Debut Hindi film. Nominated-Best Actress Filmfare Award
1973 Naina Naina
1973 Kuchhe Dhaage Sona
1973 Ghulam Begam Badshah Laxmi
1974 Zehreela Insaan Arati
1974 Us Paar Kamla
1974 Roti Kapada Aur Makaan Tulsi Won Best Supporting Actress Filmfare Award
1974 Humshakal Sita
1974 Benaam Sheela
1974 Badla Kalpana
1975 Umar Qaid Dr. Bharti
1975 Raftaar Rani/Rita
1975 Natak
1975 Mazaaq Moushumi
1975 Do Jhoot Lajwanti
1975 Anari Rashmi
1976 Sabse Bada Rupaiya Sunita
1976 Jai Bajrang Bali Devi
1976 Zindagi Seema
1977 Anand Ashram Kiran
1977 Ab Kya Hoga Cameo
1977 Hatyara Gauri Vijay Singh
1978 Tumhari Kasam Vidya
1978 Swarg Narak Shobha
1978 Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan Shanti
1978 Phandebaaz Shanti
1978 Dil Aur Deewar Saroja
1978 Bhola Bhala Renu
1979 Do Ladke Dono Kadke Rani
1979 Prem Bandhan Meena
1979 Gautam Govinda Sandhya
1979 Manzil Aruna
1979 Love in Canada Seema
1979 Ghar Ki Laaj Janki
1980 Swayamvar Roopa
1980 Maang Bharo Sajana Sita
1980 Jyoti Bane Jwala Anu
1980 Chambal Ki Kasam Tannibai
1980 Badla aur Balidaan Jyoti
1980 Do Premee Payal/Parvati
1980 Be-Reham Special appearance
1981 Pyaasa Sawan Shanti
1981 Krodhi Cameo
1981 Itni Si Baat Asha
1981 Ogo Bodhu Shundari Sabitri Bengali
1981 Daasi Mangala
1982 Raksha Asha
1982 Angoor Sudha Last movie as full-fledged heroine
1983 Justice Choudhary Mrs. Choudhary
1984 Pet Pyaar aur Paap
1984 Jawaani Prema Mohan
1984 Ghar Ek Mandir Laxmi bhabhi
1984 Aan aur Shaan Radha Delayed release
1985 Rusvaai Last film with late Sanjeev Kumar
1985 Dekha Pyar Tumhara Mrs. Mullick
1986 Urbashi Urbashi Bengali
1987 Sindoor Cameo
1987 Aag Hi Aag Ganga Singh
1987 Mahananda Mahananda Bengali
1987 Mera Karam Mera Dharam Mala
1987 Watan Ke Rakhwale Laxmi Suraj Prakash
1987 Param Dharam Savitri Singh
1988 Taqdeer Ka Tamasha Greta
1988 Waqt Ki Awaz Justice Sharda
1988 Vijay Rita
1988 Agnee Shobha
1989 Aakhri Ghulam
1989 Aakhri Baazi Mrs. Parvati Kumar
1989 Jung Baaz Mrs. Saxena
1989 Sikka Laxmi
1989 Shehzaade Padmini Singh
1990 Ghayal Indu Mehra
1991 Ghar Parivaar Parvati Devi
1991 Pyar Ka Devta Chief Justice Saraswati
1992 Zulm Ki Hukumat Mrs. Pitambar
1992 Khule-Aam Roopadevi
1992 Nishchaiy Renuka Singh
1993 Prateeksha Laxmi
1993 Santaan Laxmi
1994 Udhaar Ki Zindagi Janki
1994 Ikke Pe Ikka Kaushalya Devi
1995 Kartavya Sharda Varma
1995 Jallaad Tara Devi
1996 Muqaddar
1998 Kareeb
1998 Doli Saja Ke Rakhna Chandrika Bansal
1998 Keemat – They Are Back Sulakshana
1999 Aa Ab Laut Chalen Rama Khanna
2002 Na Tum Jaano Na Hum Mrs. Malhotra
2002 Bollywood/Hollywood Mummyji Canadian comedy
2004 Hum Kaun Hai? Martha Pinto
2006 Zindaggi Rocks Indrani Sengupta
2015 Piku Chhobi Maashi
2006 Bhalobasar Onek Naam Bini Bengali
2016 Sesh Sangbad Elina Bengali
2010 The Japanese Wife Maashi Bengali
2013 Goynar Baksho Pishi Bengali

Television

YearSerialRoleNotes
1993AlbeliAlbeliSeason 1
2021Super DancerGuestSeason 4
2023India's Best DancerGuestSeason 3

References

  1. Gupta, Priya (13 May 2015). "Moushumi Chatterjee: God is not kind to me, he is partial to me - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. "Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee moves Bombay HC, wants to meet comatose daughter". The Economic Times. 23 November 2018.
  3. "Moushumi Chatterjee's daughter Payal dies at 45". India Today. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "How Moushumi Chatterjee stunned Shakti Samanta in ANURAAG". glamsham.com. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  5. "Bollywood News, Filmfare Awards, Movie Reviews, Celebrity Photos & Updates".
  6. http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=180
  7. 1 2 "Bengali Beauty Moushumi Chatterjee - Ruling Bollywood Lady". businessofcinema.com. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  8. "Actress Moushumi Chatterjee Joins BJP Just Months Ahead of Lok Sabha Polls". News18. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  9. "Veteran Indian actor joins BJP, praises Modi". Khaleej Times. Indo-Asian News Service. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
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