Celebrity deaths in 2018: Looking back at the Bengali actors we lost this year

The Bengali industry lost more than a few stars this year. A number of celebrities died this year, breaking millions of hearts. From the legendary actress Supriya Devi to renowned thespian Biplab Ketan Chakraborty, there were a few legends who left us in 2018. Not just iconic figures, some young talents also suffered unfortunate death. Here's a look at all the actors we lost this year.

Supriya Devi breathed her last at her South Kolkata residence on January 26 after a massive heart attack at the age of 85. She was cremated with full state honours given by the West Bengal government. Born on January 8, 1933, in Mitkina in erstwhile Burma (now Myanmar), Supriya Devi has been one of the iconic figures of the golden era of Bengali film industry which apparently saw her straddle the screen space with great aplomb alongside Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen.

Another veteran Bengali actress Basabi Nandi passed away on July 22 after suffering a massive cardiac arrest at the age of 82. Basabi Nandi remained one of the finest actresses of the golden era of sixties who started her acting career in Bengali theatre and then went on to deliver many hit films. Not only an actor, she was also a renowned singer and even had a number of published singles to her credit. She almost single-handedly made plays such as ‘Karagaar’, ‘Same-Side’ and ‘Srimati Bhyanakari’ instant hits during the early days in her career. Basabi Nandi made her film debut with the Bengali cult classic ‘Jamalaye Jibanta Manush’ (1958). Her captivating performance in ‘Bon Palashir Padabali’ (1973) opposite Uttam Kumar is still remembered by the movie buffs. Directed by Uttam Kumar himself, the film became a blockbuster.

Lolita Chatterjee, who made her debut in the 1964 Bengali classic ‘Bibhas’ opposite Uttam Kumar, passed away at the age of 81 on May 10. She was rushed to a city nursing home after suffering a massive cerebral stroke and was on life support. After making a successful debut opposite Uttam Kumar, Chatterjee acted in a few Bengali films and then moved to Mumbai. She appeared in a few films through the 1960s and ’70s and played small yet pivotal roles in ‘Raat Andheri Thi’, ‘Aap Ki Kasam’, ‘Talaash’, ‘Victoria No 203’ and ‘Pushpanjali’. She also featured in many stage productions in the ’70s and early ’80s. The veteran actress somehow faded out of view until she was seen in Goutam Ghose’s ‘Shunyo Awnko’ in 2013. The actress recently played the lead in Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s ‘Jonaki’ and was seen in a key role in Arindam Sil’s recently released ‘Asche Abar Shabor’.

Bengal’s noted stage actor Biplab Ketan Chakraborty died on November 30 at the age of 72 at his south Kolkata residence. The veteran actor was suffering from liver disease for quite some time. He is survived by his wife Dipali Chakraborty and actress daughters Sudipta Chakraborty, Bidipta Chakraborty and renowned dancer Bidisha Chakraborty. Beside his love for theatres, Biplab Ketan Chakraborty also played key roles in Bengali films like Chander Bari and Bhalobasar Anek Naam. He was also a known face on small screen for his wide range of roles in mega-serials like Janmabhoomi.

Veteran actress Ava Mukherjee, best known for her roles as a grandmother in Bollywood (in films such as Devdas, Darna Zaroori Hai), passed away on 15 January in Mumbai at the age of 88. The actress made her debut with Bengali film ‘Ram Dhakka’ directed by Taru Mukherjee but disappeared from the screen only to appear in Bollywood films later. Beside Devdas, she acted in films like Snip! (2000), Darna Zaroori Hain (2006), Detective Naani (2009), and The Firm Land (2009).

Aspiring actress Payel Chakraborty was found dead under mysterious circumstances on September 9 at a Siliguri hotel in North Bengal. A preliminary police investigation suggested it’s a case of suicide. The actress checked into a hotel near Siliguri Church Road on September 9 evening. According to the hotel authorities, she was supposed to leave for Gangtok the next day. But there was no trace of her leaving the hotel and her room was also locked from inside since her arrival. The hotel authorities had to inform the local police as there was no response from her even after repeated knocks on the door. Later, the local police found her body and sent it for post mortem. Payel played a key role in a small budget Bengali film ‘Kelo’. She also had a brief appearance in Dev starrer ‘cockpit’ (2017).