Ruma Guha Thakurta: Lesser-known facts about the singer-actor

Noted singer-actor Ruma Guha Thakurta breathed her last in early on Monday at her Ballygunge Place residence while in sleep. Ruma, 84, has been suffering from many old age-related ailments. She is survived by two sons including singer Amit Kumar and a daughter from two marriages – the first marriage with the legendary Kishore Kumar. Here we have listed some lesser known facts about Ruma Guha Thakurta which shouldn’t miss.

Ruma Guha Thakurta was the niece of Satyajit Ray who made her silver screen debut with Amiya Chakrvarty directed Hindi film Jowar Bhata in 1944. She appeared in two Ray-directed films ‘Ganashatru’ (1989) and ‘Abhijan’ (1962).

The veteran actress was married to Kishore Kumar from 1950 to 1958. Their son Amit Kumar is the popular singer and composer. After her divorce, Ruma Guha Thakurta married Arup Guha Thakurta, with whom she has a daughter Sromona Guha Thakurta, also a singer and a son Ayan Guha Thakurta.

After making her acting debut in Amiya Chakrvarty directed ‘Jowar Bhata’ she later became popular with her superlative acting in films ‘Ganga’, ‘Abhijaan, Palatak’, ‘Antony Firingee’, ‘80 Te Asio Na’, ‘Balika Badh’u, ‘Dadar Kirti’, ‘36 Chowringhee Lane’, ‘Amrita Kumbher Sandhane’, ‘Bhalobasa Bhalobasa’ and Wheelchair among others.

Mira Nair's critically acclaimed ‘The Namesake’ (2006) was the last film she worked in. The veteran actress played the mother of Ashoke (Irrfan Khan), the protagonist of the film.

Ruma Guha Thakurta also enjoyed an impressive career as a playback singer, rendering her voice for movies ranging from 1958's ‘Lukochuri’ and 1961's ‘Tin Konya’ to 1970's ‘Bakso Badal’ and 1976's ‘Mera Dharam Meri Maa’.

Ruma Guha Thakurta founded the Calcutta Youth Choir in 1958 which became a milestone for Bengali music industry. In 1974 twenty-member folk song and dance troupe of Calcutta Youth Choir led by Ruma Guha Thakurta won the first prize in the Copenhagen Youth Festival. The choir also took part in the 25th anniversary of Independence Day of India in Delhi. Opening song by Calcutta Youth Choir to welcome Nelson Mandela in India in 1990 and to honour Amartya Sen for Nobel in the year 1998 are some of it’s laurels.