Veteran Bengali actress Mithu Mukherjee has died at the age of 71 after battling cancer for nearly a year, marking the loss of a prominent figure in Bengali cinema who rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s.
Mukherjee died at a private hospital in Mumbai on Sunday night while undergoing treatment. She had largely remained away from the public spotlight during the later years of her life.
A Prominent Career in Bengali Cinema
Mukherjee began her film career as a teenager and made her screen debut in Chitta Bose’s Shesh Parba in 1972. She gained wider recognition with her lead role in Marjina Abdulla, which established her as a familiar face in Bengali cinema.
Over the course of her career, she worked alongside some of the leading actors of Bengali cinema, including Uttam Kumar, Soumitra Chattopadhyay and Ranjit Mullick.
Her notable Bengali films included Nishi Kanya, Mouchak, Swayamsiddha, Hotel Snow Fox, Bhagyachakra and Sandhi.
Mithu Mukherjee Also Worked in Hindi Cinema
Mukherjee also appeared in several Hindi-language films during the 1970s.
Her Hindi film credits included Khaan Dost, Safed Jhoot, Dillagi and Do Ladke Dono Kadke.
She later returned to Bengali cinema with Ashrita, released in 1990. The film was reported to be her final screen appearance.
Tributes From the Film Industry
Following her death, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) paid tribute to Mukherjee, remembering her contribution to Indian cinema.
Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee also paid tribute to the veteran actress as messages of condolence emerged from the film fraternity.
Mukherjee leaves behind a body of work spanning Bengali and Hindi cinema, with her career particularly associated with Bengali films of the 1970s and 1980s.