Sharmila Tagore opens up on ‘Apur Sansar’ co-star Soumitra Chatterjee’s demise; says, “Our friendship was rare, to lose that is huge”

The year 2020 has been very cruel. So cruel that now I have no words left to describe how it feels to bid adieu to legendary actors like Irrfan Khan, Rishi Kapoor and now the iconic Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee.

The veteran Bangla actor breathed his last on November 15. The 85-year-old actor died due to post-Covid related ailments. Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, who has worked with Soumitra in several Bengali films, mourned his demise. Sharmila said that after her husband Tiger Pataudi and Shashi Kapoor, she has lost yet another oldest friend.

Sharmila and Soumitra started their careers with Satyajit Ray’s ‘Apu Sansar’ (the third part of Apu trilogy). Together they starred in several films like ‘Barnali’, ‘Devi’, and ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’. Recalling how they started working together, Sharmila told PTI, “I was 13 years old and he was 10 years elder to me when we started working in ‘Apur Sansar’. In the film, those beautiful dialogues that we spoke to each other also endeared us to each other. That was the beginning. I really respected, admired him and for what he stood for. He was one of my oldest friends, after my husband Tiger (Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi) and actor Shashi Kapoor. He has been such a loyal and fun friend.”

 

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Further recalling what a great bond she shared with Soumitra, the veteran actress said, “We could lead our parallel lives and yet have a connection, somewhere because our thoughts, depth and loyalty was the same. Soumitra knew I’d never speak ill of him. There was no questioning of what we shared, we didn’t have to prove it. If I didn’t talk to him or if he didn’t talk to me, I wouldn’t feel ‘Oh God he hasn’t wished me, he doesn’t remember my birthday.’ It was just so organic. I can’t give it any name.”

 

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The actress went on to share that the kind of friendship she shared with her ‘Apur Sansar’ co-star was rare and his death has been a huge shock for her. “We would talk for hours on sports, history, our vision of India. I find him irreplaceable that way because there’s nobody else I can share so much with. If I expressed a certain point of view, he’d agree and expand or shoot it down and give his reasons. That kind of friendship is so rare. To lose that is huge.”

The entire film industry mourned the death of Soumitra. He was a legend and his body of work will serve as an inspiration and source of learning for years to come.

Also Read: Soumitra Chatterjee Dies At 85: Anil Kapoor, Richa Chadha, Randeep Hooda mourn the death of the legendary Bengali actor

Pooja Sharma

Cinephile. Bibliophile. Pluviophile. Selenophile. Autophile. Aesthete. Blood group- Tea positive. Poetry lover. Sucker of rom-coms.

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