Chhaya Devi


Chhaya Devi was an Indian actress known for her work in Bengali and Hindi cinema. She appeared in hundreds of films for over five decades.
Her first lead role was in Debaki Bose's Bengali film Sonar Sansar. She rose to hall of fame for her role as Rani Lakshmi in Debaki Bose's Vidyapati. Some of her notable films are such as Nirjan Saikate, Hatey Bazarey and Apanjan by Tapan Sinha, Saptapadi, Uttar Falguni , Antony Firingee, in Bengali, Alaap in Hindi, which also starred Amitabh Bachchan.

Early life

Chhaya Devi was born in Bhagalpur. Her father was Haradhan Gangopadhyay. She started her education in the Mokshda Girls High School in Adampur, Bhagalpur. Later her father was transferred to Delhi and she continued her education in the Indraprastha Girls School. She was married to Buddhadeb Chattopadhyay, a teacher at Ranchi, at the age of eleven. Her marriage did not last long and she came to Kolkata with her father when she was a student of tenth standard only. She was first cousin of actor Ashok Kumar's wife Shobha Ganguly, thus having relations to the Ganguly family also. However, though very little is known about her early life, her life is believed to be full of struggle. After she reached Kolkata she chose her career as an actress in films and stage, which she pursued for the next five decades.

Career

Though Chhaya Devi debuted in Bengali movie Sonar Sansar in 1936, she acquired fame for the outstanding acting in the role of Queen Lakshmi in the movie Bidyapati in 1938. From lead female roles in her early days to character roles in her later years, Chhaya Devi had shown her creative ability in acting.
In Atal Jaler Ahwan, she stole the heart of the viewers with her soft and loving acting as surrogate mother of Soumitra. In Deya Neya she acted as the helpless mother of the aspirant singer Prashanta. In the movie Saat Pake Badha she was the heartless, rude and indifferent mother of Suchitra Sen opposing the affair of her daughter with Soumitra. Chhaya Devi played the role of the mother of Uttam Kumar in many films. In Anthony Firingee, Chhaya Devi was mother of Hensman Antony. Apanjan, an outstanding film directed by Tapan Sinha in 1967, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali, as well as several BFJA Awards, was considered having one of the best of the performances of Chhaya Devi. In Podi Pisir Bormi Bakso, a children's movie made from a story written by Leela Majumdar and directed by Arundhati Devi, Chhaya Devi played an unforgettable lead comic role of Podi Pisi, the widowed elderly aunt.

Filmography

1930s

1936 Sonar Sansar - Roma
1936 Rajani - Maid Servant
1937 Bidyapati - Queen Laxmi
1937 Ranga Bou - Kalyani
1938 Bekar Nashan - Kamal
1938 Hal Bangla - Sefali
1939 Bamanabatar - Sachi
1939 Jakher Dhan
1939 Debjani - Debjani
1939 Janak Nandini - Chandika
1939 Rikta - Karuna

1940s

1940 Abhinetri
1940 Haar Jeet
1941 Sree Radha
1942 Jiban Sangini - Atar
1942 Avayer Biye
1942 Chauranghee
1942 Mera Gaon
1945 Bondita
1946 Uttara Abhimanyu
1947 Burmar Pathey
1947 Jharer Par
1948 Dhatri Debata
1948 Anirban
1949 Abhijatya
1949 Kuasha

1950s

1950 Sree Tulsidas
1951 Ratnadeep
1956 Raat Bhore
1956 Shankar Narayan Bank
1956 Daner Maryada - Malati
1956 Saheb Bibi Golam- Bororani
1956 Subhalagna
1956 Trijama
1957 Mayabazar
1958 Marmabani
1959 Gali Theke Rajpath

1960s

1961 Pankatilak
1961 Manik
1961 Agni Sanskar
1962 Kancher Swarga
1962 Abasheshe
1962 Atal Jaler Ahwan - Anuradha Debi
1962 Rakta Palash
1963 Kanchan Kanya
1963 Deya Neya -the hero's mother

1961 Saptapadi - Rina's Mother
1963 Nirjan Saikate
1963 Saat Pake Bandha - Archana's Mother
1963 Uttar Falguni - Baijee
1965 Mukhujey Paribar
1965 Antaral
1965 Arohi
1965 Kanch Kata Hirey
1965 Surya Tapa
1965 Thana Theke Aschi
1965 Tu Hi Meri Zindagi
1966 Galpo Holeo Satti - Bara Bou
1966 Mamta - Minabai
1967 Mahashweta
1967 Antony Firingee - Antony's Mother
1967 Hatey Bazarey - Nani
1968 Teen Adhaya
1968 Apanjan- Anandamoyee
1968 Baghini
1969 Arogya Niketan - Atar Bou
1969 Kamallata
1969 Pita Putra
1969 The Fiancee - Bhubaneswari
1969 Protidan

1970s

1970 Kalankita Nayak
1970 Rajkumari
1970 Muktisnan
1970 Samantaral
1971 Kuheli- Manodadi
1972 Har Mana Har
1972 Sesh Parba
1972 Padi Pishir Barmi Baksha - Aunt Padipishi
1972 Zindagi Zindagi
1974 Debi Chowdhurani - Brajeswar's mother
1974 Alor Thikana
1975 Swayamsiddha
1975 Harano Prapti Niruddesh
1975 Phool Sajya
1976 Harmonium
1976 Sei Chokh
1977 Kalpana
1977 Proxy
1977 Pratima
1977 Ae Prithibi Pantha Niwas
1977 Baba Taraknath
1977 Ek Je Chhilo Desh
1977 Babu Moshai
1977 Alaap - Sarju Bai Banaraswali
1978 Dhanraj Tamang
1978 Nadi Theke Sagare
1979 Arun barun O Kironmala- The Jogini Maa

1980s

1981 Kalankini
1981 Subarnalata
1981 Manikchand
1981 Surya Sakhi
1982 Rajbadhu
1982 Pipasa
1983 Shinkhal
1983 Rang Birangi - Mrs. Bannerjee
1983 Prayashchitta
1984 Rashifal
1984 Lal Golap
1984 Simantarag
1987 Swarnamoir Thikana
1987 Pratikar
1988 Boba Sanai