Basanta Choudhury

Basanta Choudhury also known as Basanta Chowdhury (5 May 1928 – 20 June 2000), was an Indian actor in Bengali and Hindi films. He worked with directors Asit Sen, Rajen Tarafdar, Ajay Kar and Bijay Bose, often in leading roles. He is a former Sheriff of Kolkata.

Choudhury's collection of Kashmiri and Persian shawls were enviable. Director Satyajit Ray admired those collections and used for his masterpieces.

Birth and childhood Basanta Chowdhury was born into an affluent Kayastha Zamindar Datta Chowdhury family of Andul, Howrah. In circa 1886, his great-great forefather Apurba Krishna Dutta Chaudhuri discontinued the surname 'Dutta' and moved from his ancestral place Andul to Nagpur to practice law. He later became the Law Lecturer in the Morris College (the present-day Vasantrao Naik Government Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (VNGIASS)). His son was Phani Bhusan Chaudhuri, whose son Shiddhish Chandra Chowdhury. Shiddhish and Kamala Devi had two sons – Basanta & Prasanta. Both of them grew up in Nagpur. Basanta graduated from Morris college. In 1945, he completed his Matriculation Examination from Deena Nath High School Nagpur. After shifting to Kolkata, Chowdhury stayed in Ranikuthi in Tollygunge.

He was a numismatist i.e. an expert collector of Ganesha idols, rare coins, paper currency and was a collector of Kashmiri and Persian shawls.

Family tree and royal seal

Career Basanta Chowdhury receiving Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Best Actor Award from then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi in1966 CE for the movie 'Raja Rammohan '. His first film was Mahaprasthaner Pathe by director Kartik Chattopadhay in 1952. Some of his memorable films are, Bhagaban Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Jadu Bhatta, Andhare Alo, Deep Jwele Jaai with Suchitra Sen, Anushtoop Chhanda, Abhaya O Srikanta, Raja Rammohan Roy, Diba Ratrir Kabya, Devi Chaudhurani. He was also involved with amateur theater and radio.

Filmography 1952: Mahaprasthaner Pathey as Probodh Kumar 1952: Yatrik 1953: Bhagaban Shrikrishna Chaitanya – Sri Chaitanya 1953: Nabin Jatra Safar 1954: Jadu Bhatta (Bokul) 1955: Bhalobasa 1955: Du-janay 1955: Devimalini 1955: Aparadhi (Pather Sheshey) 1956: Shankar Narayan Bank 1956: Shubharatri (Chhaya Sangini; Govindadas; Rajpath) 1956: Basanta Bahar 1957: Harjit 1957: Andhare Alo – Satyendra 1957: Khela Bhangar Khela 1957: Madhumalati 1957: Shesh Parichay 1958: Jogajog 1959: Shashi Babur Sansar 1959: Deep Jwele Jaai – Tapash 1960: Parakh – Pro. Rajat Sen 1960: Khudha 1962: Yatrik 1962: Bodhu 1962: Agnisikha 1962: Nav Diganta 1962: Sancharini 1963: Shreyasi 1964: Kashtipathar 1964: Anustup Chhanda 1965: Alor Pipasa 1965: Abhaya O Srikanta – Srikanta 1965: Gulmohar 1965: Raja Rammohun – Raja Rammohan Roy 1965: Eki Ange Eto Rup 1966: Uttar Purush 1966: Sankha Bela 1966: Susanta Sha 1969: Rahgir 1970: Megh Kalo 1971: Pratham Pratisruti – Raam Kaali 1971: Grahan 1974: Pranta Rekha Basanta Chowdhury and Suchitra Sen in the movie Devi Chaudhurani in 1974 AD. 1974: Jadi Jantem 1974: Sangini 1974: Debi Chaudhrani – Bhabani Pathak 1975: Nishi Mrigaya 1975: Khudha 1976: Sankhabish 1977: Babu Moshai 1978: Parichay 1978: Mayuri 1979: Chirantan 1979: Jiban Je Rakam 1979: Heerey Manik 1980: Bhagya Chakra 1981: Kalankini 1982: Sonar Bangla 1983: Indira (1983 film) 1983: Deepar Prem 1985: Putulghar 1985: Baidurya Rahasya 1987: Antarjali Jatra – Yashobati's Father 1987: Maha Yatra 1988: Antaranga 1988: Sankhachur 1990: Sankranti 1990: Raktorin 1990: Ek Doctor Ki Maut – Dr. Ramanand 1991: Raj Nartaki 1992: Satya Mithya 1992: Hirer Angti 1992: Apon Ghar 1993: Kacher Prithvi 1994: Tabu Mane Rekho 1994: Dhusar Godhuli – (final film role) Basanta Chowdhury (left) and Uttam Kumar (right) together sharing a screen in an event.

Awards In 1965, actor Chowdhury was awarded the Best Actor Prize for his film "Raja Rammohan" by B.F.J.A. In 1996, he also received Bangla Stage Centenary Star Theater award from Calcutta University. He had also acted in several Hindi films.

The actor had been the Sheriff of Kolkata. He was also appointed the Chairman of Nandan-West Bengal Film Centre in Kolkata.

Death

The actor suffered from lung cancer for quite some time. He died on 20 June 2000 in Kolkata.