Moushumi Chatterjee

Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay; 26 April 1948) is an Indian actress and politician known for her work in Hindi and Bengali cinema. One of the highest-paid actresses and leading actresses of the 1970s, Chatterjee is known for her natural, expressive performances in both romantic and family dramas. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards and a Filmfare Award. In 2015, she was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. In politics, she was previously a member of the Indian National Congress, but later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019.

Early and personal life Chatterjee was born in Calcutta to a Bengali Brahmin family that hailed from Bikrampur in Bangladesh. Her father, Prantosh Chattopadhyaya, was in the Indian Army, and her grandfather was a judge. Her real name is Indira, and Moushumi is her screen name.

Indira Chattopadhyaya was married to Jayanta Mukherjee at a young age. The couple has two daughters. Jayanta Mukherjee is the son of film producer, music composer, and singer Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, popularly known as Hemant Kumar in Hindi film industry. Jayanta is also an exponent of Rabindra Sangeet. She always prioritised her family above her film roles. Her daughter Payal, who had type 1 diabetes, had been in a coma since 2018 and died on 13 December 2019.

Career 1967–1984: Debut and breakthrough Chatterjee made her film debut as a child heroine in the Bengali hit Balika Badhu (1967), directed by Tarun Majumdar when she was a preteen. In an interview, Moushumi Chatterjee quoted: "After Balika Badhu, I was flooded with Bengali movies but I wished to complete my studies. However, movies were in my fate hence when I was studying in class X, a close aunt of mine was on her death-bed and her last wish was to see me married. Hence, to satisfy her wish I got married." She was then seen in Bengali films like Parineeta, Anindita.

She made her debut as the leading lady in the Hindi film Anuraag (1972) directed by Shakti Samanta. Moushumi played the role of a blind girl and earned her first and only nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress; Anuraag won the Filmfare Award for Best Film. The film proved to be a major success. About her Hindi film debut, she said in an interview: "As my father-in-law was a renowned film celebrity, many film personalities used to throng our house. One among them was filmmaker Shakti Samanta, who insisted upon me to act in movies. I declined, but both my father-in-law and my husband encouraged me, thus I got Anuraag." She received her first and only nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to become a part of several successful films like Swarag Narak, Maang Bharo Sajna, Pyaasa Sawan, Jyoti Bane Jwala with Jeetendra, Swayamvar with Shashi Kapoor and Anand Ashram with Rakesh Roshan. She acted with Rishi Kapoor in four films none of which were successful.

She was paired with Vinod Mehra in 10 films, including Anuraag, Us-Paar, Raftaar, Umar Qaid, Mazaaq, Zindagi and Do Jhoot. She only acted in 2 films with Amitabh Bachchan, Benaam and Basu Chatterjee's Manzil (1979). Her Bengali film with Uttam Kumar, Ogu Bodhu Sundari, released in 1981 and became successful. In 1982, she did the Marathi film (cameo in song Tumhi Adkitta Mi Ho Supari) Bhannat Bhanu. Her films with Rajesh Khanna include Bhola Bhala, Prem Bandhan and Ghar Parivar. She worked with Sanjeev Kumar in many movies including Angoor, Daasi and Itni Si Baat. In 1985, she acted in the Bengali film Pratigna.

After 1985, she graduated to supporting roles and acted in movies like Watan Ke Rakhwale, Aag Hi Aag, Ghayal and many more.

1985–present: Transition period From 1985 to 1991, Chatterjee got more offers as a character actress and she made the transition to roles of mother and bhabhi (sister-in-law), often pairing with Dharmendra or Sunil Dutt. She played Sunny Deol's sister-in-law in Ghayal. Occasionally, she got lead roles in films in the 1990s such as Ghar Parivaar and Aa Ab Laut Chalen, both opposite Rajesh Khanna, then Santaan, Prateeksha (1993) and Udhaar Ki Zindagi with Jeetendra and Keemat: They Are Back (1998). She acted in the Indo-Canadian production Bollywood/Hollywood in 2003 In 2019, she joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Filmography Films

Television Year Serial Role Notes 1992 Talaash Urmila / Sadhika Season 1, 26 Episodes 1993 Albeli Albeli Season 1 2004 Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai Guest Season 1 2021 Super Dancer Guest Season 4 2023 India's Best Dancer Guest Season 3 2023 The Kapil Sharma Show Guest Season 5

Awards Year Award Category Work Result 1968 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Best ActressBalika Badhu 1972 Filmfare Awards Best ActressAnuraag 1974Filmfare Awards Best Supporting ActressRoti Kapda Aur Makaan Bengal Film Journalists' Association Best Supporting Actress 2002 Genie Awards Best Supporting ActressBollywood/Hollywood 2014 Filmfare Awards Best Supporting Actress – BengaliGoynar Baksho 2015 Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime Achievement Award 2016 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Lifetime Achievement Award