This Amitabh Bachchan Co-Star Got Married at 15, Became Mother at 17, And Faced Heartbreaking Loss Of Her Daughter

There is one actress who embarked on her cinematic journey after marrying at the age of 15 and becoming a mother at 17.  

Moushumi Chatterjee made her debut as a child actress in the 1967 Bengali film ‘Balika Badhu.'

Today Indian film actresses embrace marriage and motherhood at the peak of their career without worrying about their career. This was not always the case. Earlier getting married while working in the film industry was considered the end of an actress’ career. But there is one actress who embarked on her cinematic journey after marrying at the age of 15 and becoming a mother at 17.  

Getting married at the age of 15

Born Indira Chattopadhaya in 1952, Moushumi Chatterjee made her debut as a child actress in the 1967 Bengali film ‘Balika Badhu. Despite her early success, Moushumi married Jayanta Mukherjee, son of the legendary music director Hemant Kumar, at the early age of 15. 

In a 2022 interview with Lehren Retro, Moushumi shared: "My father was very close to his elder sister, who was in the last stage of cancer. Her last wish was to see me getting married. So, my father-in-law suggested that the wedding should happen. I even skipped my exams. I also got a film around the same time. Everything was just falling into place." 

Being a mother at 17 and having a successful film career

Moushumi's second Bengali film, 'Parineeta,' was released in 1969 and was an even bigger hit, paving the way for her Bollywood debut in the 1972 film 'Anuraag.' Reflecting on her early success, she remarked, "At the age of 17, I became a mother. I got my own Mercedes. I didn’t even understand the meaning of success at that time. I just used to get happy seeing my face on the big screen." 

She is still fondly remembered for her exceptional performances in films such as 'Angoor,' 'Anurag,' 'Do Premi,' 'Pyaasa,' and 'Swayamvar.'  

Moushumi's on-screen pairings with major stars like Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar, and Vinod Mehra were hugely popular. Renowned for her acting prowess, it is said that Moushumi could cry during emotional scenes without the aid of glycerin. She shared that she immersed herself so deeply in the emotional scenes that the tears would come naturally. 

By the 1980s, she transitioned to supporting roles in both Hindi and Bengali cinema. 

Moushumi's daughter's death

Moushumi and Jayant Mukherjee had two daughters, Payal and Megha. Tragically, Moushumi’s daughter Payal passed away in 2019 after a prolonged illness. Payal had been suffering from severe diabetes. 

Moushumi's last Bollywood appearance was in Shoojit Sircar's 2015 drama 'Piku,' where she shared the screen with Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and the late Irrfan Khan.