Kolkata: Veteran Bengali actress Swatilekha Sengupta passed away on Wednesday (June 16) afternoon at a private hospital in Kolkata. She was 71. The actress was battling kidney-related ailments, a report in IANS said. 


Sengupta, known for her acting prowess, became a household name in Bengal after playing the role of Bimala opposite late Soumitra Chatterjee in Satyajit Ray’s ‘Ghare Baire’.  The film is considered a cult classic. 


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 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared a tweet to mourn the loss of Sengupta. She wrote, "Saddened at the passing of actor and theatre personality Swatilekha Sengupta. She graced the stage for decades and left her mark through her works. This is a sad day for Bengali theatre. My condolences to her family, colleagues and admirers."



Several Tollywood celebs and fans mourned her demise and offered condolences to her grieving family on social media. Filmmaker Raj Chakraborty shared a post on Twitter that read, "A huge and irreparable loss. Veteran actor and theatre personality Swatilekha Sengupta is no more. May her soul rest in peace." 


Bollywood filmmaker Onir, who worked with Swatilekha in 'Chauranga', expressed grief on Twitter.


"Very sad to hear about #SwatilekhaSengupta. RIP. Was fortunate enough to work with her briefly as producer for our film #Chauranga. Unfortunately the desire to direct her will remain unfulfilled. Gone too soon Will remain immortalised for her performance in #GhareBhaire," he wrote on the micro-blogging site.



Fans also paid tribute to the talented actress on different social media platforms. One user wrote, "One irreparable loss to the world of drama. . . . I am deeply saddened by the demise of Swatilekha Sengupta."







 

Another user shared a photo of Sengupta from 'Ghare Baire' and said that she would always be remembered for her performance in the classic.

 


 

The official Twitter handle of CPI(M) tweeted, "Deepest condolences on the sad and sudden demise of theatre doyenne and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner Swatilekha Sengupta. The loss to Bengali theater will be irreplaceable."






 


 

Swatilekha Sengupta is survived by her husband Rudraprasad Sengupta and daughter Sohini. She made her comeback to the silver screen with ‘Bela Seshe’ opposite Soumitra Chatterjee in 2015. The second film from the franchise, which features Sengupta and Chatterjee, is awaiting a theatrical release.  










We extend our deepest condolence to Sengupta’s family.