Samikhsya Bureau
Veteran actress and Calcutta Youth Choir founder Ruma Guha Thakarta breathed her last on Monday morning at her Ballygunge Place residence in Kolkata. She was 84.
The actress, best known for her roles in Satyajit Ray’s Abhiyan (1962) and Ganashatru, was suffering from age-related illness for the past several years. She acted in around 60 films and also carved a niche for herself in the field of playback singing.
She had recently returned to the city after staying at her singer-son Amit Kumar’s residence in Mumbai for a few months.
Soon after her death, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to share her grief. “Saddened at the passing away of Ruma Guha Thakurta. Her contribution to the field of cinema and music will always be remembered. My condolences to her family and her admirers,” Banerjee tweeted.
Born in Kolkata in 1934, Guha Thakurta began her career as an actress in 1944 in film like Jwar Bhata directed by Amiya Chakrabarty. Her other notable films include Nirjan Saikate, Personal Assistant, Dadar Kirti, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Agun and Asha O Bhalobasha. She last appeared in internationally acclaimed English film, The Namesake, directed by renowned director Mira Nair.
She is still fondly remembered by movie-goers in West Bengal for her natural and spontaneous acting in films like Antony Firingi, Ganga Obhijaan and Palatak.
Guha Thakurta had also a successful career as a playback singer lending her voice in films like Lukochuri (1958), Tin Konya (1961), Bakso Badal (1970).
The veteran actress-singer had tied the knot with legendary Kishore Kumar in 1951. Their son Amit Kumar is also a famour singer and music director in Hindi films.
In 1958, Kishore Kumar and she got divorced and two years later she got married to writer-director Arup Guha Thakurta, with whom she has a daughter, Sromona Guha Thakurta, and son Ayan Guha Thakurta. Her daughter and son are also singers.
A student of Debabrata Biswas, Ruma Guha Thakurta will always be remembered for her contribution to music. In 1958, she founded the famous Calcutta Youth Choir, a song and dance troupe known for performing folk and popular songs.
