Kolkata: Saoli Mitra, eminent theatre personality and daughter of legendary actors Sombhu Mitra and Tripti Mitra died at her residence in South Kolkata on Sunday of heart ailments.
Mitra, 73, a gifted actor, director and playwright, died at her residence in South Kolkata at 3:40 pm and was cremated at Siriti crematorium on Sunday evening without much fanfare, her close friend and theatre personality Arpita Ghosh said.
She had been suffering from heart-related ailments but had refused to be hospitalised and her condition worsened on Sunday, Ghosh said.
The noted actress had wanted to be cremated without any fanfare in her last wish to her near friends, Ghosh said showing a copy of her last wish.
Mitra, who was the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2003, Padma Shri in 2009, and Banga Bibhusan in 2012 would be remembered by her fans and critics alike for her solo performance as Draupadi in Naathvati Anaathbat (Five husbands, yet an orphan), which she also wrote and directed, and as Sita on Sitakatha.
She also wrote, directed and acted in the hugely popular Katha Amritsamman (Words that are like Nectar) another adaptation of the Mahabharata.
As an actress, she was cast as Bangabala in Ritwik Ghatak’s avant-garde film Jukti Takko Aar Gappo (Reason, Debate and a Story).
After spending years in Bahurupi, a famous theatre group, founded by Sambhu Mitra and Tripti Mitra, where she had immortalised the character of Amal in Tagore’s Dakghar, Saoli founded Pancham Baidi‘ which established a trailblazer repertoire by introducing widely acclaimed plays on women’s emancipation.
Mitra was among a handful of intellectuals who had called for paribartan (change) in Bengal ahead of the 2011 assembly elections when the Left was voted out of power and had supported the Nandigram and Singur agitations as people’s movements.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee noted in her condolence, that Mitra had stood steadfast in the Singur and Nandigram movements. “I will remember her as someone close to me, a long time colleague and well-wisher,” Banerjee said.
Theatre personality Bibhas Chakraborty recalled his association with Mitra for years since her younger days in Bohurupee. “She was ill for many years but never knew she would leave us so early,” Chakraborty said.
Ghosh, a theatre director, recalled how she became Mitra’s ‘own daughter’ and how the legendary actress had shunned any publicity about her illness.
Theatre personality Rudraprasad Sengupta said Saoli Mitra had been away from public view due to ailments for some time but she had mesmerised audiences with her stellar performances through the years.
(PTI)