Bhowmick, mother of actors Nilanjana Sengupta and Chandana Sharma, had been unwell for a long time.
Veteran Bengali actor Anjana Bhowmick passed away on Saturday morning. The thespian, who was admitted to a hospital in south Kolkata on Friday night, breathed her last at the age of 7. As per Hindustan Times, she was admitted due to respiratory problems, and had been unwell for some time.
Bhowmick, mother of actors Nilanjana Sengupta and Chandana Sharma and the mother-in-law of Jisshu Sengupta, was also battling age-related issues. As per India Today, she had been bedridden for the past five to six months.
She was born as Arati Bhowmick on December 30, 1944, in Cooch Behar, Bengal Presidency. Coming from a family with a background in acting since her father Bibhutibhushan Bhowmick was also a thespian, Bhowmick completed her schooling in Kochbihar before heading to the Sarojini Naidu College for Women in Dum Dum and then did her graduation from the University of Calcutta.
She made her film debut in 1964 through Pijush Bose’s Anustup Chanda, and took the name Anjana for her first film. Her next film was Hiren Nag’s ‘Thana Theke Aschi’ with Bengali cinema heavyweight Uttam Kumar. Since their on-screen chemistry was widely loved, they ended up working together on other films like ‘Raj Drohi’ (1966), ‘Nayika Sangbad’ (1967), ‘Chowringhee’ (1968), ‘Kokhono Megh’ (1968) and ‘Roudra Chhaya’ (1973). Her act with Soumitra Chatterjee in ‘Maheshweta’ (1967) was also acclaimed.
She then ended up marrying Navy officer Anil Sharma and settled in Mumbai. They welcomed Nilanjana in 1975, followed by their second child Chandana in 1982.
Expressing sadness over Bhowmick’s demise, Bengali writer-director Srijit Mukherji wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Anjana Bhowmick was my favourite actress from the Golden Age. Her spontaneity and timing was exemplary and her chemistry with Uttam Kumar was the finest, and I say this keeping Suchitra Sen, Supriya Devi and Sabitri Chatterjee in mind. Rest in peace.”
Bengali writer-director Srijit Mukherji too shared on X (formerly Twitter), “Anjana Bhowmick was my favourite actress from the Golden Age. Her spontaneity and timing was exemplary and her chemistry with Uttam Kumar was the finest, and I say this keeping Suchitra Sen, Supriya Devi and Sabitri Chatterjee in mind. Rest in peace.”