Veteran Bengali actor Kalyan Chatterjee passes away at 81

Kalyan, who had been suffering from typhoid along with age-related ailments, was under treatment at MR Bangur Super Speciality Hospital, where he breathed his last late Sunday night.

Veteran Bengali actor Kalyan Chatterjee died at a government hospital here, West Bengal Motion Picture Artists Forum said in a statement on Monday.

He was 81. Kalyan, who had been suffering from typhoid along with age-related ailments, was under treatment at MR Bangur Super Speciality Hospital, where he breathed his last late Sunday night.

The actor, who had acted in more than 400 films, mostly in supporting roles, debuted in Aponjon, which was released in 1968.Some of his notable films include Dhanyee Meye, Dui Prithibi, Sabuj Dwiper Raja and Baishe Srabon. He had worked in Satyajit Ray’s Pratidwandi.Apart from Bengali films, he also worked in Hindi cinema, including Sujoy Ghosh’s film Kahaani.

Family members told PTI that he had been bedridden for a considerable period and had gradually stepped away from acting in recent years due to persistent health complications. From the hospital, his body was taken directly to the Keoratala crematorium, where his final rites were carried out with quiet solemnity.

Born in 1942 in Berhampore, Murshidabad, Chatterjee developed a love for acting early in life. He honed his craft at the Film Institute in Pune before making his big-screen debut in Tapan Sinha’s Apanjan in 1968.

Over an extraordinary five-decade-long career, he appeared in more than 400 films, becoming a familiar and respected presence in Bengali cinema, particularly in memorable supporting roles. His body of work spans acclaimed titles such as Dhonyi Meye, Sagina Mahato, Dui Prithibi, Sabuj Dwiper Raja, Baishe Srabon, and Safed Haathi. He also collaborated with the legendary Satyajit Ray in Pratidwandi, further cementing his stature as a versatile and enduring performer.

The Artists Forum statement said, "One of our most valued members, Kalyan Chattopadhyay, has left us. We are deeply shocked. May his soul rest in peace." Chattopadhyay had studied at Pune Film Institute. His contemporaries include Soumitra Chatterjee, Sabitri Chattopadhyay and Dipankar De.