Chhaya Debi

Chhaya Devi ( bn, ছায়া দেবী; 3 June 1914 – 25 April 2001) was an Indian actress known for her work in Bengali and Hindi cinema. She appeared in hundreds of films for over five decades.

Her first lead role was in Debaki Bose's Bengali film ''Sonar Sansar'' (1936). She rose to hall of fame for her role as Rani Lakshmi in Debaki Bose's ''Vidyapati'' (1937). Some of her notable films are such as ''Nirjan Saikate'' (1963), ''Hatey Bazarey'' (1967) and ''Apanjan'' (1968) by Tapan Sinha, ''Saptapadi'' (1961), '' Uttar Falguni'' (1963), ''Antony Firingee'' (1967), in Bengali, ''Alaap'' (1977) in Hindi, which also starred Amitabh Bachchan.

Early life

Chhaya Devi was born in Bhagalpur. Her father was Haradhan Gangopadhyay. She started her education in the Mokshda Girls High School in Adampur, Bhagalpur. Later her father was transferred to Delhi and she continued her education in the Indraprastha Girls School. She was married to Buddhadeb Chattopadhyay, a teacher at Ranchi, at the age of eleven. Her marriage did not last long and she came to Kolkata with her father when she was a student of tenth standard only. She was first cousin of actor Ashok Kumar's wife Shobha Ganguly, thus having relations to the Ganguly family also. However, though very little is known about her early life, her life is believed to be full of struggle. After she reached Kolkata she chose her career as an actress in films and stage, which she pursued for the next five decades.

Career

Though Chhaya Devi debuted in Bengali movie ''Sonar Sansar'' in 1936, she acquired fame for the outstanding acting in the role of Queen Lakshmi in the movie ''Bidyapati'' in 1938. From lead female roles in her early days to character roles in her later years, Chhaya Devi had shown her creative ability in acting.
In ''Atal Jaler Ahwan'' (1962), she stole the heart of the viewers with her soft and loving acting as surrogate mother of Soumitra. In ''Deya Neya'' (1963) she acted as the helpless mother of the aspirant singer Prashanta (Uttam Kumar). In the movie ''Saat Pake Badha'' (1963) she was the heartless, rude and indifferent mother of Suchitra Sen opposing the affair of her daughter with Soumitra. Chhaya Devi played the role of the mother of Uttam Kumar in many films. In ''Anthony Firingee'' (1967), Chhaya Devi was mother of Hensman Antony (Uttam Kumar). ''Apanjan'', an outstanding film directed by Tapan Sinha in 1967, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali, as well as several BFJA Awards, was considered having one of the best of the performances of Chhaya Devi. In ''Podi Pisir Bormi Bakso'' (1972), a children's movie made from a story written by Leela Majumdar and directed by Arundhati Devi, Chhaya Devi played an unforgettable lead comic role of ''Podi Pisi'', the widowed elderly aunt. Her last acted film was ''Tomar Rakte Amar Sohag'', which was released in 1993, where she acted in a cameo role.

Awards

*IFFI Best Actor Award (Female) (1965) for "Nirjan Saikate" at 3rd IFFI

Filmography

1930s

1936 ''Sonar Sansar'' - Roma

1936 ''Rajani'' - Maid Servant

1937 ''Bidyapati'' - Queen Laxmi

1937 ''Ranga Bou'' - Kalyani

1938 ''Bekar Nashan'' - Kamal

1938 ''Hal Bangla'' - Sefali

1939 ''Bamanabatar'' - Sachi

1939 ''Jakher Dhan''

1939 ''Debjani'' - Debjani

1939 ''Janak Nandini'' - Chandika

1939 ''Rikta'' - Karuna

1940s

1940 ''Abhinetri''

1940 ''Haar Jeet''

1941 ''Sree Radha''

1942 ''Jiban Sangini'' - Atar

1942 ''Avayer Biye''

1942 ''Chauranghee''

1942 ''Mera Gaon''

1945 ''Bondita''

1946 ''Uttara Abhimanyu''

1947 ''Burmar Pathey''

1947 ''Jharer Par''

1948 ''Dhatri Debata''

1948 ''Anirban''

1949 ''Abhijatya''

1949 ''Kuasha''

1950s

1950 ''Sree Tulsidas''

1951 ''Ratnadeep''

1956 ''Raat Bhore''

1956 ''Shankar Narayan Bank''

1956 ''Daner Maryada'' - Malati

1956 ''Saheb Bibi Golam''- Bororani

1956 ''Subhalagna''

1956 ''Trijama''

1958 ''Bagha Jatin''

1958 ''Marmabani''

1959 ''Gali Theke Rajpath''

1960s

1961 ''Pankatilak''

1961 ''Manik''

1961 ''Agni Sanskar''

1962 ''Kancher Swarga''

1962 ''Abasheshe''

1962 '' Atal Jaler Ahwan'' - Anuradha Debi

1962 ''Rakta Palash''

1963 ''Kanchan Kanya''

1963 ''Deya Neya'' -the hero's mother

1961 ''Saptapadi'' - Rina's Mother (Aayah)

1963 ''Nirjan Saikate''

1963 ''Saat Pake Bandha'' - Archana's Mother

1963 ''Uttar Falguni'' - Baijee

1965 '' Mukhujey Paribar''

1965 ''Antaral''

1965 ''Arohi''

1965 '' Kanch Kata Hirey''

1965 ''Surya Tapa''

1965 ''Thana Theke Aschi''

1965 ''Tu Hi Meri Zindagi''

1966 ''Galpo Holeo Satti'' - Bara Bou

1966 ''Mamta'' - Minabai

1967 ''Mahashweta''

1967 '' Antony Firingee'' - Antony's Mother

1967 ''Hatey Bazarey'' - Nani

1968 ''Teen Adhaya''

1968 ''Apanjan''- Anandamoyee

1968 ''Baghini''

1969 ''Arogya Niketan'' - Atar Bou

1969 '' Kamallata''

1969 '' Pita Putra''

1969 ''The Fiancée'' - Bhubaneswari

1969 ''Protidan''

1970s

1970 ''Kalankita Nayak''

1970 ''Rajkumari''

1970 ''Muktisnan''

1970 ''Samantaral''

1971 ''Kuheli''- Manodadi

1972 '' Har Mana Har''

1972 '' Sesh Parba''

1972 ''Padi Pishir Barmi Baksha'' - Aunt Padipishi

1972 ''Zindagi Zindagi''

1974 ''Debi Chowdhurani'' - Brajeswar's mother

1974 ''Alor Thikana''

1975 '' Swayamsiddha''

1975 ''Harano Prapti Niruddesh''

1975 ''Phool Sajya''

1976 ''Harmonium''

1976 ''Sei Chokh''

1977 ''Kalpana''

1977 ''Proxy''

1977 ''Pratima''

1977 ''Ae Prithibi Pantha Niwas''

1977 ''Baba Taraknath''

1977 ''Ek Je Chhilo Desh''

1977 ''Babu Moshai''

1977 ''Alaap'' - Sarju Bai Banaraswali

1978 ''Dhanraj Tamang''

1978 ''Nadi Theke Sagare''

1979 '' Arun barun O Kironmala''- The Jogini Maa

1980s

1981 ''Kalankini''

1981 ''Subarnalata''

1981 ''Manikchand''

1981 ''Surya Sakhi''

1982 ''Rajbadhu''

1982 '' Pipasa''

1983 ''Shinkhal''

1983 ''Rang Birangi'' - Mrs. Bannerjee

1983 ''Prayashchitta''

1984 '' Rashifal''

1984 ''Lal Golap''

1984 ''Simantarag''

1987 ''Swarnamoir Thikana''

1987 ''Pratikar''

1988 ''Boba Sanai''

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devi, Chhaya
Indian film actresses
1914 births
2001 deaths
Actresses in Bengali cinema
Actresses in Hindi cinema
Actresses from Kolkata
20th-century Indian actresses