Veteran Bengali actor Santu Mukhopadhyay dies of cardiac arrest at 69…

Santu Mukhopadhyay died of cardiac arrest at his south Kolkata residence on Wednesday evening. He had worked in Bengali films like Sansar Simante and Bhalobasa Bhalobasa, among others.

Veteran Bengali actor Santu Mukhopadhyay, known for his work in films like Sansar Simante and Bhalobasa Bhalobasa, died at his south Kolkata residence on Wednesday evening after a prolonged illness.

Mukhopadhyay, 69, died of cardiac arrest at 7:30 pm.

Santu Mukhopadhyay had been suffering from carcinoma for long and had been admitted to a hospital on February 4 with blood sugar and hypertension. He was discharged in the last week of February and taken home.

A favourite of directors like Tapan Sinha, Tarun Majumder and Goutam Ghosh, Santu Mukhopadhyay is survived by his daughters, actress Swastika Mukherjee and costume designer Ajopa Mukherjee.

Born in Kolkata in 1951, Mukhopadhyay showed his class when he was in his early 20s in films like Sansar Simante and Raja by Tarun Majumder and Tapan Sinha, respectively.

He soon became a known face on the big screen with films like Ganadevata and Byapika Biday.

His other memorable works spanning a period of over four decades included Bhalobasa Bhalobasa, Hemanter Pakhi, Dadamoni, and Baikunther Will.

Santu Mukhopadhyay was also a familiar face on the small screen. He worked in soaps like Isthi Kutum, Jol Nupur and Andarmahal. He continued to work despite his deteriorating health.

West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas visited the residence of Mukhopadhyay and offered his condolences to the grieving family.

Director Kaushik Ganguly, in whose movie Brakefail Mukhopadhyay had essayed a key role, said, It is a personal loss for me.