The feisty diva Suchitra Sen’s pairing with Uttam Kumar was the most hit match of the Bangla film industry and the actor reportedly told the producers that her name should appear before Uttam Kumar’s in film posters
Initially, Sen was more interested in singing than in acting. In 1951, she auditioned as a playback singer, but was instead offered a role by director Sukumar Dasgupta. Dasgupta’s assistant director Nitish Roy named her Suchitra by which name she went on to achieve celebrity status
Suchitra Sen was the only celebrity to refuse the Dadasaheb Phalke Award just to avoid travelling to New Delhi
Suchitra Sen declined the offer to work with well known director Satyajit Ray because he wanted her to act exclusively in his film and Suchitra being a professional chose not to hurt the directors responsible for her career. Because of that, the Oscar winning director never made the film!
She refused to work with the famous actor Raj Kapoor. What irked Suchitra was the “filmi” style in which Kapoor approached her. It is said that Kapoor knelt down on the floor with a bouquet in his hand and offered the film. “Why should a man bow down before a woman like this?” Sen had reportedly told her close associates after politely refusing the offer
She was a trendsetter in many respects - one instance being her entry into films five years after her marriage to Dibanath Sen in 1947, something unimaginable in those days. The marriage, was, however, said to be rocky
Dharmendra was pet named as “D” by the legend when they worked together in the movie Mamta
The diva was the first to portray the character of Paro in Bollywood. Her role in the 1955 film Devdas was inimitable and many heroines after her have tried to copy it, none succeeding
Directed by lyricist Gulzar, Sen’s film Aandhi was released in 1975. Several promotional posters ahead of the release of the movie had carried texts such as “Watch the real life of your Prime Minister”. It was believed that the movie was based on Indira Gandhi’s life. However, the movie was not allowed a full release initially when Indira Gandhi was in power in 1975. The film was banned for 20 weeks in 1975’s emergency. According to sources, the then PM had asked Prime Minister Office (PMO) officials to watch out the movie in order to take the decision of lifting the ban imposed on it
Suchitra Sen played a double role of the courtesan Pannabai and her daughter Suparna, a lawyer, in Uttar Falguni
Chief Minister Mamta Banarjee had visited Belle Vue Clinic during Sen’s hospitalisation but respecting her privacy went away without meeting her on the first day. Learning about her visit, Sen had expressed the desire to meet Banerjee after which she rushed to the hospital and met her personally