Aami Industry

At 59 years of age, Prosenjit Chatterjee, an actor who is an institution by himself, has contributed immensely to the Bengali film industry. He is the definition of a “versatile actor” as he can swiftly navigate his hips through a masala-flick to his lips in an art film.

Prosenjit Chatterjee aka "The Industry"; Image Source- Hindustan Times

Born on 30th September 1962

Prasenjit Chatterjee or “Bumba Da”, as he is lovingly called by his friends and colleagues, was born on the 30th of September 1962. One can almost say that he had acting in his blood as he was the son of the Bengali actor Biswajit Chatterjee. His father first launched him as a child actor in his film “Chotto Jiggasha” after which he was seen playing the role of the protagonist in Bimal Roy’s “Dui Patta”.

Acting in both typical mainstream brainless commercial flicks like “Amar Sanghi” and layered art films like “Dosar”, Prasenjit Chatterjee would steal the show and the ruffian whistles for his stellar acting. His breakthrough “Amar Sanghi” ran for a record 75 weeks in the box office. This wasn’t the only record that was set by the maestro. There was a time in the ’90s where he signed 25 films a year. With a record of 22 films releasing in a single year, Prasenjit Chatterjee was definitely cut from another cloth altogether.

His breakthrough “Amar Sanghi” ran for a record 75 weeks in the box office; Image Source- 123sold.in

Prasenjit Chatterjee was an equally dedicated actor. He solitarily locked himself in a room, ate vegetarian food and slept on the floor to play Lalon Fakir in “Moner Manush” directed by Gautam Ghose. He also resumed smoking after he had quit playing the role of a chain smoker in “Mahanayak” and “Khawto”. Apart from this, the actor has an unhealthy obsession with working out, eating clean and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Even at the age of 59, Prasenjit Chatterjee has maintained himself like a fine wine.

With such a huge filmography, Prasenjit Chatterjee has also bagged many awards and visited many international film festivals. He had bagged the Special Jury National Award for his incredible performance in Rituparno Ghosh’s film “Dosar”. He also went to the famous Cannes Film Festival when the Rituparno Ghosh directed Prasenjit Chatterjee starrer “Chokher Bali” was nominated. More recently, he got the award for Best Actor in Filmfare Awards Bangla for his realistic portrayal of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in the Srijit Mukherjee directed film “Gumnaami”.

He had bagged the Special Jury National Award for his incredible performance in Rituparno Ghosh’s film “Dosar”; Image Source: Public Domain

More than the memorable dialogues, saucy dance moves and evergreen films, Prasenjit Chatterjee has created a separate cultural niche for himself and this legacy can be felt in every corner of Kolkata. Due to his immense versatility, his work is consumed by people belonging to the fringes of society as well as the elite bhadrolok intellectuals. It is honestly beautiful to see an artist wielding and mastering such capacities, that he becomes the very bridge that connects two extremities spheres of society.

Rishav Chatterjee Author

History for most might be an academic burden but for me it’s a vessel - a vessel through which one can unlock infinite stories of the past. In this way, history enthusiasts like me simultaneously live in both the past and the present, weaving stories of multiple colours.

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