Uma Dasgupta, best known for her portrayal of Durga in Satyajit Ray’s classic 1955 film Pather Panchali, passed away at the age of 83 on Monday after a prolonged battle with cancer, according to media reports.
She breathed her last at 8.15 am at a private hospital in Kolkata and will be cremated at Keoratala Crematorium later today, sources close to her family said.
According to media reports, the news of her demise was first shared by actor Chiranjeet Chakraborty, who received the update from Dasgupta’s daughter.
Uma Dasgupta’s portrayal of Durga in Ray’s debut film left an indelible mark on audiences and the history of Indian cinema. Pather Panchali, released in 1955 and based on Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay’s novel of the same name, remains a landmark in world cinema.
Pather Panchali narrates the story of a rural Bengali family, focusing on the bond between Durga and her younger brother Apu, played by Subir Banerjee. Apu’s character was later immortalised by the late Soumitra Chatterjee in subsequent instalments of the Apu Trilogy.
Dasgupta’s performance captured the innocence, resilience and vulnerability of her character, making it a timeless portrayal that continues to resonate with audiences even today. Despite her powerful debut, she chose not to pursue a career in mainstream cinema.
Born and raised in Kolkata, Uma Dasgupta was involved in theatre from a young age. Apart from Pather Panchali, she made appearances in Kaushik Ganguly’s Apur Panchali (2015) and Lokkhi Chhele (2022).
