Thousands from across the city gathered to pay their last respects to Soumitra Chatterjee at his house in Golf Green, Technicians’ Studio in Tollygunge and Rabindra Sadan on Sunday. Here’s what some of the fans told The Telegraph.
Golf Green
Madhabi Bhattacharya, 72, Dover Lane
(Spotted craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the hearse entering the actor’s house as well as Rabindra Sadan)
I have always swooned over him. He had a charm and charisma that no other actor has. His death has come as a shock for me. Throughout all these years I would make it a point to watch his films as soon they were released. I also have a collection of his poems, which is one of my dearest possessions…. I did not go inside to see his body because I am yet to come to terms with the fact that he is no more.
Joydip Sur, 37, private company employee
I cancelled a Sunday lunch with my family to pay my last respects to this man. His passing has left an eternal void in the world of cinema. For me he was a doyen of Bengali films, who with his talent and charisma mesmerised several generations. I loved all his films and I strongly feel that whether essaying the role of Apu or Feluda, he excelled in his craft. I had to be here today.
The hearse drove to Technicians’ Studio in Tollygunge from Golf Green
Technicians’ Studio
Technicians’ Studio Sanat Kr Sinha
Debashis Chakraborty with daughter Aishe Chakraborty Sanat Kr Sinha
Debashis Chakraborty, 52, eye surgeon, with daughter Aishe Chakraborty, Class V student
I make sure that my daughter Aishe watches Feluda films every time they are telecast on TV. I grew up watching Soumitra Chatterjee’s films. So today when we got news of his death, I skipped lunch and came here with my daughter. The feeling is yet to sink in that he is no more…. When I told my wife that I was stepping out, to my surprise my daughter said she would accompany me.
Soumen Singha Ray Sanat Kr Sinha
Soumen Singha Ray, 62
I used to meet him almost every other day for adda and it always amazed me that he never had any airs around him. Standing here I remember accompanying him to Assam, where he was conferred with a DLitt by Silchar University.
Chatterjee’s body was then taken to Rabindra Sadan
Rabindra Sadan
Rabindra Sadan Sanat Kr Sinha
Soumen Ghosh with wife Uma Ghosh and daughter Adrija Ghosh Sanat Kr Sinha
Soumen Ghosh, 56, private company employee, came with wife Uma Ghosh, 48, and daughter Adrija Ghosh, 26
One of our favourite pastimes every Sunday is to watch Soumitra Chatterjee films. This is a ritual for nearly as long as we are married. When news reached us that he had passed away, we knew we had to come and pay our last respects to him.
Adrija Ghosh
Although most of my peers swear by younger actors, Soumitra Chatterjee has always been my go-to man whenever I am down. I adore him in all his films. I asked a shopkeeper to open his shop for flowers. When he heard why I needed the rajanigandhas, he did not charge me anything for it. That is the charisma of Soumitra Chatterjee.
