Film star-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan will deliver Satyajit Ray memorial lecture at Nandan I on 1 May, a day before the birth anniversary of the Oscar winning director. The lecture will be organized by the Society for the preservation of Satyajit Ray Archive.

A Samajwadi Party MP in Rajya Sabha since 2004, Jaya Bachchan is very vocal on the floor of the Upper House of the Parliament.

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Miss Bachchan has never spoken in public about Ray, in whose film as a teenage girl she made her film debut in Mahanagar in 1963. Ray was known to her parents, Tarun and Indira Bhaduri. She had accompanied Amitabh Bachchan during the inaugural session of Kolkata International Film festival and said a few words only. Mahanagar, acted by Madhabi Mukherjee and Anil Chatterjee, became very popular, both in the country and abroad. On 1 May, Mrs Bachchan will speak for about an hour.

This will be her first public appearance as a speaker. The admission to the auditorium is strictly on the basis of invitation cards. She is very popular in Bengal and people are eager to listen to her. Her role in Dhanyi Meya, co-starring with Uttam Kumar, Tarun Kumar, Sabitri Chattopdhyay, Rabi Ghosh, Jahar Roy, Partha Mukherjee, was a super hit. Bhaduri shot to fame in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Guddi in 1971.

Her role as a woman with speech and hearing impairment in Koshish with Bollywood star Sanjeev Kumar in 1972 was also much appreciated. Her role in Uphaar in 1971 and Kora Kagaj in 1974 were hits. Jaya Bhaduri married Amitabh Bachchan in 1973. Co-starring with Amitabh in Janzir (1973), Abhiman (1973), Chupke Chupke (1975), Mili (1975) and Sholey (1975), the movies became all time hits.

Again Silsila with Amitabh and Rekha in 1981 was a super hit. Jaya Bachchan’s role in Govinda Nihalini’s Hazaar Chaurashia Ki Maa based on a story by Mahashweta Devi, was highly appreciated across the country. Fiza (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001) and Kal Ho Na Ho (2003) displayed her mettle as a top class actor. Mrs Bachchan maintains a cordial relation with chief minister Mamata Banerjee with whom she was a co-parliamentarian when Miss Banerjee was the Union railway minister.

It was learnt that during her visit to Kolkata, she is likely to meet Miss Banerjee.