Manu Mukherjee, the veteran Bengali actor, passed away on Sunday following a cardiac arrest, informed his family sources. He was 90.
Manu Mukherjee is survived by a wife and two daughters.
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Mukherjee started his film career in 1958 with Mrinal Sen’s Nil Akasher Niche (Under the Blue Sky). He was highly appreciated for his performances in Satyajit Ray’s Joy Baba Felunath and Ganashatru and was critically acclaimed for his acting prowess in children’s fantasy film Patalghar.
Mourning his demise, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, “Saddened at the passing away of veteran theatre and film actor Manu Mukherjee. We conferred on him the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tele-Samman Awards 2015. My condolences to his family, colleagues and admirers.”
West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists’ Forum, of which Mukherjee was an active member, also condoled his death.
Director Atanu Ghosh, actors Sujan Nil Mukherjee and Saswata Chatterjee were among those who took to social media to fondly remember their association with him.
Manu Mukherjee, also called Monu Mukhopadhyay, was born on March 1, 1930, as Sourendranath. He was also known as Dak.
In 1958 he became a prompter. His first acting assignment was in the play Khudha. He also worked with Ronand Joffy. He portrayal as Machhli Baba in 1979 film Joy Baba Felunath. was very well received.
Considered to be one of the oldest actors in the world, Manu Mukherjee was still actively playing major and minor roles in Bengali television’s soaps and operas.
Some of his memorable works include Uttarayan (1963), Shesh Theke Shuru (1969), Safed Jhoot (1977), Saheb (1981), Tobu Mone Rekho (1994), and Nodir Pare Aamar Bari (2001) among others.
(With agency inputs)
