West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid her last tribute to late actor Soumitra Chatterjee and called it a “great loss in the world of cinema”. The actor passed away at the age of 85 on Wednesday.

“We have lost a great, talented and memorable personality in the world of cinema today. Apart from films, he was one of the most influential characters in Bengali theatre, literature and also in mass movements during his time,” Banerjee said while addressing the press outside Belle Vue Clinic where Chatterjee was admitted.

“With Soumitra Chatterjee I had a special relationship of respect and admiration. From receiving the Banga Bhushan Award at the Najrul Mancha to inaugurate the Kolkata International Film Festival at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, his has been an everlasting presence.

“With his self-respect, sense of dignity and adorable behaviour, he has always touched our hearts,” the Chief Minister further said in a statement.

Chatterjee breathed his last on Wednesday after a long and hard struggle against COVID-19. Even though he had recovered from the coronavirus, other illnesses had kept him in a serious condition, informed the private hospital in Kolkata where he was admitted for 40 days.

“With deep grief I must inform you that my beloved father … my Bapi left us this morning. As a family, we are devastated. Please say a prayer for his soul,” Chatterjee’s daughter, Poulami Bose, informed.

It was COVID-19 encephalopathy that had made his brain weak before eventually turning it unresponsive, leading to a multi-organ failure.

“We declare with heavy heart that Shri Soumitra Chattopadhyay breathed his last at 12-15 pm at Belle Vue Clinic today (15 November 2020). We pay our homage to his soul,” the hospital said in a statement.

The Dada Saheb Phalke awardee was already on life support and had stopped responding to the treatment, since the last few days of this week.

Chatterjee had tested positive for coronavirus on October 5 and got admitted to the hospital the very next morning.

He was shooting for a documentary titled ‘Abhijan’ directed by actor Parambrata Chattopadhyay. He last attended shooting at the Bharatlaxmi Studio on October 1. The next shooting schedule was fixed for October 7.