Ruma Guha Thakurta (21 November 1934 – 3 June 2019) was an Indian actress and singer primarily associated with Bengali language films.[1][2] She founded Calcutta Youth Choir in 1958.
Ruma Guha Thakurta | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ruma Ghosh 21 November 1934 |
| Died | 3 June 2019 (aged 84) |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse(s) |
Arup Guha Thakurta
(m. 1960, died 2004) |
| Children | 3, including Amit Kumar |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Film music |
| Instrument | Vocalist |
| Years active | 1944–2019 |
Early life
editRuma Guha Thakurta was born as Ruma Ghosh on 3 November 1934 to Satyen Ghosh (Monty Ghosh) and singer Sati Devi.[3][4] Her family was culturally inclined to Brahmo Samaj, a societal component of Brahmoism. Her mother Sati was eldest sister of Bijoya Ray, the wife of Satyajit Ray.[5]
Guha Thakurta was a trained vocalist and a dancer. She started training in music at Swarabitan in Kolkata, which had been established by her parents. In later years, she studied under Abdul Rehman Khan of Patiala gharana, the Ustad of Nirmla Devi and Lakshmi Shankar in Bombay. She also trained in dance at "Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre" at Almora.[4]
She married Kishore Kumar in 1951 and had a son Amit Kumar by this marriage. The couple divorced in 1958 and she married Arup Guha Thakurta in 1960.[6] The couple had two children, Ayan and Sromona. Sromona is also a singer.
Career
editGuha Thakurta made her acting debut in Amiya Chakravarty's Jwar Bhata (1944)[7] at age ten. This was the debut film of Dilip Kumar. Her next film as Ruma Ghosh was Nitin Bose, whose first cousin was her aunt's father-in-law,'s Mashaal (1950) in Hindi, which had a Bengali version called Samar, adapted from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Rajani.[8] She portrayed a blind girl, Sarla.
After her divorce, Ruma moved to Calcutta to act in Rajen Tarafdar’s Ganga based on Samaresh Bose’s eponymous cult novel. She acted as one of two leading ladies, with Sandhya Roy.[9] Ganga won the National award for Best Feature Film that year and Ruma's portrayal of Himi received critical acclamation. In the same year, she acted in Personal Assistant opposite to Bhanu Bandopadhayay and in Khaniker Atithi by Tapan Sinha.
Her film career revived in 1962 with Benarasi, produced by her and directed by her husband. It was the tale of a courtesan who tries to lead a life of dignity and respect, when her childhood sweetheart, Ratan, takes her away from her terrible environment. It flopped, but won the BFJA Award for Best Feature Film the following year.
Filmography
editAs an actress
edit| Year | Title | Role | Director | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Jwar Bhata | Amiya Chakrvarty | Hindi | ||
| 1950 | Mashaal | Sarala Das | Nitin Bose | Hindi[10][11] | |
| Afsar | Chetan Anand | Hindi | |||
| 1952 | Rag Rang | Digvijay | Ruma Devi | Hindi | |
| 1959 | Personal Assistant | Rumali Sen | Chitrakar Bengali | (as Ruma Devi) | |
| Khaniker Atithi | Mita | Tapan Sinha | Bengali | (as Ruma Ganguly) | |
| Ganga | Rajen Tarafdar | Himi | Bengali | ||
| 1960 | Benarasi | Sona | Arup Guhathakurta | Bengali | |
| 1962 | Banarasi | ||||
| Abhijan | Neeli | Satyajit Ray | Bengali | ||
| Benarasi | |||||
| 1963 | Polatak | Moyna | Tarun Majumder | Bengali | |
| Nirjan Saikate | Chhoto Bou | Tapan Sinha | Bengali | ||
| 1964 | Kinu Gowalar Gali | Theater Actress | O. C Ganguly | Bengali | |
| Subha O Debatar Gras | |||||
| Sindoore Megh | |||||
| Prabhater Rang | Ajoy Kar | Bengali | |||
| 1966 | Joradighir Chowdhury Paribar | Ajit Lahiri | Bengali | ||
| 1967 | Antony Firingee | Jogweshwari | Sunil Bannerjee | Bengali | |
| Balika Badhu | Tarun Majumdar | Bengali | |||
| Ashite Ashiona | Bengali | ||||
| 1968 | Hangsa Mithun | Bengali | |||
| Garh Nasimpur | Bengali | ||||
| Panchashar | Arup Guhathakurta | Bengali | |||
| Baghini | Bijoy Bose | Bengali | |||
| 1969 | Arogya Niketan | Pradyot's mother | Bijoy Bose | Bengali | |
| 1973 | Nishi Kanya | ||||
| 1974 | Jadi Jantem | Ranu Basu | Yatrik | Bengali | |
| 1976 | Bairaag | Pushpa | Asit Sen | Hindi | |
| 1979 | Dour | ||||
| 1980 | Dadar Kirti | Saraswati, Beena's Mother | Tarun Majumdar | Bengali | |
| Bandhan | |||||
| 1981 | 36 Chowringhee Lane | Nandita's Mother | English | ||
| Swami Stree | Bengali | ||||
| Maa Bipat Tarini Chandi | |||||
| 1982 | Troyee | Bengali | |||
| Amrita Kumbher Sandhane | Bengali | ||||
| 1983 | Samarpita | Bengali | |||
| 1984 | Paar | ||||
| Didi | |||||
| 1985 | Bhalobasa Bhalobasa | Keya's Mother | Bengali | ||
| 1986 | Anurager Chhonya | Bengali | |||
| Amar Sangi | Jhilik's Mother | Sujit Guha | Bengali | ||
| 1987 | Gayok | Shantanu Bhowmick | |||
| Ekanto Apon | |||||
| 1988 | Agun | ||||
| Tumi Koto Sundar | |||||
| Aagoon | Victor Banerjee | Bengali | |||
| 1989 | Ganashatru | Maya Gupta | Satyajit Ray | Bengali | |
| Asha O Bhalobasha | Roopa's Mother | Sujit Guha | Bengali | ||
| Aakrosh | Samrat's Foster Mother | Sujit Guha | Bengali | ||
| 1990 | Anuraag | ||||
| Garmil | |||||
| Papi | |||||
| Abhishkar | |||||
| 1991 | Path O Prasad | Bengali | |||
| Bidhilipi | |||||
| 1992 | Indrajit | Anjan Choudhury | Bengali | ||
| 1994 | Wheel Chair | Sushmita's Mother | Tapan Sinha | ||
| 1995 | Sangharsha | Haranath Chakraborty | Bengali | ||
| 1996 | Himghar | Bengali | |||
| 1998 | Choudhury Paribar | ||||
| 2000 | Malabadal | Raj Mukherjee | Bengali | ||
| 2006 | The Namesake | Ashoke's Mother | English | (final film role) |
As a playback singer
edit| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1958 | Lukochuri |
| 1963 | Barnali |
| Polatak | |
| 1961 | Tin Konya |
| 1966 | Joradighir Chowdhury Paribar |
| 1967 | Antony Firingee |
| 1968 | Baghini |
| 1970 | Bakso Badal |
| 1974 | Jodi Jantem |
| 1976 | Mera Dharam Meri Maa |
| 1982 | Amrita Kumbher Sandhane |
Awards
edit- BFJA Awards (1964) for Best Actress in supporting role – Palatak
- IFFI Best Actor Award (Female) (1965) for "Nirjan Saikate" at 3rd IFFI[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Read about 4 wives of Kishore Kumar". India TV News. March 2016. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "4 Weddings And More: The Women In Kishore Kumar's Life". mansworldindia.com. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "Actress Ruma Guha Thakurta, Kishore Kumar's first wife, dies at 84 in Kolkata". India Today. 3 June 2019. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
- ^ a b Lohani, Vinayak (11 July 2019). "Remembering Ruma Guha Thakurta: The First Lady of Indian Choir Music". The Wire. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ "Kishore Kumar's first wife Ruma Guha Thakurta passes away in Kolkata at 84". Tribune. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ "Bappi Lahiri catches up with Kishore Kumar s wives Ruma Guha Thakurta and Leena Chandavarkar". mid-day. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "Jwar Bhata (1944) – Review, Star Cast, News, Photos". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "Manaivi Ready (1987) – Review, Star Cast, News, Photos". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Sarkar, Roushni. "Sandhya Roy, Debashree Roy grateful for their mentoring by co-artiste Ruma Guha Thakurta". cinestaan.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Mashal (1950) – Review, Star Cast, News, Photos". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "Mashal". osianama.com. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "IFFI: A TRIP DOWN THE MEMORY LANE -". Pickle Media. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2023.