Suchitra Sen was a lot of things for a lot of people. From her ethereal overall beauty to her anguished eyes, her powerhouse performances to her on-screen chemistry with her co-stars, Sen was the embodiment of Bengali exquisiteness and celluloid intensity. Till date, her fans remember her for nuanced performances in films like 'Devdas' and 'Aandhi'.
Says actress Bipasha Basu, “Suchitraji will always remain synonymous with quality cinema. She was ageless. Her inner beauty came across in all her films. Her passing away is certainly the end of an era.”
Legions of fans have been struck by her natural charm, gifted visage and the expressions that lit it up from time to time. Needless to say, the man who is known to have made the careers of several actresses including the stunning Madhuri Dixit, has been among her most devoted fans. Filmmaker Subhash Ghai says, “She was a legendary leading lady of Indian cinema with a perfect screen face and real talent. I selected Madhuri Dixit for my films because of her screen face. She reminded me of Suchitra Sen whom I always admired.”
Sen made her Bollywood debut with the role of the strong-willed Paro in Bimal Roy’s Devdas. Cast opposite Dilip Kumar, who played the eponymous role and sharing screen space with Vyjanthimala Bali, Sen delivered a much-feted portrayal of Paro. Ghai adds, “She had dignity, poise, and beauty, all together to be the queen on screen.”
Paro was a livewire on screen. As Aarti Devi in Gulzar’s 'Aandhi', she combined a great deal of restraint and angst to essay the role of a leading politician who encounters her estranged husband. The film ran into trouble with Indira Gandhi’s government, which felt that the then Prime Minister was being immortalised on the big screen. But Sen’s fans only speak of the long silences between her and co-star Sanjeev Kumar in the film that established the awkwardness of a hesitant couple on the reconciliatory path. Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt recalls, “I remember her performance in Devdas and Aandhi. Her onscreen chemistry with Sanjeev Kumar took the scenes to another level. I have so much respect for her. I’ve been an ardent fan despite not getting much of a chance to watch too many of her Bengali films.”
