Moushumi Chatterjee fights for her daughter's life

Actress Moushumi Chatterjee is remembered as a happy-go-lucky chatterbox who featured in several hits in the 1970s and ’80s opposite top stars of the time.

Not known to bow and scrape for a role or to play up to any hero, she has ticked off mega-artistes like Gulzar and Rajesh Khanna at the risk of losing out on plum roles. Not so long ago she accused Aparna Sen of being jealous of her looks while directing her in the Bengali film The Chinese Wife. The ebullient Moushumi is now struggling to contain her grief as her elder daughter Payal lies comatose, a condition brought on by chronic diabetes.

After she married legendary music composer-singer Hemant Mukherjee’s son Jayanta, Moushumi quit her blooming career to look after her daughters Payal and Megha. The actress found her world falling apart as Payal who suffered from chronic diabetes went into a coma.

In an interview earlier, before the setback, Moushumi was full of beans as she said, “By God’s grace  both my daughters Payal and Megha are  doing well in their respective careers. Neither is keen on acting.”

Married to Dicky Mehta, Payal is apparently being given home care by her in-laws, and that has not gone down well her parents. Moushumi and Jayanta have moved the court to obtain medical custody of their daughter. While Moushumi remains understandably inaccessible, a friend said, “Indu (Moushumi’s real name) has been pretty much in her own world. The couple’s relationship with Payal’s in-laws is far from amicable. This is a very tough time for Moushumi.”

Ashoke Pandit, chief advisor of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) feels the issue is complicated. “I don’t think there is a financial issue. Payal’s husband is looking after her. Moushumiji has accused her daughter’s husband of not allowing her to meet her daughter, an allegation he stoutly denies. Even I’ve got to know from my own sources that there is no truth to the allegation. We don’t know the real issue.”