Sumita Devi

Infobox Person
name = flagicon|Bangladesh Nilufar Begum


birth_date = 1936
birth_place = Dhaka, British India
death_date = january 6 2004
death_place = Dhaka, Bangladesh
occupation = Actress,
spouse = Zahir Raihan

Sumita Devi ( _bn. সুমিতা দেবী) (1936 - January 6, 2004) was a Bangla film and tv actress. She was born Hena Bhattacharya in Manikganj District, Bengal (now in Bangladesh). She was married to the filmmaker Zahir Raihan. [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/S_0662.htm Mohanta, Sambaru Chandra, "Article on Sumita Devi"] , Banglapedia.]

Film career

Sumita gained fame as a film actress in the late 1950s and early 1960s. She debuted in Bangla films with the 1957 movie, "Aasia". She acted in the main role in more than 50 movies. Her most famous roles include "Kokhono Asheni" (1961), "Kancher Dewal" (The glass wall) (1963), "Behula" / "Ora Egaro Jon" (1973). Later, she produced five films in a brief career as a filmmaker. Her last film-acting is in "Phulkumar" (2000) where she played a role of grandmother.

Personal life

Sumita Devi was born to a Hindu Brahmin family. She was briefly married to Amulya Lahiri, but the marriage ended in divorce. Following her entry into movies, she married the director Zahir Raihan in 1962, and had two sons. During this time, she also converted to Islam, and changed her name to Nilufar Begum, even though she continued to be known by her stage name. The marriage ended in tragedy as Raihan disappeared in January 1972 at the end of Bangladesh Liberation War and assumed to be killed. Sumita Devi became an active artist for the "Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro" (Independent Bengal Radio Station) during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Awards

* All Pakistan Critic Award, 1962
* Nigar Prize, 1963
* Bangladesh Film Journalist Association Award
* Television Reporters Association of Bangladesh Award
* Agartala Muktijoddha Award, 2002
* Janakantha Gunijan and Pratibha Sammanona, 2002

References