Soumitra Chatterjee to receive Dada Saheb Phalke Award

Legendary Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee who has portrayed a versatile rage of lead characters in films by Satyajit Ray, has been selected for been selected for highest film honour. He will receive the 2011 Dada Saheb Palke Award for lifetime contribution to cinema.

After the National Award, the government announced four front runners for the coveted honour – Pran, Manoj Kumar, Vyjathimala and Soumitra Chatterjee. The veteran actor made his film debut with Ray’s 1959 film ‘Apur Sansar’ and went on to act in several other masterpieces like – Devi, Charulata and Ghore Baire.

Chatterjee, 77 has worked alongside most of the stalwarts of the industry, including legendary actor, Bengali matinne idol Uttam Kumar and some of the best directors of the country. Besides Ray, his work with other directors includes – Tapan Sinha’s Kshudito Pashan and Mrinal Sen’s Mahaprithivi.


His best works include films with honourary Award winning director Satyajit Ray and Tapan Sinha, Apur Sansar, Devi, Teen Kanya, Abhijan, Ashani Sanket, Sonar Kella and Joy Baba Felunath are some of the films he shot with Ray.

He won a National Award in 2008 for his film ‘Podokkhep’. He was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2004. the living legend has been conferred the ‘officier des Art et Metiers’, the highest award for arts given by the French government and a lifetime achievement award from Italy earlier.

Soumitra Chatteree is the much deserved winner of the highest honour in Indian cinema given annually by the government of India for lifetime contribution – The Dada Saheb Palke Award.