Ruma Guha Thakurta

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Ruma Guha Thakurta
Born
Ruma Ghosh

(1934-11-03)3 November 1934
Died3 June 2019(2019-06-03) (aged 84)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Spouse(s)
(m. 1950; div. 1958)

Arup Guha Thakurta
(m. 1960, died 2004)
Children3, including Amit Kumar
Musical career
GenresFilm music
Instrument(s)Vocalist
Years active1944–2019

Ruma Guha Thakurta (3 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.

Early life[edit]

Ruma 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[edit]

Guha 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[edit]

As 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]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Read about 4 wives of Kishore Kumar". India TV News. March 2016. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  2. ^ "4 Weddings And More: The Women In Kishore Kumar's Life". mansworldindia.com. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ a b Lohani, Vinayak (11 July 2019). "Remembering Ruma Guha Thakurta: The First Lady of Indian Choir Music". The Wire. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Kishore Kumar's first wife Ruma Guha Thakurta passes away in Kolkata at 84". Tribune. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Bappi Lahiri catches up with Kishore Kumar s wives Ruma Guha Thakurta and Leena Chandavarkar". mid-day. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Jwar Bhata (1944) – Review, Star Cast, News, Photos". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Manaivi Ready (1987) – Review, Star Cast, News, Photos". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Mashal (1950) – Review, Star Cast, News, Photos | Cinestaan". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Mashal". osianama.com. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  12. ^ "IFFI: A TRIP DOWN THE MEMORY LANE -". Pickle Media. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2023.

External links[edit]