Noted Bengali director Tarun Majumdar passes away at 92 due to age-related ailments

Noted Bengali director Tarun Majumdar, who is known for the 1976 film 'Balika Badhu', passed away at 92 in a hospital in Kolkata on Monday.

Majumdar has been undergoing treatment at the state-run SSKM hospital for the past few days.

Last month, his treating doctors revealed that he was 'very critical' amid kidney and heart-related ailments.


West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said he was saddened to learn about Majumdar's demise. "His classics like 'Dadar Kirti' and 'Balika Badhu' are eternally imbibed in our hearts and earned him four National Awards and Padma Shri in 1990," he recalled.


Director Sujoy Ghosh - well-known for his thrillers 'Kahaani', 'Bob Biswas' and 'Badla' - also mourned Majumdar's demise. He said that the late film-maker was one of the greatest storytellers from whose films he learnt.

"Tapan Sinha, Rajen Tarafdar, Tarun Majumdar and Rituparna Ghosh are textbooks of storytelling," his caption read.


Bengali actor Jeet said that the late director's contribution to Indian cinema will continue to live on in people's hearts.


Born on January 8, 1931, in the Bengal Presidency of British India, Majumdar's father Birendranath Majumdar was a freedom fighter. The then-film-maker made his directorial debut alongside Sachin Mukherji and Dilip Mukherji, under the screen name Yatrik, with the 1959 Bengali film 'Chaowa Pawa'.

The late director quickly earned a name for making movies based on compelling tales highlighting the life of middle-class families.

Majumdar went on to direct blockbusters such as 'Balika Badhu' (1976), 'Kuheli' (1971), 'Shriman Prithviraj' (1972), 'Dadar Kirti' (1980), 'Bhalobasa Bhalobasa' (1985) and 'Apan Amar Apan' (1990). His other notable works include 'Smriti Tuku Thak' (1960), 'Palatak' (1963), 'Fuleswari' (1974) and 'Ganadevata' (1978).

Majumdar, who received Padma Shri in 1990, has five Filmfare awards to his credit. He is the recipient of four National Awards, seven BFJA Awards and an Anandalok Award.