Latest news with #Suchitra
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Golden age star, who worked with Sanjeev Kumar, Uttam Kumar, didn't appear in public for 36 years on a holy man's suggestion; rejected Raj Kapoor's ‘personality'
Hollywood actor Great Garbo was one of the biggest stars of the silent films in the 1920s and 1930s. But once she left the movies, she retired from public life and turned into a recluse. No one knew why and people often wondered what prompted a star of her stature to live a lonely life, despite having many fans around the world. Closer home, actor Suchitra Sen went through something similar when she decided to lead a secluded life in the city of Kolkata, where she was widely known and loved. In her heyday, Suchitra was known as Paro from Dilip Kumar-starrer Devdas, the protagonist of Gulzar's Aandhi (who was compared to former PM Indira Gandhi), and her on-screen camaraderie with Uttam Kumar was often compared to the chemistry between Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Suchita primarily worked in Bengali films but she reached a wider audience when she appeared in Hindi films, although she only appeared in a handful of them. But, after her last release in 1978, Pranay Pasha, Suchitra took a retirement from public appearances fully. Many have wondered why she chose to live as a recluse and while some suggest that she never wanted anyone to see her grow old, some have also theorised that there was a deep sadness within her that she did not wish to share with the world. Suchitra was one of the highest paid female actors of her time but as per author Gopal Krishna Roy, who wrote four books on her life, she turned her back on living in a regular society after a holy man told her to do so. Roy shared, in a 2014 chat with NDTV, that after Pranay Pasha flopped, Suchitra was deeply upset about it and headed to Ramakrishna Mission's headquarters near Kolkata. She met a holy man named Bharat Maharaj there and wept for hours. 'I later heard she sat at his feet and wept and wept,' he said and added, 'And Bharat Maharaj told her, 'Ma, ghridho, lobh koro na, don't be greedy. And that, I think, Mrs Sen translated into her own life by becoming a recluse.' Director Buddhadeb Dasgupta, who was an admirer of the actor, told Mint in 2014 that Suchitra, perhaps, wanted to 'remain beautiful for her fans.' 'Maybe, she wanted to remain beautiful for her fans and I see a likeness to Greta Garbo. What surprises me is that she didn't react to anything that happened around the world. Had Satyajit Ray got her to act in his proposed film Debi Chaudhurani maybe we would have seen a different Suchitra Sen, more so because Ray had the ability to get the best acting out of his characters. Maybe she wanted to remain a matinee idol. She did strong, women-centric roles and directors would shape the characters like that. But to be a great actor, you have to come out of that,' he said. ALSO READ | Bollywood star who worked with Rishi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi was arrested for trying to enter an ashram, has been missing for 20 years despite Rishi trying to find him Suchitra was one of the few actors who was offered the chance to work with Ray, and chose not to take it and she did something similar with Raj Kapoor as well. With Ray, when he offered her Debi Chaudhurani, she couldn't commit because he wanted to block a bunch of her dates. She couldn't do that as it would hamper her schedule and the other commitments she had made. Unfortunately, they never got a chance to work together again. In the case of Raj Kapoor, she refused to work with him because she 'did not like his personality.' In a conversation with Amitabh Choudhury for his book Aamar Bondhu Suchitra Sen, she shared that she refused Raj's offer 'almost immediately.' 'In men, I don't look for beauty. I look for intelligence and sharp conversations. I had refused Raj Kapoor's offer almost immediately. He came to my residence offering a lead role and, as I took my seat, he suddenly sat near my foot and offered me a bouquet of roses while offering the role. I rejected the offer. I did not like his personality. The way he behaved – sitting near my foot – did not befit a man,' she said. Suchitra was already married to Dibanath Sen when she was offered her first film. In fact, the offer came via her father-in-law Adinath Sen. But, in 1963, Suchitra and her husband separated, and in 1970, he died during a trip to the US. Their daughter, Moon Moon Sen, was 16 at the time, and Suchitra insisted that Dibanath's remains be brought to Kolkata, so Moon Moon could bid adieu to her late father. After she started living a solitary life in 1978, Suchitra was hardly seen out and about in Kolkata. But, in 1980, when her long-time co-actor and friend Uttam Kumar died, she came out to pay her last respects. Apart from that, she would sometimes be spotted by locals in markets, or on the roads but she would always be careful about walking with a scarf around her face, so no one would recognise her. Such was her resolve about not being in public that when she was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2005, she chose not to attend the ceremony. But, despite living a lonely life, her sense of humour never went away. Gopal Krishna Roy, who spent a lot of time with her after she moved away from films, recalled a hilarious anecdote in the same chat with NDTV in 2014. He accompanied her to a gynaecologist's office and after the visit, she confided in him about her conversation with the doctor. He recalled with a laugh, 'Mrs Sen took young Moon Moon on her lap and said, 'Gopal do you know what the doctor told me? The doctor told me I am still… and then she paused. So I said anxiously, what? What? Mrs Sen laughed and said… the doctor said I am still a virgin.' Suchitra left the world the same way she had lived in it for the past 36 years. When she died in 2014 at 82, there was a sea of people on the streets of Kolkata who wanted to catch her last glimpse. But, Suchitra was guarded within a coffin. It was almost like she had made that choice when she was hail and hearty. Nevertheless, her life post-1978 remained a mystery to everyone who knew her as a movie star and the way she detached herself from all the fame, was a constant source of speculation.
India Today
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Suchitra Krishnamoorthi apologises for fake post on Ahmedabad plane crash survivor
Actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi sparked controversy after she publicly questioned the survival story of Vishwas Kumar Ramesh. He is the lone survivor of the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash. Accusing him of fabricating his account, she reposted a rumour circulating online. Soon after, she faced swift backlash and eventually issued an her post on X (formerly Twitter), the 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa' actor wrote, 'So this #vishwaskumarramesh lied about being a passenger on the plane & the only survivor? This is seriously weird... Deserve not only some serious punishment but some mental asylum time if this is true uff. (sic)' advertisementRealising the gravity of her mistake, Suchitra later deleted the post and issued a public apology. She wrote, 'Took out my last tweet on the Air India crash survivor. Seems to be false news circulating for God knows what reason. My apologies. (sic)' She also clarified that she had reposted information shared by a friend and regretted not verifying it first. Social media users quickly called her out for spreading unverified claims, pointing out that Vishwa's survival had been confirmed by the Ahmedabad Civil a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, lost his brother Ajay in the crash and was discharged from the hospital on June 17. The very next day, despite his injuries, he performed the last rites for his brother in was seated in '11A' on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, near an emergency exit. He managed to jump out of the aircraft and miraculously survived the deadly crash that claimed the lives of all other passengers and crew the work front, Suchitra was last seen in legal drama 'Guilty Minds' in 2022, which premiered on Prime Video.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
After calling lone Air India 171 crash survivor ‘a liar', Shekhar Kapur's ex-wife Suchitra Krishnamoorthi issues apology: ‘Seems like fake news'
Following the horrific crash of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner on June 1, which took the lives of 270 people, actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi took to X and posted remarks questioning the story of the lone survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh. The actor had gone as far as to suggest that the survivor should be punished if his story turns out to be false. After facing immense backlash on social media, Suchitra deleted her post and blamed it on the spread of fake news. The now-deleted post from Suchitra read, 'So this #vishwaskumarramesh lied about being a passenger on the plane & the only survivor? This is seriously weird. Didn't his family in the UK corroborate his story? What about his brother's funeral that he was seen giving kandha to? Deserve not only some serious punishment but some mental asylum time if this is true, uff.' Without skipping a beat, followers of the actor and others on social media flooded the internet, trolling Suchitra for her comments and insensitivity towards the survivor. ALSO READ: 'An act of sabotage is an act of terrorism against India': Gaurav Taneja says he'll 'lose his mind' if this Air India 171 theory is true She soon realised her mistake, though, and promptly deleted the post and also issued an apology. The new post read, 'Took out my last tweet on the Air India crash survivor. Seems to be false news circulated for God knows what reason. My apologies.' Suchita got married to Shekhar Kapur in 1999 and the couple got divorced in 2007. Took out my last tweet on the air india crash survivor. Seems to be false news circulated for God knows what reason. My apologies — Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (@suchitrak) June 19, 2025 Air India Crash The flight was travelling from Ahmedabad to London and had 242 passengers on board, including the crew members. Right after taking off from Ahmedabad, the flight struggled to gain altitude and crashed into a medical complex nearby. Except for Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, everyone on board died in the crash. Investigations regarding the matter are still on, and several theories have been popping up from all directions. YouTube star Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, hinted that the number of Air India flights that get cancelled might hint at the fact that the pilots might know something about the aircraft which is being kept from the public.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Suchitra Krishnamoorthi slammed for claiming lone Air India plane crash survivor was ‘lying', backtracks after backlash
Actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi sparked controversy when she questioned the survival story of Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the devastating Ahmedabad plane crash, accusing him of lying. However, after backlash, she issued an apology. Also read: PM Narendra Modi meets Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, lone survivor of Air India plane crash at Ahmedabad hospital The stir began when Suchitra raised questions about Vishwas's survival account, echoing a social media rumour that claimed he had faked his story. She put out a post on X, formerly called Twitter, calling him a liar. However, after being called out for sharing fake information, she deleted the post and issued an apology. In the now-deleted post, Suchitra wrote, 'So this #vishwaskumarramesh lied about being a passenger on the plane & the only survivor? This is seriously weird. Didn't his family in the UK corroborate his story? What about his brother's funeral that he was seen giving kandha to? Deserve not only some serious punishment but some mental asylum time if this is true uff". The Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa actor faced backlash for spreading unsubstantiated claims, as social media users highlighted that Vishwas' survival account had been verified by the hospital in Ahmedabad. Within hours, Suchitra deleted the tweet and issued a public apology. In her new tweet, she wrote, 'Took out my last tweet on the air india crash survivor. Seems to be false news circulated for God knows what reason. My apologies'. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is the lone survivor of the deadly Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed at least 260 people. The 40-year-old is a British national. Vishwash was in the '11A' seat of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner near an emergency exit and managed to jump out of the flight and miraculously survived the fatal mishap, in which all the other passengers and crew members lost their lives. He received medical treatment at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. A week after the Air India plane crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, that killed 260 people, Vishwas was discharged from the city's Civil Hospital. Shortly after his discharge, the body of his brother Ajay, who was travelling with him to London, was handed over to the family for his last rites, which were held earlier this week. Both Vishwas and his brother are natives of Diu and had flown down to India to spend time with their family in the union territory. Vishwas's family arrived from the UK following the news of the plane crash.
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Suchitra Krishnamoorthi Apologises After Claiming Ahmedabad Crash Survivor Was 'Lying': 'I Was Misled'
Last Updated: Suchitra Krishnamoorthi apologizes after falsely accusing survivor Vishwas Ramesh of faking his role in Ahmedabad plane crash. Deletes tweet, cites false info. Actress and singer Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, best known for her role in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa alongside Shah Rukh Khan, found herself at the centre of controversy on Thursday after questioning the credibility of Vishwas Kumar Ramesh — the sole survivor of the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash. The incident, which claimed over 270 lives, left the world reeling, with Vishwas's miraculous survival becoming a rare moment of hope amid devastation. However, in a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Suchitra cast doubt on Vishwas's account, referring to a social media rumour that falsely accused him of fabricating his story. 'So this #vishwaskumarramesh lied about being a passenger on the plane & the only survivor? This is seriously weird. Didn't his family in the UK corroborate his story? What about his brother's funeral that he was seen giving kandha to?" she had written, further suggesting that if the rumour were true, Vishwas 'deserved serious punishment or a mental asylum." The actress quickly came under fire for spreading unverified information, with many social media users and journalists pointing out that Vishwas's survival had been officially confirmed by the hospital in Ahmedabad and covered extensively by credible news outlets. Within hours, Suchitra deleted the tweet and issued a public apology. In a follow-up post, she wrote: 'Took out my last tweet on the Air India crash survivor. Seems to be false news circulated for God knows what reason. My apologies." She also clarified that the misinformation had been shared by a friend on social media and she regretted not verifying it before reposting. Took out my last tweet on the air india crash survivor. Seems to be false news circulated for God knows what reason. My apologies— Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (@suchitrak) June 19, 2025 Vishwas Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national originally from Diu, had travelled to India with his brother Ajay to visit family. The two were returning to London on the ill-fated Ahmedabad–Gatwick flight on June 12 when tragedy struck. Vishwas, who was seated beside his brother, survived the crash with injuries and was discharged from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on June 17. The very next day, despite being bandaged and visibly hurt, he led his brother's funeral procession in Diu, performing the last rites. Suchitra, who has remained active on social media in recent years and frequently voices opinions on political and social issues, faced backlash not only for spreading misinformation but also for the insensitivity of her remarks. While her prompt apology helped temper the situation, the incident has sparked renewed calls for celebrities to act more responsibly when engaging with public discourse online. On the work front, Suchitra was last seen in Amazon Prime Video's legal drama Guilty Minds in 2022. While there's no official announcement on her upcoming projects, the actress continues to maintain a steady presence in the digital sphere. First Published:
