Kolkata, Jan 25 (PTI) Bengali film superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee on Sunday said he would dedicate the honour of the Padma Shri award to his late mother, who was immensely responsible for what he achieved in his four-decade career.
Speaking to PTI, Chatterjee said he was watching his recently released Bengali film at Navina cinema when he got the news and shared it with the audience, who cheered at the great news.
“I will first dedicate the honour to my mother, who had sacrificed so much in her life to bring us up and paved my journey, which went on for four decades. I also share the honour with my family my son Mishuk. But what I have become has been made possible because of my countless audiences,” he said.
Chatterjee said to a question, as he got the news, he talked over the phone with his father, the legendary actor Biswajit Chatterjee, who told him, “So you have got it. I am so proud of you.” Chatterjee said he missed his long-term friend late director Rituparno Ghosh, “Who was instrumental in the birth of the Prosenjit Chatterjee in critically acclaimed arthouse genre realistic films.” “This day I miss Rituparno a lot. He played an important role in shaping a part of my acting career,” he added.
Asked if he thought the honour was long overdue, he said, “I don’t look at it in this way. See Soumitra Chatterjee had got honours at what stage of his career. There is no point in mulling over at what time but rather whether the government conferred this honour on me. I am thankful to the Union Ministry.” Meanwhile, Pt Kumar Bose, another Padmashree recipient, dedicated the honour to his wife and other members of his family.
“By honouring me, the government has honoured the other great classical vocalists and instrumentalists of West Bengal”, the renowned Tabla artist said. PTI SUS RG
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