Actress Uma Das Gupta, who gained worldwide fame for her role as Durga in Satyajit Ray’s legendary film Pather Panchali (1955), has passed away. The news of her death was confirmed by actor and politician Chiranjit Chakraborty to a daily newspaper in West Bengal.
It is reported that Uma had been battling cancer for a long time. She passed away on Monday morning while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in West Bengal.
Uma, who had been involved in theater from a young age, was discovered by Ray. Although her father initially opposed her joining the film industry, Ray was able to convince her family. The rest, as they say, is history. Though the film was not a commercial success initially, Pather Panchali became a symbol of cinematic excellence for Bengali film lovers over time.
The death of Durga in the film left a deep emotional scar on Apu, and it also moved countless viewers to tears. Now, with Uma’s real-life passing, the Bengali film industry and its audience are in mourning.
Uma Das Gupta earned international recognition for portraying the young Durga in Pather Panchali, but she never returned to the screen after that role. Professionally, she worked as a teacher.