Kolkata: Veteran Bengali actor Manu Mukherjee died here Sunday following a cardiac arrest, family members said. He was 90. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Manu Mukherjee started his film career with Mrinal Sen’s Nil Akasher Niche (1958). He also earned plaudits with his roles in Satyajit Ray’s Joy Baba Felunath and Ganashatru. He had also received critical appreciation for his acting prowess in children’s fantasy film Patalghar.
Family members said that Mukherjee had not been keeping well for the last few weeks. He went into further depression when iconic Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee passed away November 15. Mukherjee had acted with Soumitra Chatterjee in a number of critically acclaimed films.
Mourning his demise, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, “Saddened at the passing away of veteran theatre and film actor Manu Mukherjee. We conferred on him the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tele-Samman Awards 2015. My condolences to his family, colleagues and admirers.”
West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists’ Forum, of which Mukherjee was an active member, also condoled his death. Director Atanu Ghosh, actors Sujan Nil Mukherjee and Saswata Chatterjee were among those who took to social media to fondly remember their association with him.