Safed Jhooth actress Mithu Mukherjee dies at 71 in Mumbai; Prosenjit Chatterjee pays tribute

Mithu Mukherjee (Pictures via X)

Veteran Bengali actress Mithu Mukherjee, a familiar face of Bengali cinema in the 1970s and 1980s, has died at the age of 71. The actress reportedly breathed her last at a private hospital in Mumbai on Sunday night after battling cancer for nearly a year. She had largely stayed away from the public eye in her later years.

Prosenjit Chatterjee mourns the demise of Mithu Mukherjee

News of her demise prompted tributes from the Bengali film fraternity, including actor Prosenjit Chatterjee. Mourning her death, he wrote on X, "The news of Mithu Mukhopadhyay's passing is extremely heartbreaking. Her memory and her work will live on forever among us. With deepest respects."

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) also paid tribute to the veteran actor, remembering her contribution to Bengali and Hindi cinema. The organisation highlighted her memorable performances and extended condolences to her loved ones.

Who is veteran actress Mithu Mukherjee?

Born in Kolkata in 1955, Mukherjee entered the film industry at the age of 17. She made her acting debut with Chitta Bose's Shesh Parba in 1972, where she was paired opposite Shamit Bhanja. Her breakthrough came with Dinen Gupta's Marjina Abdulla, in which she played the titular role opposite Debraj Roy. The film helped establish her as a popular leading actress in Bengali cinema.

Mukherjee went on to work in several Bengali films, including Nishikanya, Mouchak, Kabi, Hotel Snow Fox, Pratima, Bandhan, Prarthana and Swayamsiddha. During her career, she shared screen space with some of the leading actors of her generation, including Uttam Kumar, Soumitra Chattopadhyay and Ranjit Mullick.

She also ventured into Hindi cinema, making her debut with Dulal Guha's Khaan Dost in 1976. She subsequently featured in Basu Chatterjee's Safed Jhooth, along with films such as Dillagi and Do Ladke Dono Kadke. Her Hindi film journey saw her work alongside several prominent actors of the era.

After appearing in Dujane in the 1980s, Mukherjee took a break from acting. She returned to the screen with Chandra Barot's Ashrita in 1990, which became her final film. Following the release, she stepped away from the industry and maintained a private life, living in Mumbai for several years.

With a career spanning nearly two decades, Mukherjee remained associated with a memorable period in Bengali cinema. Her performances in films such as Marjina Abdulla and Mouchak continue to be remembered by audiences and film enthusiasts.