Tributes pour in on social media for ace director Basu Chatterjee
Veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, known for directing iconic movies like Rajnigandha and Chitchor, passed away on June 4.
The 93- year-old filmmaker directed classics like Piya Ka Ghar, Rajnigandha, Choti Si Baat, Baton Baton Mein and Khatta Meeta.”In the passing of Shri Basu Chatterjee, the world of entertainment has lost a living legend. He will be remembered for his masterpieces like ‘Khatta Meetha’, ‘Rajnigandha’, ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’, ‘Rajani’ among others. My condolences to his family and friends,” President Ram Nath Kovind said on Twitter.
President of India✔@rashtrapatibhvn
In the passing of Shri Basu Chatterjee, the world of entertainment has lost a living legend. He will be remembered for his masterpieces like ‘Khatta Meetha’, ‘Rajnigandha’, ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’, ‘Rajani’ among others. My condolences to his family and friends.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Chatterjee as a filmmaker whose cinema touched people’s hearts.
“Sad to hear of the demise of Shri Basu Chatterjee. His works are brilliant and sensitive. It touched people’s hearts and represented the simple and complex emotions, as well as struggles of people. Condolences to his family and innumerable fans. Om Shanti,” he said.NarendraModi✔@narendramodi
Sad to hear of the demise of Shri Basu Chatterjee. His works are brilliant and sensitive. It touched people’s hearts and represented the simple and complex emotions, as well as struggles of people. Condolences to his family and innumerable fans. Om Shanti.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said Chatterjee’s light-hearted films depicted various facets of the urban middle class.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “Saddened at the demise of legendary film director and screenwriter Basu Chatterjee. He gave us gems like ‘Chhoti Si Baat’, ‘Chitchor’, ‘Rajanigandha’, ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’, ‘Rajnigandha’ among others. Condolences to his family, friends, fans & the entire film fraternity.
Mamata Banerjee✔@MamataOfficial
Saddened at the demise of legendary film director and screenwriter Basu Chatterjee. He gave us gems like ‘Chhoti Si Baat’, ‘Chitchor’, ‘Rajanigandha’, ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’, ‘Rajni’ among others. Condolences to his family, friends, fans & the entire film fraternity
Chatterjee began as a cartoonist in a tabloid but changed his career path after assisting Basu Bhattacharya in the Raj Kapoor-Waheeda Rehman starrer “Teesri Kasam”.
The two Basus along with Hrishikesh Mukherjee formed the Hindi cinema triumvirate whose ethos lay firmly in the middle class and its day-to-day struggles at a time when most of Bollywood was focused on larger-than-life stories of angst and tragedy led by Amitabh Bachchan.
Chatterjee’s cinema was progressive for the times, unhurried and a slice of everyday life — about conversations over cups of chai and romances blossoming in public buses, trains and office buildings.
Actors like Vidya Sinha, Amol Palekar and Zarina Wahab were the stars that were favoured by Chatterjee to tell aspiring stories of the middle class.
Bachchan appeared in just one of his films –”Manzil” (1979), a poor-rich romance set against the backdrop of Mumbai.
Sending his prayers and condolences, Bachchan described Chatterjee as quiet, soft spoken and gentle.
“… his films reflected the lives of middle India… a sad loss..,” he said on Twitter.Amitabh Bachchan✔@SrBachchan
