Moushumi Chatterjee ruled the silver screen in the 1970s, working with some of the topmost actors-from Rajesh Khanna to Amitabh Bachchan.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, the actress reveals the story behind getting married at the age of just 15. Just as her acting career began with the Bengali film Balika Badhu in 1967, when she was in her early teens, her marriage took place around the same time and she was pregnant at 17.
‘There Was A Story, Everything Happened For A Reason’
Moushumi Chatterjee married producer Jayanta Mukherjee when she was just in her 10th standard, aged 15.
She tells us, “No, there was a story. Everything happened for a reason. I was in the 10th standard, but I was engaged after Balika Badhu only because my father-in-law, Hemanta Mukherjee, was the music director of that film. So their family and our family became a thing. And at that time, everybody wanted to make me their daughter-in-law; everyone wanted me as their wife.”
She continues, “It was crazy. Subhey se shaam tak line hoti thi. That’s why I’m thoroughly spoiled. And then my badi bua (aunt)-I was very attached to her; she used to live in Bhawanipur. And she was in the last stage of cancer when we got to know. She held my father-in-law’s hand and said, ‘Hemanta Babu, can I see her wedding?’ Because I was the last girl from our family, my father-in-law said, ‘Yes, you will.’ And within a month, the marriage took place.”
“So that’s why I came here, Bombay. I bought my dollhouse, my small doggy. And then one of my friends also went back and gave her 10th exam because she also missed one year. She was with me. My father-in-law ensured I got everything. I should not feel left alone. I used to play with my dollhouse the whole day. My father was very protective of me. He was like a mother and father, both here in Bombay.”
About Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee has been a veteran actress with significant work both in the Hindi and Bengali film industries. Her career peaked predominantly between the 1970s and 1980s, and she was also considered one of the highest-paid actresses of her times.
Speaking of the competition back then, the actress says, “Whoever was at the top felt whatever they said had to be obeyed. It was always there. Everybody who rules feels they can rule everything.”
Some of her best films include Anuraag, Roti Kapda aur Makaan, Chupke Chupke, Angoor, Manzil-to name a few.
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