National Award Winner Raja Sen Passes Away At 71

National Award winner and veteran filmmaker Raja Sen has passed away at the age of 71. According to a news agency, he breathed his last at SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, where he was hospitalised and undergoing treatment for multiple health complications. A senior doctor told PTI that the National Award winner's condition remained critical despite treatment. He was on ventilator support. The filmmaker's condition deteriorated in the last few days after complications in the heart, lungs and kidneys. Raja Sen had been admitted earlier to a private hospital after an injury to his lower back.

Raja Sen Dies At 71

After his health condition worsened, Raja Sen was reportedly later shifted to SSKM Hospital. As per the report, the senior director had developed kidney-related complications. His passing has left the Bengali and television film industry saddened. Prosenjit Chatterjee was among the first celebrities to mourn his loss.

For those unaware, the director had made his feature film debut with Damu in 1996. It won the National Film Award for Best Childre's film. It featured Raghuvir Yadav, Sabyasachi Chakraborty and Satya Banerjee. Son of Subhasree Sen and Sreyoshi Sen, he had won three National Awards in his career.

Prior to making a mark in the film industry, Sen started his career in Bengali television. Adarsha Hindu Hotel, Arogya Niketan and Tarashankarer Chhoto Galpo were adapted for television by him. Some of his other television projects also included Streeash Charitram, Subarnalata, Anjuman, Samparka, and more.

More About Raja Sen

Apart from that, the late filmmaker had also directed Atmiyo Swajan. For this film, he had won National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare. That's not all; Chakrabyuha, Desh, Debipaksha, Krishnakanter Will, Tinmurti, Laboratory, Moubone Aaj, Colonel, among other projects were a part of his filmography. Desh, helmed by Sen, was released in 2002. Written by Prafulla Roy, the film featured Jaya Bachchan, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, Subhendu Chatterjee, Nayna Bandyopadhyay, Monu Mukherjee, Dulal Lahiri, and others. Abhishek Bachchan also had a cameo appearance in the Bengali film.

Beyond films and television, Raja Sen made documentaries on promiment personalities like Rabindra Sangeet singer Suchitra Mitra. It is to be noted that the documentary won the National Film Award for Best Arts/ Cultural Film. Apart from Suchitra Mitra, he worked on documentaries of Tapan Sinha, Sombhu Mitra, Subhas Mukhopadhyay. His contributions to the film and television industry will always be cherished.

May his soul rest in peace!