Soumitra Chattopadhyay

How many actors have the privilege of staying in the same house as their mentor? Few. Or rather, too few. Soumitra Chattopadhyay was one such privileged actor. Born in Mirzapur Street, he stayed at various places including Krishnanagar, Barasat, Darjeeling and Howrah while travelling with his father. From 1951-1962 onwards, he parked himself at Mirzapur Street. Then, till 1965, he was lodged at a house in Monoharpukur Road. The next stop was a house on Purna Das Road where he stayed till 1968. The following two years saw him staying at the famous Jahaj Bari on Southern Avenue. That house doesn't exist any longer. But what does is the one on 3 Lake Temple Road where he stayed for 16 years between 1970 and 1986. This was the same flat where Satyajit Ray used to stay on rent too. Interestingly, Soumitra Chatterjee had his study in the same room as his mentor. From 1986 onwards, Soumitra moved to his own duplex in Golf Green. It has an adjoining space where the actor would often spend time painting and reading during the last few years of his life.