Debashree Roy is an illustrious Indian actress, widely regarded as one of the most iconic female figures in Bengali cinema, having reigned supreme in the 1980s and 1990s, with a filmography spanning over a hundred movies. Throughout her illustrious career, she has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious National Award and BFJA Award.
Born on August 8th, 1961, in Kolkata, West Bengal, Debashree Roy began her journey in the film industry at the tender age of eleven months, when her mother, Arati Roy, brought her to the set of Hiranmoy Sen's Bengali film Pagal Thakur. Her father, Birendra Kishore Roy, was an employee of the West Bengal Finance Corporation. Initially, her mother had envisioned a future for her as a dancer.
In 1971, director Tarun Majumdar cast Roy as Ranu in his critically acclaimed Bengali thriller Kuheli. As an adult actress, her first role was opposite Mithun Chakraborty in Arabinda Mukhopadhyay's Nadi Theke Sagare (1978),where she was credited as Rumki Roy. In 1980, Tarun Majumdar cast Rumki in his Dadar Kirti and renamed her Debashree Roy. The film became a cult hit, catapulting Roy to stardom.
Debashree Roy's subsequent appearances in films like Aparna Sen's 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) and Kanak Mishra's Jiyo To Aise Jiyo (1981) solidified her position in the industry. Her Hindi film debut, followed by appearances in films like Bura Aadmi (1983),Justice Chaudhury (1983),Phulwari (1984),Seepeeyan (1984),and Kabhi Ajnabi The (1985),further cemented her status.
Her partnership with director Tarun Majumdar and actor Tapas Paul resulted in several box office hits, including Arpan (1987),Shankhachur (1988),Surer Akashe (1988),Chokher Aloy (1989),and Mayabini (1992). By the late 1980s, Debashree Roy had virtually monopolized the Bengali film industry.
In 1992, Debashree Roy married actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, but their marriage became complicated after she received the National Award for Best Actress for her performance in Rituparno Ghosh's Unishe April (1994),in which she was paired with Chatterjee. They eventually separated in 1995. Following this, Debashree Roy focused on meaningful roles rather than mainstream commercial ones.
She appeared in Bhabendra Nath Saikia's Hindi crime drama Kaal Sandhya (1997) and collaborated with Rituparno Ghosh again in his Bengali venture Asukh (1999). Debashree Roy also worked with Goutam Ghose in Dekha (2001),Bappaditya Bandopadhyay in Shilpantar (2002),and Subhadro Chowdhury in Prohor (2004).
