Satyajit Ray among his many other mastery, had a rare ability to spot a hidden talent. The great artist Sharmila Tagore was one of those to make a debut through Ray’s films.
Satyajit Ray was a master of many trades and one of his greatest abilities was similar to a jeweller. He would know inherently that Sharmila Tagore was an uncut diamond. With a little guidance and practice, she has given some of the most iconic and unforgettable roles of global cinema.
Today Sharmila Tagore is a living legend among us. Since her debut in 1969, it has been almost six decades that we have been charmed by her grace and beauty and especially her acting prowess. In her journey, she has had many feathers to her crown. She had been a UNICEF ambassador to a Cannes jury and a Padha Bhushan holder.
Here are some black and white shots of Sharmila from those days when she worked with Sayajit Ray. The pictures are delightful, nostalgic and as well as unforgettably iconic.
Let us start with her debut shots from Apur Sansar.
She stars with another Ray’s pick, the legendary Soumitra Chattopadhyay.
The amazing shots of Sharmila grace many walls of film galleries and art lovers.
Then we see her in the chilling Debi scenes. Debi could not have been made without Sharmila’s unforgettably classic act as Dayamoyee.
Her transformation from the homely woman to the reluctant goddess will simply leave an indelible mark in your mind.
How can we ever forget her in the classic Nayak?
She has always been the complete woman – with beauty, intellect and grace.
Aranyer Din Ratri would have been incomplete with Sharmila Tagore.
Although the film revolves around the lead roles of the four friends, Sharmila steals the show as Aparna with her interesting and solid character.
Sharmila Tagore has been the queen of the big screen and has ruled our hearts. We are truly lucky to have such a great legend among us.
Also see: Sharmila and the most beautiful ladies of Bengali black and white cinema
