Leading ladies of Bengali Cinema

In an era when the idea of women in cinema was taboo, these three towering women not only made acting their profession, they also lit up the screen and the hearts of their audience leaving an indelible mark on Bengali cinema.

 

As actors, they were breaking new ground. But they didn't stop there. All three of them produced critically acclaimed box office hits. 

Manju Dey and Arundhati Debi also directed memorable films.

 

This work aims to look at these three women, their life's work, the choices they made, the sacrifices they made, in the midst of a patriarchal, oppressive system and coming out on the other side as powerful feminist and artistic icons.