Sabitri Chatterjee is one of the most popular actresses of Bengali film industry, whose career span is of 60 years. Some of her other notable Bengali movies are "Raat Bhor", "Upahar", "Abhayer Biye", "Nupur", "Gali Theke Rajpat", "Marutirtha Hinglaj", "Kuhak", "Badhu", "Bhranti Bilas", "Uttarayan", "Kal Tumi Aleya", "Nishipadma", "Dhanyi Meye" etc. Popular actor of Bengali film industry and a co-actor of Sabitri Chatterjee, Soumitra Chatterjee described her as the finest actor. She has been honoured with several recognitions. Other than the cinematic world, Sabitri Chatterjee is also associated with many welfare organisations.

Early Years of Sabitri Chatterjee
Sabitri Chatterjee was born on 22nd February 1937 in Comilla, in British India (now in Bangladesh). She was the youngest in the family of ten daughters and her father, Sashadhar Chatterjee was a stationmaster in the Indian Railways. When the riots broke out after the Partition of India, the young Sabitri was sent to a safe abode to his married sister`s house in Kolkata located at Tollygunge, the hub of Bengali film industry. There, she saw the movie stars shooting at the famed New Theatres Studios. From there her immense interest of acting in films grew. Sabitri Chatterjee and her family had to fight against extreme poverty during her childhood days. Eventually, she started to work as a junior artiste and when she was in class ten, she caught the eye of the great comic actor Bhanu Banerjee and joined the theatre group named "Uttar Sarathi" to learn the nits and grits of acting. Here she played some significant plays and received critical praise for its resolute realism and fantastic performances.

Career of Sabitri Chatterjee
Sabitri`s histrionic talents portrayed during the rehearsals of "Natun Yahudi" caught the eye of Binu Bardhan, a member of "Uttar Sarathi" who also was the assistant to the film-director Sudhir Mukherjee. Bardhan and Bhanu Bannerjee recommended Sabitri Chatterjee to appear for the screen test for the film "Pasher Bari" (1952). Sabitri Chatterjee got the role of the female lead in this comedy film, which turned out to be a huge hit with her unrestrained style and her comic timing.

Sabitri Chatterjee`s next film was "Subhada" (1952) by Niren Lahiri. Here she was featured along with the stalwarts like Chhabi Biswas and Pahari Sanyal. In the same year, she appeared in her first film opposite the legendary actor Uttam Kumar in the family drama "Basu Parivar" (1952) directed by Nirmal Dey. Sabitri Chatterjee and Uttam Kumar had been close friends since 1951. He was highly impressed by her acting abilities and offered her to act in a theatrical production of his group "Krishti O Srishti". The Uttam-Sabitri duo very soon became a favourite of the Bengali cine-goers. They did a series of memorable films including, "Lakh Taka" (1953), "Anupama" (1954), "Kalyani" (1954), "Raikamal" (1955), "Nabojanma" (1956), "Punar Milan" (1957), "Marutirtha Hinglaj" (1959), "Raja-Saja" (1960), "Dui Bhai" (1961), "Bhranti Bilas" (1963), "Momer Alo" (1964) and "Nishipadma" (1970).

In the film "Anupama" Uttam Kumar`s association with Sabitri encompassed both romantic and the comic genres. "Bhranti Bilas" and "Dhanyi Meye" are some of the best Bengali comedy cinema. The film "Marutirtha Hinglaj" saw Sabitri Chatterjee`s spellbinding performance. Sabitri Chatterjee continued with her glittering career during the 1970`s, doing several films like "Shanti" (1970), "Putuler Ma" (1973), "Shila" (1970), "Pratinidhi" (1964, "Mantramugdha" (1970), "Malyadaan" (1971), "Sesh Parba" (1972), "Seyi Chokh" (1976), "Brajabuli" (1979) and so on. In the early 1980s, Sabitri Chatterjee did not appear on screen as before. However, in the late 1980s, she came back with films like "Mamoni" (1986), "Anandalok" (1988) and "Haar-Jeet" (2000) etc. She continues to act in characteristic mother and older women roles in commercial Bengali films till date. Sabitri Chatterjee was one of the stars of the mega soap opera "Sonar Harin" that has had a run of more than 1000 episodes. Sabitri Chatterjee has also gained immense popularity for her role in the popular Bengali daily soap "Subarnalata", which was broadcasted from 2010 to 2012 in Zee Bangla channel. "Subarnalata" is an adaptation of Ashapurna Devi`s novel.

Filmography of Sabitri Chatterjee
Sabitri Chatterjee acted in several Bengali cinemas, which are enlisted below:

Films	Year
Maati	2018
Thammar Boyfriend	2016
Praktan	2016
Highway	2014
Hemlock Society	2012
Podokkhep	2006
Tapasya	2006
Har Jeet	2000
Bahadur	1992
Anandalok	1988
Mamoni	1986
Rajnandini	1980
Brojobuli	1979
Phool Sajya	1975
Mouchak	1974
Heerey Manik	1979
Sei Chokh	1976
Sesh Parba	1972
Dhanyee Meye	1971
Malyadaan	1971
Pratham Pratissuti	1971
Nishi Padma	1970
Kalankita Nayak	1970
Manjari Opera	1970
Pathey Holo Dekha	1968
Grihadaha	1967
Kal Tumi Aleya	1966
Antaral	1965
Jaya	1965
Momer Alo	1964
Shes Anko	1963
Uttarayan	1963
Bhranti Bilaas	1963
Nav Diganta	1962
Dui Bhai	1961
Haat Baralei Bandhu	1960
Kuhak	1960
Raja-Saja	1960
Gali Theke Rajpath	1959
Marutirtha Hinglaj	1959
Daak Harkara	1958
Daktar Babu	1958
Punar Milan	1957
Abhoyer Biye	1957
Daner Maryada	1956
Nabajanma	1956
Paradhin	1956
Raat Bhore	1956
Raikamal	1955
Godhuli	1955
Paresh	1955
Upahar	1955
Annapurnar Mandir	1954
Anupama	1954
Bidhilipi	1954
Bratacharini	1954
Champadangar Bou	1954
Kalyani	1954
Moyla Kagaj	1954
Kajari	1953
Lakh Taka	1953
Natun Yahudi	1953
Subhadra	1952
Basu Paribar	1952
Pasher Bari	1952

Television Career of Sabitri Chatterjee
Sabitri Chatterjee, along with Bengali cinemas, has worked in numerous Bengali serials in different roles as well. The TV shows of her are provided below:

• "Sonar Harin"
• "Subarnalata" in 2010
• "Tapur Tupur" in 2011
• "Jal Nupur" in 2013
• "Kusum Dola" in 2013
• "Joto Hashi Toto Ranna" in 2013
• "Chokher Tara Tui" in 2014
• "Andarmahal" in 2017
Recognitions to Sabitri Chatterjee
Sabitri Chatterjee has been honoured with several recognitions including:

Recognitions	Year	Films	Category
The Bengal Film Journalists` Association (BFJA) Award	1967	Kal Tumi Aleya`	Best Actress in Supporting Role
BFJA Award	1972	Malyadan`	Best Actress in Supporting Role
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award	1999		Acting in Bengali theatre
D.Lit Degree from Kalyani University	2012
Banga Bibhushan Award	2013		Contribution to Indian Cinema
Padma Shri Award	2014		Contributions in Film arts
Hiralal Sen Lifetime Achievement Award by BFTCC	2019		Lifetime Achievement