Tulsi Chakraborty

Tulsi Chakraborty Biography

Tulsi Chakraborty was a popular character artist associated with Bengali cinema, best known for portraying comic roles. Worked with many leading directors of the industry, he played the lead role of a clerk in Paresh Chandra Dutt in Satyajit Ray’s first experimental fantasy film - Parash Pathar, released in 1958. It was also Satyajit Ray's first film outside of the Apu Trilogy and the movie was noted for its humour touch which is quite rare in Ray’s movies. Started his film journey with early 1930s, Parash Pathar was one of his best movies during the last phase of his career. Tulsi passed away three years later, aged 62. He appeared in noted roles in the movies - Sharey Chuattor and Pather Panchali.

Tulsi was born on 3 March 1899 in the small village called Goari of present-day Howrah district. His father worked in Indian railways and for the same reason the family shifted from one place to another in the undivided Bengal during his childhood days. In those days he used to spend a lot of time with paternal Uncle Prasad Chakraborty who was interested in arts and cinema. He also worked in a Bengali stage troupe and that’s how Tulsi got exposed to the entertainment world for the first time.

He entered film scene in the early 1930s. Some of his early roles include Deep Jwele Jai, Punarjanma, Dakshayajna, Manmoyee Girls School, Nara Narayana, Prabas Milan etc. During his early days he was mostly associated with mythological roles. When mythological themes paved way to social dramas and romantic movies, Tulsi slowly established himself as a noted comedian. He was at his career peak in the 1950s and was active in the film scene till his last years. Though he entertained audience through his role as a comedian, his last years were spent in extreme poverty.

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Updated: April 03, 2016