From top: Raima does a Suchitra on the Science City stage, Rituparna sways to Tumi je amar, Rituparno Ghosh talks to Raima and Riya about their Didima. Pictures by Aranya Sen

Goddess, Garbo & granny

Is she touched by the euphoria surrounding her birthday? By the adulation from three generations of fans decades after she retreated into her own private world? The answer is blowing in the wind we know, and also that the septuagenarian lady prefers to celebrate her birthday in her quiet Ballygunge Circular Road apartment with only her near and dear ones.

Myriad moods and moments from Suchitra Sen?s life came alive at the Science City auditorium on Saturday evening through a tribute paid by ETV Bangla. Through chat shows, video clips, song and dance, Mahanayika Suchitra Sen recreated the golden era of Uttam-Suchitra when she reigned supreme, while anchor Gargi Roy Chowdhury entertained the audience with titbits from the star?s life. Suchitra, of course, chose to remain oblivious to the hullabaloo about her.

Song-and-dance

Against a life-size black-and-white frame of her grandmother, Raima Sen danced to some tunes made memorable by her ? Ghum ghum chand to Jhanak jhanak kanak kakan. Rituparna Sengupta made an appearance towards the end, emoting to Tumi je amar.

In between, Sreeradha Bandopadhyay, Indranil Sen, Arundhati Hom Choudhury, Shivaji Chattopadhyay and Shampa Kundu rendered several hit tracks from Uttam-Suchitra starrers, while Srikanta Acharya paid tribute with a song specially composed on ?Mrs Sen?.

Video ga-ga

Some of those who mattered but couldn?t be present on the occasion were captured on video discussing their favourite heroine. Video clips showed Sandip Ray expressing regret for not having been able to work with her. ?Such screen presence is rare these days,? he said. Prosenjit was all admiration for Suchitra the recluse: ?I find a striking resemblance between her and Greta Garbo.?

For Ranjit Mullick, who got to work with Suchitra in Devi Chowdhurani and Fariad, she personified dignity and discipline. ?But she was very moody. She didn?t like any distraction on the sets and would ask the director to clear out the floor before giving a shot,? added Mullick. Some of her co-artistes and backstage hands were also captured on video but unfortunately the clips did not carry their names.

Chit chat

The high point of the evening was film-maker Rituparno Ghosh in conversation with actor Partha Mukhopadhyay, followed by sisters Raima and Riya Sen.

Simulating the erstwhile ETV talk show Ebong Rituparno, the film-maker jogged Mukhopadhyay?s memories of Suchitra in Fariad where he played her son.

But Rituparno?s rapid fire became a tad tricky for the siblings, who tried hard to strike a balance between what to reveal and what to withhold about their ?Didima?.

?She has a very strong personality. She is very determined and disciplined and we have imbibed that from her. For us she is not an actress,? said Riya. ?We are very close to her. But she doesn?t want to get involved with our professional lives and we don?t intrude into her privacy,? added Raima.