Tulsi Chakraborty

Tulsi Chakraborty or Tulsi Chakrabarti (3 March 1899 – 11 December 1961) was an Indian actor and comedian who worked in Bengali cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. His most notable role could be the lead role in Parash Pathar, directed by Satyajit Ray.

Childhood
Chakraborty was born on 3 March 1899 in the small village called Goari. His father, Ashutosh Chakraborty, was an employee of the Indian Railways and the family had to move around various places in undivided Bengal. So, young Tulsi had to spend a lot of time in Calcutta staying with his paternal uncle Prasad Chakraborty, the elder brother of Asutosh Chakraborty. Prasadbabu was a talented tabla and harmonium player who was an employee of the renowned Star Theatre the legendary Bengali commercial theatre stage and production company. He had a small group of musicians who used to play live background music during theatrical performances. It was through his uncle's contacts that Tulsi was able to watch the finest actors of the generation at work and this fostered his own ambitions to become a singer-actor. Before launching in theatre, Tulsi Chakraborty engaged himself in a number of odd-jobs, starting from dish-washer in a small North Calcutta eatery to working as a clown in a circus in Burma [now, Myanmar]. In films, he started with character roles before performing as a comedian. He was known for his realistic acting. He never used any make-up or extra arrangements. Usually he was clad in a white dhoti accompanied by a sacred thread on his shoulder.

Career
One of Chakraborti's notable performances was in Sharey Chuattor, which was the debut film of the popular pair of Bengali cinema: Suchitra Sen and Uttam Kumar. In Parash Pathar directed by Satyajit Ray, he acted in the lead role of Paresh Dutta. He unleashed memorable roles in Uttam Kumar-Suchitra Sen starrer ' Ekti Raat' and in 'Chaoya Paoya'  ; in both these films, Chakraborty played a sceptical inn owner; in the latter, he teamed up with Rajlakshmi Devi. He also had a small role that of a village pandit cum grocer in Pather Panchali. Satyajit Ray once said that had Mr. Chakraborty been born in the USA, he would have been awarded an Oscar for his acting...

He died on 11 December in the year of 1961.

Life
Chakraborti spent the latter part of his life in utmost poverty. His widow was also known to have lived in abject poverty as was revealed by a television programme. Due to his poverty he had to take a walk from Tollygunge studio to his home in Shibpur, Howrah.

Filmography
Bipasha 1962 released after his death
Carey Saheber Munshi (1961)
Maya Mriga (1960)
Suno Baranari (1960)
Khokababur Pratyabartan (1960)
Chaoya Paoya
Mriter Martye Agaman (1959)
Gali Theke Rajpath (1959)
Deep Jwele Jai (1959)
Personal Assistant (1959) - Publisher
Ajantrik (1958)
Joutuk (1958)
Indrani (film) (1958)
Jamalaye Jibanta Manush (1958)
Parash Pathar (1958) - Paresh Chandra Dutta
Rajlakshmi O Srikanta (1958) - Ratan
Sonar Kathi (1958)
Adarsha Hindu Hotel (film) (1957)
Chandranath (1957)
Bardidi (1957)
Harishchandra (1957)
Prithibi Amare Chaay (1957)
Chore (1956)
Ekti Raat (1956) - Gossainji
Shyamali (1956)
Pather Panchali (1955) - Prasanna, school teacher
Aparadhi (1955)
Bhalobasa (1955)
Dujane (1955)
Godhuli (1955)
Kalindi (1955)
Nishiddha Phal (1955)
Shreebatsa Chinta (1955)
Upahar (1955) - Ghatak
Champadangar Bou (1954)
Jadubhatta (1954)
Ora Thake Odhare (1954)
Chheley Kaar (1954)
Jaydev (1954)
Moyla Kagaj (1954)
Bana Hansi (1953)
Nabin Jatra (1953)
Sharey Chuattor (1953) - Rajanibabu
Darpachurna (1952)
Meghmukti (1952)
Pandit Mashai (1951)
Ananda Math (1951)
Mandanda (1950)
Mej Didi (1950) - Nabin
Rupkatha (1950)
Sheshbesh (1950)
Ashabari (1949)
Bamuner Meye (1949)
Bishnupriya (1949)
Kavi (1949)
Kamona (1949)
Manzoor (1949)
Anirban (1948)
Banchita (1948)
Purabi (1948)
Samapika (1948)
Biraj Bou (1946)
Mandir (1946)
Pratima (1946)
Bhabikaal (1945)
Dui Purush (1945)
Kalankini (1945)
Mane Na Mane (1945) - Nayeb
Path Bendhe Dilo (1945)
Hamrahi (1944)
Meri Bahen (1944) - Chaudhary
Udayer Pathey (1944)
Devar (1943)
Dikshul (1943)
Garmil (1942) - Jamidar's uncle
Pashan Devata (1942)
Saugandh (1942)
Pratisruti (1941)
Uttarayan (1941) - Ramrup
Kamale Kamini (1940) - Bachal
Nimai Sanyasi (1940) - Adwaita
Bamanabatar (1939) - Kashyap
Janak Nandini (1939) - Janak
Nara Narayana (1939) - Jambaban
Bekar Nashan (1938) - Pitambar
Prabas Milan (1937) - Nanda
Kanthahaar (1935)
Manmoyee Girls School (1935) - Damodar Chakraborty
Dakshayajna (1934) - Brahma
Sree Gouranga (1933)
Punarjanma (1932)