Ruma Guha Thakurta

Ruma Guha Thakurta (Bengali: রুমা গুহঠাকুরতা) is a Bengali actress and singer. She was born in 1934 as Ruma Ghosh. She hails from a distinguished Brahmo Bengali family. Her father was Satyen Ghosh (known as Montey Ghosh), her mother Sati Devi, a talented singer. Sati Devi's younger sister Bijoya is married to legendary film director Satyajit Ray. Ruma had her formal education in many places including Santiniketan for a brief period. She was educated first in Loretto and then in Gokhale School and thereafter Sacred Heart School, Lahore. She was also one of the earliest child students of Uday Shankar Cultural Centre in Almora in its formative years where her mother had been a music teacher.Kishore Kumar married Ruma Ghosh in May 1951 in Bombay, and their son Amit Kumar was born the following year. The couple divorced in 1958. she settled in Calcutta and married Arup Guha Thakurta and had two children by him Ayan and Sromana. In the year 1958 she set up Calcutta Youth Choir with Salil Chowdhury and Satyajit Ray. Ruma Guhathakurta is a versatile genius a singer, an actress, a dancer, a choreographer, and many other characteristics in a single personality.

Calcutta Youth Choir

Singer actress Ruma Guha Thakurata's Calcutta Youth Choir (Bengali: ক্যালকাটা ইয়ুথ কয়্যার) has always been known for their traditional folk song, Mass song and folk dance. Several years ago, the choir had coined the song, 'Aaj joto juddhabaaj'. The lyrics were by Shibdas Bandopadhyay and the music for the song was composed by V. Balsara. HMV had come out with the soundtrack a couple of years ago. Another famous song by Ruma Guhathakurta's Calcutta Youth Choir is 'Bharatvarsh Suraj Ka Ek Naam' was regularly screened in DD Channel few years before was originally written in Bengali by Shibdas Bandopadhyay and set to tune by Y.S. Moolky (Bharatbarsho Surjer Ek Naam.....). The songs 'Bistirno Duparee...' and 'Tomar Amar Thikana....Padma Meghna Jamuna' by Calcutta Youth Choir under the direction of Ruma Guhathakurta ......No other singers have the range that Ruma Guhathakurta has in her voice for these two songs.... HMV brought out a record on the Choir where these songs were included.To make a mark of a choir worldwide is a mammoth task. But Ruma Guha Thakurta - known popularly as Rumadi - has ruling the music world for over six decades with the talent of choir conduction. She has captured the imagination of generations of music lovers and if one likes to know the choir culture of India the first and foremost thought comes in mind is Ruma Guhathakurta's Calcutta Youth Choir. Traditional folk song and dance from the various parts of the world is also a gift of the choir to the Indian Culture. In the year, July, 1974 20-member Folk Song and Dance troupe of Calcutta Youth Choir led by Smt. Ruma Guha Thakurta, participated in the Festival and won the first prize, in the Copenhagen Youth Festival. The Choir also got opportunity to participate in the 25th Republic Day of India in Delhi. Opening song by Calcutta Youth Choir to welcome Nelson Mandela in India in 1990 and to honour Amartya Sen for Nobel prize in the year 1998 are the Laurel. 21st June 2007 the choir performed in 30th Anniversary of Left Front Government of West Bengal in Netaji Indoor Stadium. More than 5000 shows are performed by the choir led by Ruma Guhathakurta. But the performance of choir started becoming quite disappointing since 2003 due to physical illness of Guhathakurta. Chief minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharya inaugurated the new building of the choir in South Calcutta on 29th December 2006.

2nd May 2008 Calcutta Youth Choir celebrated 50th Golden Anniversary in Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata, in the presence of siting Honorable Speaker of Parliament of India Mr. Somenath Chatterjee, Mayor of Kolkata Corporation Sri Bikash Ranjan Bhattachharia, Singer Manna Dey, Suchitra Mitra, Sabita Chowdury, Actor Soumitra Chatterjee and others. Manna Dey and Sabita Chowdhury performed Janey Waley Sipahi along with Calcutta Youth Choir headed by Ruma Guha Thakurta.

Singing career

As a solo singer Ruma Guha Thakurta had also recorded few Rabindra sangeet like "Maya Bono Biharini Harini" with Kishore Kumar in Lookochuri, "Sukher Majhe tomai dekhechi" in Jodi Jantem and "Potho Hara Tumi Pothika" and a few nos of Rabindra Sangeet in 'Bakshaw Badal', 'Bajey Karun Surey' in monihar and others. HMV recorded "Kotha Baire Dure", "Khone Khone Mone Mone" and few others. In Bangla Adunik (modern) songs Guhathakurta recorded a no of songs like "Mon Je amar kemon kemon...' in Polatak, 'Ei To Hethai Kunja...' with Kishore Kumar in Lookochuri, 'Tomar Geeti" with Hemant Kumar in Lookichuri, "Jodi Akash Hote" in Ashi te Ashio na (only used in film), "Sukh Sari" with Manna Dey in Antony Firengee. In the year 1969 HMV recorded "Ek Khana Megh Bheshe elo akase" and "Bathan Bathan" by her was super hit. Few duet songs like "Sajea Dopati" with Bhupen Hazarika are too good. In the year 1993 after Satyajit Ray died she recorded "Puroskare Sommane" as a tribute to him. Guha Thakurta is having a strong voice range so the songs which the listeners are userd to listen in her voice will never like in others voice. Once hearing those songs specially "Bistirno Duparee", "Tomar Amar Thikana", and many more. Her tribute to Mother Teresa after Mother passed away was really sung by her from the core point of her heart. She takes music classes where it is seen that both her students and herself is really devoted in music. Most of the songs sung by her is always related for awakening the society.

Famous Song

1. Bistirno Duparee (Bengali version of Ol%27_Man_River)...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
2. Tomar Amar Thikana...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
3. Bharat Barsha Surjer Ek Naam...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
4. Akash Theke Alo Nilam...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
5. Haowa Khana Chup Chap...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
6. Chera Kathai Dhaka Sorir...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
7. Bolo Bolo Bolo Sobe...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
8. Jago Onoson Bondi...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
9. Chetonar Soikote...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
10. Beje Uthlo Ki Somoyer Ghori...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
11. Maya Bono Biharini...with Kishore Kumar in movie Lukochuri.
12. Ei To Hethai ...with Kishore Kumar in movie Lukochuri.
13. Ek Khana Megh ...Solo
14. Puroshkare Sonmaney...Solo.
15. Mon J Amar...Solo in movie Polatak.
16. Ekta Chooto Mey...Solo.
17. Bathan Bathan(folk)...Solo.
18. Sajia Dopati(folk)...With Bhupen Hazarika.
19. Baje Karuna Sure...Solo Rabindrasangeet in movie Monihara.
20. Sukher Majhe Tomai Dekhechi...Solo Rabindrasangeet in movie Jodi Jantem.
21. Sagor Nodi...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
22. Amader Jop Top Mantra...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
23. Sare Jahan Se Accha...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
24. We Shall Overcome...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
25. Bharat Jaijan...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.
26. Sukh Bole Sari...With Manna Dey in movie Antony Firengee.
27. Jodi Akash Hote...With Manna Dey in movie Ashi Te Ashio Na. 28. Shudhu Poth Chey Thaka... in movie Baghini. 29. Din Agoto Oi (Bengali version of We Are The World)...Along with Calcutta Youth Choir.

Acting career

Her career started in Bollywood as a child artist. Ruma Guha Thakurta acted more than 100 movies in Bengali. Most of her Hindi movies were released in Fifties. She joined Bollywood as a child artist at a remuneration of Rs 500/- at the age of thirteen in Prithvi Theatre. Acted in no of movies in Hindi like Rajani, Raagrang, Samar, Afsar, Bairaag. Devikarani gave her a break in "Jwar Bhata" after getting impressed with her dance skillsin the year 1944. In the year 1989 Ganashatru was nominated for oscar where she was in the main lead female character. Ritwik Ghatak wanted her to act in the lead role in his film "Megha Dhaka Tara", but she was busy in shooting of Rajen Tarafdar’s "Ganga" so she could not accept the offer. She kept remarable performance as a successful lead actress in 'Khaneker Athithi', 'Benarasi', 'Ashi te Asio Na', 'Personal Asst.', 'Ganga', 'Abhijan', 'Nirjan Soikote', 'Ponchosor', 'Arogya Niketon', Ganashatru and many more and as a supporting actress in 'Cheley Kar', 'Gar Nasimpur', 'Bhaghini', 'Jodi Jantem', 'Hanghsa Mithun', 'Balika Badhu', 'Chakranto', 'Malabadal', 'Chowdury Paribar', 'Aakrosh', 'Aagoon'. She won the award for best actress for her performance in "Nirjan Saikate". Her acting as a mother character in 'Amar Songi', 'Anuraher Chhoya', 'Trayee', 'Dadar Kirti','Arogya Niketon', 'Papi', '36 Chowringhee Lane', Amrita Kumbher Sandhaney, 'Srodhanjoli' are really outstanding. She also played some notable characters in Mega TV Sereals also like 'Prabaho', 'Ghum Nei', 'Pritibimbo',etc. In the year 2006 she also acted in Mira Nair's The Namesake (film).

ee also

*List of notable Calcuttans

External links

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