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{{Short description|Indian actor (1928–2000)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Basanta Chowdhury
| image = Basanta Chowdhury 01.jpg
| caption = Basanta Chowdhury
| native_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1928|05|5}}
| birth_place = [[Nagpur]], [[Bombay Province]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age text|20 June 2000|5 May 1928}}
| death_place = [[Calcutta]], India
| education = Deena Nath High School Nagpur
| occupation = Actor, film producer
| years_active = 1952–1993 (41 years)
| spouse = Aloka Chowdhury
| children = 2
| awards = Best Actor Prize for his film "Raja Rammohan" by [[Bengal Film Journalists' Association|B.F.J.A]], Bangla Stage Centenary Star Theater award.
| honours = [[Sheriff of Kolkata]], Chairman of Nandan-West Bengal Film Center.
| website =
}}

'''Basanta Choudhury''' also known as '''Basanta Chowdhury''' (5 May 1928 – 20 June 2000), was an Indian actor in [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali]] and [[Bollywood|Hindi]] films. He worked with directors [[Asit Sen (actor)|Asit Sen]], [[Rajen Tarafdar]], Ajay Kar and Bijay Bose, often in leading roles.<ref>{{cite news |title=Films from the heart |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article2417951.ece |work=The Hindu |date=3 September 2011 |access-date=2013-04-29}}</ref> He is a former [[Sheriff of Kolkata]].

Choudhury's collection of [[Kashmir shawl|Kashmiri]] and [[Persia]]n [[shawl]]s were enviable. Director [[Satyajit Ray]] admired those collections and used for his masterpieces.

== Birth and childhood ==
Basanta Chowdhury was born into an affluent [[Kayastha]] [[Zamindar]] Datta Chowdhury family of Andul, [[Howrah]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/district/howrah-hoogly/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%A6-%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A7%9C-%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%98-%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C-%E0%A6%A6-%E0%A6%98%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AD-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8-1.88161|title=আন্দুল রাজবাড়িকে ঘিরে জাদুঘরের ভাবনা – Anandabazar|last=আবসার|first=নুরুল|work=Anandabazar Patrika|access-date=2018-07-26|language=bn}}</ref> In circa 1886, his great-great forefather Apurba Krishna Dutta Chaudhuri discontinued the surname 'Dutta' and moved from his ancestral place [[Andul]] to [[Nagpur]] to practice law. He later became the Law Lecturer in the Morris College (the present-day [[Vasantrao Naik Government Institute of Arts and Social Sciences|Vasantrao Naik Government Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (VNGIASS)]]). His son was Phani Bhusan Chaudhuri, whose son Shiddhish Chandra Chowdhury. Shiddhish and Kamala Devi had two sons – Basanta & Prasanta. Both of them grew up in Nagpur. Basanta graduated from Morris college. In 1945 he completed his Matriculation Examination from Deena Nath High School [[Nagpur]]. After shifting to [[Kolkata]], Chowdhury stayed in [[Ranikuthi]] in [[Tollygunge]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/supplementary/patrika/sweet-memorabilia-of-actor-basanta-chowdhury-written-by-shankarlal-bhattacharya-1.169176|title=রাগ বসন্ত|work=Anandabazar Patrika|access-date=2018-07-26|language=bn|archive-date=26 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726203228/https://www.anandabazar.com/supplementary/patrika/sweet-memorabilia-of-actor-basanta-chowdhury-written-by-shankarlal-bhattacharya-1.169176|url-status=live}}</ref>

He was a [[numismatist]] i.e. an expert collector of [[Ganesha]] idols, rare coins, paper currency and was a collector of Kashmiri and Persian shawls.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://halfsamosa.in/6-best-films-basanta-choudhury-sophisticated-actor-almost-forgotten/|title=6 best films of Basanta Choudhury – a sophisticated actor almost forgotten{{!}} Half Samosa|date=2017-04-10|work=Half Samosa|access-date=2018-07-26|language=en-US|archive-date=26 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726170105/http://halfsamosa.in/6-best-films-basanta-choudhury-sophisticated-actor-almost-forgotten/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Family tree and royal seal ==
<gallery>
File:Basanta Chowdhury Family Tree.jpg|Basanta Chowdhury family tree.
File:Emblem (or Seal) of the Dutta Chowdhury family of Andul.jpg|Seal of the Chowdhury family
</gallery>

== Career ==
[[File:Basanta Chowdhury..jpg|thumb|Basanta Chowdhury receiving [[Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Best Actor Award]] from then [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] Smt. [[Indira Gandhi]] in1966 CE for the movie '''Raja Rammohan''<nowiki/>'.]]
His first film was ''Mahaprasthaner Pathe'' by director Kartik Chattopadhay in 1952. Some of his memorable films are, ''Bhagaban Shri Krishna Chaitanya'', ''Jadu Bhatta'', ''Andhare Alo'', ''[[Deep Jwele Jaai]]'' with [[Suchitra Sen]], ''Anushtoop Chhanda'', ''Abhaya O Srikanta'', ''[[Raja Rammohan Roy (film)|Raja Rammohan Roy]]'', ''Diba Ratrir Kabya'', ''[[Devi Chaudhurani]]''. He was also involved with amateur theater and radio.

== Filmography ==
*1952: ''Mahaprasthaner Pathey'' – Probodh Kumar Sanyal
*1952: ''Yatrik'' – Probodh Kumar Sanyal
*1953: ''Bhagaban Shrikrishna Chaitanya'' – Sri Chaitanya
*1953: ''[[Nabin Jatra]]'' Safar
*1954: ''[[Jadu Bhatta (film)|Jadu Bhatta]]'' (Bokul)
*1955: ''Bhalobasa''
*1955: ''Du-janay''
*1955: ''Devimalini''
*1955: ''[[Aparadhi (1955 film)|Aparadhi]]'' (Pather Sheshey)
*1956: ''[[Shankar Narayan Bank]]''
*1956: ''[[Shubharatri]]'' ([[Chhaya Sangini]]; [[Govindadas]]; [[Rajpath]])
*1956: ''[[Basant Bahar (film)|Basanta Bahar]]''
*1957: ''Harjit''
*1957: ''[[Andhare Alo (1957 film)|Andhare Alo]]'' – Satyendra
*1957: ''Khela Bhangar Khela''
*1957: ''[[Madhumalati (film)|Madhumalati]]''
*1957: ''Shesh Parichay''
*1958: ''[[Jogajog (1958 film)|Jogajog]]''
*1959: ''[[Shashi Babur Sansar]]''
*1959: ''[[Deep Jwele Jaai]]'' – Tapash
*1960: ''[[Parakh (1960 film)|Parakh]]'' – Pro. Rajat Sen
*1960: ''[[Khudha]]''
*1962: [[Yatrik (1962 film)|Yatrik]]
*1962: ''Bodhu''
*1962: ''Agnisikha''
*1962: ''Nav Diganta''
*1962: ''Sancharini''
*1963: ''Shreyasi''
*1964: ''Kashtipathar''
*1964: ''Anustup Chhanda''
*1965: ''[[Alor Pipasa]]''
*1965: ''[[Abhoya-o-Srikanta]]'' – Srikanta
*1965: ''Gulmohar''
*1965: ''[[Raja Rammohun]]'' – Raja Rammohan Roy
*1965: ''[[Eki Ange Eto Rup]]''
*1966: ''[[Uttar Purush]]''
*1966: ''Sankha Bela''
*1966: ''[[Susanta Sha]]''
*1969: ''Rahgir''
*1970: ''Megh Kalo''
*1971: ''[[Pratham Pratisruti]]'' – Raam Kaali
*1971: ''[[Grahan (1971 film)|Grahan]]''
*1974: ''[[Pranta Rekha]]''
*[[File:Basanta Chowdhury.jpg|thumb|Basanta Chowdhury and [[Suchitra Sen]] in the movie [[Devi Chaudhurani]] in 1974 AD. ]]1974: ''[[Jadi Jantem]]''
*1974: ''Sangini''
*1974: ''Debi Chaudhrani'' – Bhabani Pathak
*1975: ''Nishi Mrigaya''
*1975: ''Khudha''
*1976: ''Sankhabish''
*1977: ''[[Babu Moshai (film)|Babu Moshai]]''
*1978: ''[[Parichay (1978 film)|Parichay]]''
*1978: ''[[Mayuri (1978 film)|Mayuri]]''
*1979: ''[[Chirantan]]''
*1979: ''[[Jiban Je Rakam]]''
*1979: ''Heerey Manik''
*1980: ''[[Bhagya Chakra (1980 film)|Bhagya Chakra]]''
*1981: ''Kalankini''
*1982: ''Sonar Bangla''
*1983: ''[[Indira (1983 film)|Indira]]''
*1983: ''Deepar Prem''
*1985: ''[[Putulghar]]''
*1985: ''[[Baidurya Rahasya]]''
*1987: ''[[Antarjali Jatra]]'' – Yashobati's Father
*1987: ''Maha Yatra''
*1988: ''Antaranga''
*1988: ''[[Sankhachur]]''
*1990: ''[[Sankranti (1990 film)|Sankranti]]''
*1990: ''[[Raktorin]]''
*1990: ''[[Ek Doctor Ki Maut]]'' – Dr. Ramanand
*1991: ''[[Raj Nartaki (1991 film)|Raj Nartaki]]''
*1992: ''[[Satya Mithya (1992 film)|Satya Mithya]]''
*1992: ''[[Hirer Angti]]''
*1992: ''Apon Ghar''
*1993: ''Kacher Prithvi''
*1994: ''Tabu Mane Rekho''
*1994: ''Dhusar Godhuli'' – (final film role)
[[File:Basanta Chowdhury & Uttam Kumar..jpg|thumb|Basanta Chowdhury (left) and [[Uttam Kumar]] (right) together sharing a screen in an event. ]]

== Awards ==
In 1965, actor Chowdhury was awarded the Best Actor Prize for his film "Raja Rammohan" by B.F.J.A. In 1996, he also received Bangla Stage Centenary [[Star Theatre, Kolkata|Star Theater]] award from [[University of Calcutta|Calcutta University]]. He had also acted in several Hindi films.

The actor had been the [[Sheriff of Kolkata]]. He was also appointed the Chairman of [[Nandan (Kolkata)|Nandan-West Bengal Film Centre]] in Kolkata.

== Death ==

The actor suffered from [[lung cancer]] for quite some time. He died on 20 June 2000 in Kolkata.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/archive/releases98/lyr2000/rjun2000/r21062000.html|title=Untitled Page|access-date=25 May 2016|archive-date=17 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617004500/http://pib.nic.in/archive/releases98/lyr2000/rjun2000/r21062000.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|0159330}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choudhury, Basanta}}
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors in Bengali cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:Sheriffs of Kolkata]]

Basanta Choudhury - Revision history

Mosphe at 05:58, 6 February 2026