Kolkata, Nov 15 (UNI) It's the end of an era.....

The legend, who changed the face of the Indian Cinema, was arguably the most prominent face of Oscar-winning film Director Satyajit Ray's films.

Born on January 19, 1935, the acclaimed actor, Soumitra Chatterjee, was best known for his collaborations with Ray with whom he worked in fourteen films.

Chatterjee was one of the iconic Bengali actors and an ardent student of Ray.

He was also the first Indian film personality conferred with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France's highest award for artists.

He was also the winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which is India's highest award for cinema.

In 2018 exactly thirty years after auteur Satyajit Ray was honoured with France's highest civilian award, the coveted Legion of Honor, thespian Soumitra Chatterjee, arguably, the most prominent face of Ray's films, also received the prestigious award as the first ever Indian actor.

Starting with his debut film, Apur Sansar (The World of Apu, 1959)as adult Apu, the third part of Apu Trilogy, he went on to work in several notable films with Ray, including Abhijan (The Expedition, 1962), Charulata (The Lonely Wife, 1964)as Amal, Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest, 1969); Ashani Sanket (Distant Thunder, 1973); Sonar Kella (The Fortress, 1974) and Joi Baba Felunath (The Elephant God, 1978) as Feluda; Hirak Rajar Deshe(1980), Ghare Baire (The Home and The World, 1984)as Sandeep, Shakha Proshakha (1990) and Ganashatru (Enemy of the People, 1989).

He also worked with other noted directors of Bengali cinema, with Mrinal Sen in Akash Kusum (Up in the Clouds, 1965), Tapan Sinha in Kshudhita Pashan(Hungry Stones, 1960), Jhinder Bandi (1961), Atonko(1984), Asit Sen in Swaralipi (1961), Ajoy Kar in Otol Joler Ahoban(1962) Saat Pake Bandha (1963), Parineeta (1969), and Tarun Mazumdar in Sansar Simante (1975), Ganadevata (1978),Poth o Prasad,Agomon(1988).

Chatterjee acted more than 210 films in his career till 2016. He also received critical favour for his directorial venture Stree Ki Patra which is based on Streer Patra, a Bengali short story written by Tagore.

In 2012, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema given by the government of India for lifetime achievement.

He won two National Film Awards as an actor, and as an actor in Bengali theatre, he received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama.

In 2013, IBN LIVE named him as one of "The men who changed the face of the Indian Cinema".

In 2014, he received the introductory Filmfare Awards East for Best Male Actor (Critics) for his role in Rupkatha Noy.

Chatterjee won seven Filmfare Awards. In 2006 he won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Podokkhep.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2004.

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