Kamla Chatterjee (; died 10 January 1946) was an Indian actress. During her brief career from 1942 to 1945, she appeared in nine films, including Tansen (1943), Bhanwara (1944), and Dhanna Bhagat (1945). She won the Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in Shankar Parvati (1943).
Chatterjee married film director Kidar Sharma in 1944. She died on 10 January 1946.
In her unfinished project Bechara Bhagwan, she was replaced by Baby Mumtaz, who later became known as Madhubala after the film was released as Neel Kamal in 1947.
Life and career Her early screen appearances included supporting roles in the comedy Aankh Michouli (1942), and Jayant Desai's historical Tansen (1943). She then won the BFJA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the mythological film Shankar Parvati (1943). On the sets of Vish Kanya, Chatterjee met film director Kidar Sharma and married him in 1944.
The year 1944 saw Chatterjee play leading roles opposite Arun Kumar Ahuja in Aspi's musical Caravan, and in Sharma's comedy Bhanwara. The latter, also starring K. L. Saigal, became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year. In 1945, Chatterjee was among the film stars featured in Rangbhoomi Book Depo's Sitaaron Ki Kahaniyan.
Her final release was Sharma's devotional film Dhanna Bhagat (1945). Although the film received a scathing review from critic Baburao Patel, he praised Chatterjee's performance, writing: "In the role of Munni this girl brings life to the screen with every appearance, and one does not like to see the screen without her". A report in The Times of India noted that the film was positively received by audiences.
Death and aftermath Chatterjee died on 10 January 1946.
Contemporary sources differed regarding the cause of her death: Baburao Patel reported that she died of heart failure, while journalist R. A. Shaikh's book Filmdom (1946) mentioned that she committed suicide for unknown reasons.
Patel published a brief obituary in the February 1946 issue of Filmindia magazine:
Before her death, Sharma had announced a film titled Bechara Bhagwan, featuring Chatterjee and P. Jairaj in leading roles. Sharma later changed the film's title to Neel Kamal, and gave her role to the child actress Baby Mumtaz—who debuted as a leading lady and went on to become known as Madhubala.
Filmography Year Title Role Director Notes 1942 Aankh Michouli Pyari R. S. Choudhury 1943Aadab ArzVirendra Desai Shankar Parvati Chaturbhuj Doshi Tansen Shehzadi Jayant Desai Gauri Kidar Sharma Vish Kanya 1944 Caravan Aspi Irani Bhanwara Bindu Kidar Sharma 1945 Dhanna Bhagat Munni 1946 Bechara Bhagwan — Incomplete film; replaced by Madhubala
Awards Year Award Work Result Ref. 1945 Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Best Supporting Actress Award Shankar Parvati (1943)
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