Veteran Bengali actor and popular newsreader Debraj Roy passed away on Thursday night at a private hospital following multiple organ failure after battling serious illnesses for several months, according to hospital authorities. He was 69. Roy had suffered a cerebral attack a few months ago and was also dealing with nephrological issues. He is survived by his wife, Anuradha Roy, a fellow Bengali actress and popular newsreader.
Debraj Roy made his acting debut in Satyajit Ray’s 1970 film Pratidwandi and starred in Mrinal Sen’s Calcutta 71 the following year. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her sorrow over his passing, remembering him as both a talented actor and a good man from Bhawanipore.
In a post on X, she offered her condolences to Roy’s family and friends, noting that his death marks a significant loss to the cultural world. “Saddened by the demise of actor Debraj Roy. An actor who made our eminent directors proud, he was also a popular news reader on Doordarshan. I knew him well as a good man from Bhawanipore and feeling very sad by this loss. My condolences to his family members and friends. Our cultural world stands diminished today,” Banerjee wrote on X. He had worked with austere filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen. In his early years, his performance in Ray’s ‘Pratidwandi’ had captivated the audience and film lovers.