Mithu Mukherjee – Popular Bengali and Hindi actress with hits like Marjina Abdulla, Nishikanya, Mouchak etc

Mithu Mukherjee is a former Indian actress who predominantly appeared in Bengali films, apart from a few Hindi and Odiya films. She has been active in film industry since early 1970s, throughout the decade till mid-1980s, most known for her glamorous roles and retired from films in 1990. Marjina Abdulla (1972), Nishikanya (1973), Mouchak (1974), Swayamsiddha (1975), Hotel Snow Fox (1976), Bhagyachakra (1979), Sandhi (1980) and Ashrita (1990) are her notable works in Bangla. She has been a part of three Hindi films in a row directed by Basu Chatterjee in the late 1970s – Safed Jhoot, Dillagi and Do Ladke Dono Kadke, playing parallel lead/supporting roles, and hence familiar to Hindi audiences.

Mithu Mukherjee in her supporting role in Basu Chatterjee’s Dillagi

She marked her screen debut through Shesh Parba in 1971

Mithu Mukherjee hails from Kolkata and was born in the year 1953. She got her first break to acting through Shesh Parba opposite Samit Bhanja directed by Chitta Bose. The movie released in 1971 was a commercial hit. The following year she played lead role in Marjina Abdulla, the movie based on the story of Ali Baba in Arabian Nights. It capitulated her to fame and also established as a promising young actress of Bengali cinema. It was followed by a string of hits like Nishikanya, Mouchak etc. Kabi opposite Debraj Roy released in 1975 was a box office failure. Yet she returned back in a bang with Swayamsiddha released same year.

However her next releases – Hotel Snow Fox and Chander Kachhakachhi, both starring Uttam Kumar flopped at box office. It gave her a major setback in 1976, though she was not casted opposite Kumar in both these films.

She marked her Bollywood debut opposite Shatrughan Sinha in Khaan Dost

She played Sinha’s prostitute mistress, Zareena in her debut Bollywood flick, Khaan Dost (1976). The movie also starred Raj Kapoor and Yogeeta Bali in pivot roles. Later she appeared in Basu Chatterjee’s movies only, which made her a familiar face in Bollywood. Bengali Film Pratima in 1977 marked her glorious comeback in Bengali films, and she started giving equal importance to both these language films. She couldn’t make it big in Bollywood. However her Bengali movies like Bhagya Chakra, Bandhan and Sandhi did an average/above average business.

Her role as a deaf mute rape victim opposite Subhendu Chattopadhyay in 1981 Bengali film, Father earned her critics’ appreciation. In 1982 she marked her Odia debut through Jwain Pua opposite Uttam Mohant, where she reprised her lead role of Mouchak. But after that her career started falling, and her movies like Dujane, Prarthana etc flopped.

She started a production house in 1984 and produced the movie, Ranga Bhanga Chand which had a delayed release in 1990. The movie renamed as Ashrita, helmed by two directors – Dinen Gupta and Chandra Barot was a super hit. However she took a retirement from acting. Known to be sensuous actress and sexy queen, who played both traditional and glamorous roles with ease, she vanished from films at her career peak.

Mithu Mukherjee – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. Noted Bollywood actress of yesterdays Anita Guha is her aunt. Actress Prema Narayan (Anita’s sister’s daughter) is her cousin. 

2. Her home production company produced Ashrita, which took 5 years in making was a super hit. However it was Mithu’s last acting role on screen.

3. Her last film Ashrita was made on a budget of Rs. 30 lakhs and it grossed Rs. 3 crore at the Box Office.

4. She had a romantic relationship with director Chandra Barot.