Anjana Bhowmick

Anjana Bhowmik (30 December 1944 – 17 February 2024) was an Indian actress of Bengali cinema from the 1960s until the 1980s.

Personal life
Bhowmik was born in Cooch Behar on 30 December 1944. Her real name was Arati Bhowmik and nickname Babli. Her father was Bibhuti Bhusan Bhowmik. She spent her school days in Cooch Behar. Bhowmik passed the Higher Secondary Exam of the West Bengal Board from Suniti Academy of Cooch Behar in 1961. After that she also studied in Sarojini Naidu College for Women, under the University of Calcutta. Anjana married Navy Officer Anil Sharma and settled in Mumbai. Her daughters are Nilanjana Sharma and Chandana Sharma, who are also actresses. The older one, Nilanjana Sharma is married to Bengali Actor Jisshu Sengupta.

Bhowmick died on 17 February 2024, at the age of 79.

Career
Bhowmick made her film debut at the age of 20 in the 1964 film Anustup Chanda directed by Pijush Bose. Before releasing the film she changed her name to Anjana from Arati. She became popular with the release of her first film. Her acting talent was praised by both audiences and critics. She became one of the major heroines of Uttam Kumar. She and Uttam Kumar gave major hits like Chowringhee, "Kokhono Megh", "Nayika Sangbad", "Roudra Chhaya", "Raj Drohi". At a certain time of her career when critics predicted she wouldn't be successful without Uttam Kumar as hero, she paired with Soumitra Chattopadhyay in the highly acclaimed "Mahashweta".