Chunibala Devi

Chunibala Devi (c. 1872–1955) was an Indian character actress best known for her performance in Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali, where she played the old grandmother, Indir Thakrun, to Apu and Durga.

Formerly a theatre actress, Chunibala Devi made her film debut with Bigraha in 1930, though after her second film, Rikta in 1939 she retired. She was brought out of her retirement at the age of 80 by Satyajit Ray to act in the pivotal role of her career. She became the first Indian to win an award in the best actor/actress category in an international film festival, The Manila Film festival, for her role of Indir Thakrun.

She died in Kolkata, of influenza, in 1955, before the release of Pather Panchali, although Ray had been to her house to show her a projection.

Filmography

 * Bigraha – The God and the Image (1930)
 * Rikta (1939)
 * Pather Panchali – Song of the Road (1955)