ROOPA GANGULY ,POPULAR HINDI ACTRESS
BORN 1966 NOVEMBER 25
Roopa (or Rupa) Ganguly (Bengali: রূপা গঙ্গোপাধ্যায়, rupa gônggopaddhae; born 25 November 1966) is an Indian actress, playback singer and politician.
| Roopa Ganguly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| MP of Rajya Sabha (Nominated) [1] | |
| Assumed office 4 October 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Navjot Singh Sidhu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Roopa Ganguly 25 November 1966 [2] Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | BJP |
| Spouse(s) | Dhruba Mukherjee (1992–2006)[3] |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Signature |  |
Personal life[edit]
Roopa Ganguly was born in Kalyani near Kolkata, West Bengal, India. She grew up in a joint family.[citation needed] She was a student of Beltala Girls' High School[citation needed],
Ganguly was married to Dhrubo Mukerjee from 1992 until 2006. In an interview Ganguly said that her husband started feeling insecure about her recognition as an actress. Her son Akash was born in 1997.[3] She was also in a live-in relationship with her singer companion, Dibyendu.
The couple lived in Ganguly's Mumbai flat until the end of their relationship.[7][8] Her appearance in the concluding episode of STAR Plus's hit reality show, Sacch Ka Saamna (2009), the Indian adaptation of the British reality show, The Moment of Truth, created a media stir.
Film career[edit]
Roopa Ganguly debuted in the Anil Kapoor starrer, Saaheb (1985), after her graduation from Calcutta. Her second role was in Malayalam film, Ithile Iniyum Varu (1986), with Mammootty as lead. Though her first role as a lead actress, was the pivotal role of Draupadi, in B.R. Chopra's mythological TV series, Mahabharat (1988), which immediately got her attention,[9] and also lead to a role in Mrinal Sen's, Ek Din Achanak (1989).
Her other notable works are in award-winning film, Padma Nadir Majhi (1993) by Gautam Ghose, Yugant (1995) by Aparna Sen, Abar Aranye (2003) by Gautam Ghose, Antarmahal (2006) by Rituparno Ghosh, apart from these film appearances she has done, numerous television series, both in Bengali and Hindi, including Sukanya (1998) etc. She also appeared in notable cameo roles in the films "Dekha" and "Hemlock Society".
After working in a few Hindi films, she shifted to Kolkata, and after appearing in numerous Bengali films through the 1990s, shifted base to Mumbai in 2007, with an English film called, Bow Barracks Forever (2004), directed by Anjan Dutt,[10] and continued to act in Bengali films. She started working in Hindi TV series, with Karam Apnaa Apnaa (2007), moving on to Love Story (SAB TV series) (2007), and more recently in Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo (2009).
She won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for rendering her voice in the Bengali film Abhosheyshey.[11] She has also performed opposite the south super star Dr. Vishnuvardhan in two films Inspector Dhanush (Hindi) and Police Mathu Daadda (Kannada).
Political career[edit]
In 2015, Ganguly joined Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, 2016.
In April 2016, Ganguly, a star campaigner for Bharatiya Janata Party, was attacked by Trinamool Congress party workers during an election campaign.[12][13]
In West Bengal Assembly elections 2016, Ganguly lost from Howrah North to Trinamool Congress counterpart and cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla.[citation needed]
She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in October 2016 in place of cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu who resigned earlier.[14][15]
Rupa Ganguly breaks her silence on her failed marriage and the new man in her life. The actress talks about the tremendous inner strength she needed to call on to start afresh at 42
Playing Draupadi did not necessarily mean that Rupa Ganguly���s life was blessed. The 42-year-old actress (Draupadi of Ravi Chopra���s Mahabharat) has been through a turbulent marriage and has finally found solace in a younger man. She had even put her career on a backburner for her husband, and ended up in a marriage that demanded that she turn her entire life upside down: she moved to Kolkata, became a domesticated housewife, was denied money for daily expenses and as a final resort, attempted suicide.
Finally, Rupa has defied the odds to find her individuality, which has resulted in a more balanced and loving relationship with 31-year-old singer Dibyendu, who is now living in with her in Oshiwara, Andheri. She muses over her troubled marriage with Dhrubo Mukerjee (whom she married in 1992) as she says, ���I had lost my confidence completely. I was shattered. But I guess, there���s light at the end of every dark tunnel. Dibyendu has brought a new meaning into my existence, which I wanted to destroy at one point of time.���
Rupa���s marriage had hit the rocks when Dhrubo started feeling insecure about her recognition as an actress. She recalls, ���I am in a profession which looks glamorous, but is that my fault? Kya main kuch kar sakti thi ki main Rupa Ganguly nahin rahoon? I think it is very difficult for a man to accept a celebrity as his wife. One has to be extremely emancipated to do it. No Indian male is.���
Rupa, though, was aware that marriages require work and commitment on both sides. On her part, she says that she made every possible effort to make it work. She talks about the self-induced changes, ���I never accepted any invitation which came only in my name. I never took any calls before 9am and after 10pm. As soon as my shoot would wrap up, I used to head home without even removing my make-up. I did everything that a girl should to keep her man happy. My marriage was always my first priority. I had left my career to go and settle with Dhrubo in Kolkata. I have never behaved like a celebrity at home. I don���t know how to behave like a celebrity outside, so why would I do it at home? But no matter how much I tried, I failed. Jhaadu pocha kiya, bartan kiya, kya nahin kiya maine? Despite all my attempts, I was being cornered.���
Things took an ugly turn when Dhrubo started denying her financial assistance. Hard-pressed for money, she returned to work not once, but four times, in her married life. And every time she felt she could sustain herself for a while with the money she had earned, she again confined herself to being a dutiful housewife. However, Dhrubo did not change.
Frustrated and fed-up, Rupa decided to end her life. She reveals, ���I attempted suicide not once but thrice ��� once before my son was born (Akash was born in 1997), twice later. All three times, I was adamant that I wanted to kill myself. The first time, I consumed an overdose of sleeping pills. But every time I was saved. I had tried my best to kill myself, but I guess God wanted me to endure more.���
Rupa���s marriage was strained to an irreparable extent when Dhrubo and Rupa started having frequent quarrels. She says, ���Around 2002, I could not handle the stress. Main divorce papers lati, phaad deti, phir laati, phir phaad deti. I used to ask for a divorce and he used to apologise. We used to patch-up.���
In 2005, the final blow fell when Dhrubo learnt that Rupa had fallen in love with Dibyendu, who is 12 years younger than her. The young musician would visit Dhrubo���s house to learn music in a group, which comprised of Rupa and her cousins. Rupa was courageous enough to stand up to her husband and confess that she was in love. Rupa says, ���I went up to him and told him that I had fallen in love with Dibyendu. He couldn���t take it. No man can.���
Rupa told Dhrubo in no uncertain terms that she wanted to stay away from him. She recalls, ���I told him that I didn���t want to stay with either him or Dibyendu. I just wanted my own space for a few days. I shifted to Mumbai.���
Rupa���s face glows when she describes Dibyendu, ���He is a very loving guy. My husband too used to be fond of him. He is a singer. Even my son was very close to him.���
Today, Dhrubo doesn���t allow her son Akash to meet Dibyendu. She says, ���I can���t bring my son to my house in Mumbai. However, I fly down to Kolkata at every opportunity. I don���t need to prove to the world how much I love him. I didn���t want to disturb Akash���s schooling. I didn���t want to be selfish and uproot him from his father. That���s why I didn���t fight with Dhrubo over Akash���s legal custody. I have explained this to Akash. He has seen what I have gone through and I���ve had a long chat with him recently.���
Rupa is proud that she walked out of Dhrubo���s life with her head held high. She says, ���I didn���t demand alimony and he asked me to sign papers which say that I won���t have any claim to his bank accounts, company profile and business deals hereafter. What���s the point of signing such documents when I didn���t have access to any of his assets ever?���
Today, Dibyendu is doing well for himself. A couple of months ago, he sang for Aa Dekhen Zara. He has also sung for Kites. She says, ���Pray for me, I need happiness in life. It was a very tough decision to leave my husband and son and come away to Mumbai and start all over again.���
Films[edit]
Television[edit]
- Ganadevta (1986 TV Series)
- Mahabharat (1988 TV Series) as Draupadi
- Sukanya (1998 TV Series)
- Karam Apnaa Apnaa (TV series) (2007)
- Love Story (SAB TV series) (2007)
- Waqt Batayega Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya (TV series) (2008)
- Kasturi (TV series) (2009)
- Sacch Ka Saamna(2009) (TV series)
- Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo (2009)
- Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil(2011) (TV series)
- Chandrakanta
- Heroine (2009 TV series, one episode)
- Kuch Toh Hai Tere Mere Darmiyaan(2015)
Awards and recognition[edit]
- 2012: Won, National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer- Abosheshey (Bengali).[16]
- 1996: Won, BFJA Award - Best Supporting Actress Award for Ujan
- 2006: Won, BFJA Award - Best Supporting Actress Award for Antarmahal
- Kalakar Awards[17]
- Social and cultural anthropologist Purnima Mankekar's ethnography of television-viewing in India, Screening Culture, Viewing Politics: An Ethnography of Television, Womanhood, and Nation in Postcolonial India, published by Duke University Press in 1999, features a still shot of Roopa Ganguly as Draupadi on its cover.[18][19
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