Debashree Roy

After a brief hiatus Roy accepted a role in Reshmi Mitra's Indo-Bangladesh collaboration Hothat Dekha (2017). She had to share her screen with Ilias Kanchan who she described as a delight to work with. Based on the poem of the same name by Tagore, the film narrates the story of two estranged lovers who, coincidentally meet on a journey by a train after a long time. The film was shot in Chittagong. She is slated to be seen in Anup Sengupta's new venture Tumi Ki Sei.

— Debashree Roy during an interview conducted by The Hindu

The film became a commercial as well as a major critical success. It won her Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Best Actress Award in 2000.

The following year, Roy had four releases  – Bhalo Meye Mondo Meye (2011) Ei Aranya (2011), Ekdin Thik (2011) and Jibon Rang Berang (2011) all of which turned out to be critical and commercial failure. She then featured in Antare Bahire (2012), and Life in Park Street (2012). Both the films met debacle at box office.

In 2013, Roy featured in a role of a gynaecologist in Benoy Mittra's Antaraal. When Mittra narrated the plot to her, she loved the plot as well as her character. She was up on her feet regarding the promotion of the film. The film met critical as well as commercial success. Times of India wrote, "After a long time Debasree seems to have taken a genuine interest both in the plot and her character." Her next turn was Ujjal Chatterjee's Swabhoomi (2013) which was based on Mahasweta Devi's novel Adhaba. The film turned out to be a major critical as well as commercial failure. Her two other releases of that year were Sukanta Roy's Jakhan Esechhilem (2013) and Ashis Roy's Lattoo (2013) both of which became major critical as well as commercial failures.

Debashree Roy (also known as Debasree Roy) is an Indian actress, dancer, choreographer, politician and animal rights activist. As an actress, she is known for her work in Hindi and Bengali cinema. She has been cited as the reigning queen of Bengali commercial cinema. She acted in more than a hundred films and won over forty awards, including a National Award, three BFJA Awards, five Kalakar Awards and an Anandalok Award. As a dancer, she is known for her stage adaptations of the various forms of Indian folk dances as well as her innovative dance forms imbued with elements from Indian classical, tribal and folk dance. She is the producer, choreographer and motivator of Natraj dance troupe. She is the founder of Debasree Roy Foundation, a non-profit organisation that works for the cause of stray animals. Roy is a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Raidighi constituency since 2011.

Debashree, currently a Member of the Legislative Assembly from All India Trinamool Congress, successfully contested the West Bengal assembly elections 2011 against CPI(M) candidate and former minister Kanti Ganguly, from the Raidighi.

She featured in Suhasish Mukherjee's drama Antarbas (2010). The film was both critically and commercially unsuccessful. She also featured in Gaurav Pandey's Shukno Lanka (2010) which was a critical and commercial success. She portrayed the character of a loving woman whose husband is indifferent to her. The film was publicised on her dance to the popular number Sundari Kamala. Her another release of the year 2010 was Thikana Rajpath directed by Kanoj Das. Roy's performance in the film was appreciated by critics. The film was a moderate grosser at box office.

From 2008, Roy made some impolitic choices of selecting films that did not equalise her stature and led her career into a major setback. She featured in a role of a sex worker in Nilanjan Bhattacharya's directorial debut Lal Ronger Duniya (2008). The film emerged as a major critical and commercial failure. She had four releases in 2009 ― Anubhab, Narak Guljar, Pakhi and Rahasya all of which turned out to be disasters at box office. She was appreciated for her performance in Goutam Sen's Bengali feature film Pakhi (2009). The Times of India wrote, "Debasree Roy gives a stellar performance with her act of a blind girl." But film failed to create any ripples at box office.

In 2004, she appeared in Subhadro Chowdhury's National Award winning film Prohor, where she played the character of Nadita, who donates her blood for a man who raped her earlier. In 2005, she appeared in Bratya Basu's Teesta. The film was a critical and commercial failure, still it earns her Anandalok Award for Best Actress in 2005. She had a series of flops such as Satabdir Golpo (2004), Sagar Kinare (2004), Ami Je Ke Tomar (2004) and Teesta (2005). She featured opposite Mithun Chakrabarty in Ravi Kinagi's Yuddho (2005). The film was released with 41 prints across West Bengal. It grossed ₹ 1.2 crore in the first week and grossed ₹ 3 crore overall. She then featured in MLA Fatakesto (2006) and Mahaguru (2007).

2003 saw Roy appear in Shantimoy Bandopadhyay's Mejdidi where she portrayed the titular role. The film failed to receive favourable reviews from critics but performed well at box office.

She appeared in Subrata Sen's Ek Je Achhe Kanya (2001), which was major commercial success. She was paired with Sabyasachi Chakrabarty in this film. She appeared in Goutam Ghose's much acclaimed Bengali film Dekha (2001), alongside Soumitra Chatterjee. She featured in Prashant Bal's Hindustani Sipahi (2002). In 2002, she appeared in Bappaditya Bandopadhyay's much acclaimed film Shilpantar. She played the character of a woman who works in a circus and draws masses by her act of eating raw live snakes or hens. In the same year, she played the character of Kadambari Devi in Sukanta Ray's film Chhelebela, alongside Jisshu Sengupta playing Rabindranath Tagore.

In 2000, Roy appeared in Debanjali which became a major success at box office.

In 1997, she gave birth to speculation and controversy for her role as Tishyarakshita in Nitish Roy's Samarpan aired on Zee Tv.

Roy was conferred with BFJA Award for Best Actress (1992) for the first time for her performance in Indar Sen's Bengali film Thikana (1991). She was conferred with the National Film Award for Best Actress (1995) as well as BFJA Award for Best Actress (1997) for her role in Rituparno Ghosh's National Award winning Bengali film Unishe April (1994). She collaborated with Rituparno Ghosh for the second time in his National Award winning Bengali film Asukh (1999) which once again earned her the BFJA Award for Best Actress (2000). She was also critically acclaimed for her performances in films such as Anutap (1992), Sandhyatara (1994), Kaal Sandhya (1997), Prohor (2002) and Shilpantar (2004).

Roy choreographed most of her dance numbers in Bengali films. Her dance to the popular song Ami Kolkatar Rosogolla from Raktelekha (1992) was accredited as the biggest factor for the film achieving an enormous success at box office. Several of her other memorable choreographies includes her dance numbers such as Aar Koto Raat Eka Thakbo from Chokher Aloy (1989), Baje Dhol Tak Dhina Dhin from Aakrosh (1989) and Bajlo Je Ghungru from Jhankar (1989).

In 1992, Roy married Prosenjit Chatterjee and they separated in 1995.

Roy was trained in Odissi by Kelucharan Mahapatra. She was exposed to the various forms of Indian folk dances as well by Mahapatra and took a sincere interest to adapt them on stage. In 1991, she formed the dance troupe Natraj and their first venture Vasavdatta went on to receive full seat occupancy every time it was staged. She, onwards ventured into an attempt to manifest the forms of folk dance of Bengal in Swapner Sandhane, an acclaimed production of Natraj. She was most applauded for her wider attempt to present the various forms of Indian folk dance in Bichitro, the first abroad production of Natraj. In Navras, she exhibited an innovative dance form imbued with elements from Indian classical, tribal and folk dance.

After Roy separated from Chatterjee, she refused to play any female lead opposite the actor. Which in turn leaves an ample scope to her two strong rivals Rituparna Sengupta and Satabdi Roy who became choices opposite Chatterjee in most of his films in late 1990s. In 1997, Roy had two releases opposite Chiranjit Chakraborty  – Prabhat Roy's Jiban Jouban and Dulal Bhowmik's Yoddha both of which were commercially successful. She portrayed the role of Sarada Devi in Swami Vivekananda (1998). She appeared in Tapan Sinha's Bengali film Ajab Ganyer Ajab Katha (1998), under the banner of Shree Venkatesh Films. She appeared in a cameo role in Tapan Sinha's Hindi film Daughters of This Century (1999). In 1999, she appeared in Rituparno Ghosh's Asukh, landing the character of Rohini Choudhury, an actress who is suspicious by nature and begins to suspect her father to be an HIV positive due to some illegitimate relation she is not aware of.

In 1988, she appeared as Satyavati in B.R.Chopra's Mahabharat.

In 1987, she was paired with Prosenjit Chatterjee in Bimal Ray's Samrat O Sundari. The film was a hit and gave acknowledgement to Roy's pairing with Prosenjit Chatterjee as a bankable one. Her other hits with Chatterjee are Ora Charjon (1988), Jhankar (1989), Ahankar (1991), Raktelekha (1992), Purushottam (1992), Rakter Swad (1993), Shraddhanjali (1993) and Nati Binodini (1994). Srikanta Guhathakurata's Ahankar (1991) opened with 90% seat occupancy and grossed more than ₹ 1 crore at the box office. Roy further received critical acclaim in her role in the Drama Anutap (1992) which was directed by Prabhat Roy. Many critics considered her performance in Anutap (1992) as her best performance till date. Roy was paired with Chatterjee for the last time in Rituparno Ghosh's much acclaimed film Unishe April (1994). Roy essayed the role of Aditi, who decides to commit suicide after her boyfriend refused her to marry, but gets interrupted by her mother. India Today described her performance as an "inspired performance by Roy, who has so far been mired in Bengali commercial cinema." Filmfare appreciated her performance. The film won her the National Film Award for Best Actress category. She also garnered critical acclaim for her roles in Sandhyatara (1994) and Cinemay Jeman Hoy (1994).

Roy also delivered hits with Prosenjit Chatterjee and Chiranjeet Chakraborty. She was paired with Chiranjeet Chakraborty for the first time in Madhumoy (1986), which also stars Prosenjit Chatterjee and Mahua Roychoudhury. Her pairing with Chakraborty conveyed major hits such as Mouna Mukhar (1987), Heerer Shikal (1988), Papi (1990), Tomar Rakte Amar Sohag (1993), Bhoy (1996), Beyadap (1996), Jiban Jouban (1997), Joddha (1987) and Debanjali (2000).

In 1985, she was paired with Sandeep Patil in Kabhi Ajnabi The (1985), directed and produced by Vijay Singh. She played the character of Geeta, who decides to sacrifice her love for the sake another woman who had previously been her boyfriend's ladylove. The film was over-hyped regarding the Bollywood debut of Sandeep Patil and Roy's sensuous enacting with him in the song sequence Geet Mere Hothon Ko De Gaya Koi. Filmfare wrote: "With those kohl eyes and her figure scantily covered with, she looked enthralling, yet she looked coy enough." Her performance in this film earned her the Calcutta and National Unity Award for Best Supporting Actress in Hindi Cinema. The film theatrically opened with 80% seat occupancy, but ultimately proved itself to be a major commercial failure due to its poor screenplay. In 1985, she was cast opposite Tapas Paul in Tarun Majumdar's romantic drama Bhalobasa Bhalobasa. This film established Roy's pairing with Tapas Paul as the leading on-screen pairing of the nineteen eighties. Her other major hits with Paul are Uttar Lipi (1986), Arpan (1987), Shankhachur (1988), Surer Sathi (1988), Surer Akashe (1988), Nayanmani (1989), Chokher Aloy (1989), Shubha Kamana (1991), Mayabini (1992), Phire Paoa (1993), Tobu Mone Rekho (1994) and Putrabadhu (1998).

In 1984, she appeared in Mukul Dutt's Hindi film Phulwari, under Rajshri Productions. In the film, Roy portrayed the character of Lali, a beautiful, conceited and pampered girl who insults her boyfriend Rajiv on the day of their engagement and discloses to everyone present at her engagement party that she has given consent to marry him because she wanted to avenge an earlier incident when he humiliated her in front of the public. She was paired with Shashi Puri in this film. She was also paired with Kanowaljit Singh in Akash Jain's film Seepeeyan (1984), where she portrayed the role of a beautiful woman who flings herself into water after her boyfriend refused to marry her and is saved by another man whom she later marries. In 1984, she was cast in the role of Kundanadinee in Ajay Kar's Bengali period film Bishabriksha, based on the veteran Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel of the same name. She appeared in Dipranjan Bose's Bengali drama film Parabat Priya (1984), alongside Tapas Paul and Mahua Roychoudhury, which became a major success at box office. She played the character of Piyali, a highly pampered girl who decides to poison a glass of milk that her husband was supposed to take.

In 1983, Roy met Sandeep Patil on the set of Kabhie Ajnabi The and reportedly, the actress got involved into an affair with the cricketer who was already married at that time. She was rumoured to be the sole reason for the failure of Patil's first marriage. In 1985, soon after the release of Kabhie Ajnabi The, they discontinued their relationship and never publicly discussed anything about their separation.

She was again cast in the role of the chirpy sibling of Mahua Roychoudhury in Manu Sen's blockbuster Bengali film Subarnagolak (1981). She also appeared in Dilip Mukherjee's Bengali film Father (1981). In 1981, Roy appeared in Aparna Sen's much acclaimed English film 36 Chowringhee Lane. She portrayed the character of Nandita who, along with her boyfriend Samaresh exploits her former teacher's apartment for making love to each other. The film was a major failure at box office, still Roy was applauded by media personalities due to her good looks and unlaboured screen presence. She, then appeared in Kanak Mishra's Hindi film Jiyo To Aise Jiyo (1981), under Rajshri Productions. She played Vidya, the love interest of Kundan played by Arun Govil. The film became a jubilee hit at box office. The next year, she appeared in Desh Gautam's Bura Aadmi (1980) which was a major box office debacle. In 1982, she appeared in Tarun Majumdar's Bengali film Meghmukti. The same year, she featured opposite Mithun Chakraborty in Goutam Mukherjee's love triangle Troyee which became a major success at box office. Aparupa, her another release of the same year was a flop at box office.

She, then featured in Nirmal Sarbanga's road film G. T. Road (1980). The film did not perform well at box office. During this time Tarun Majumdar came up with the offer for his romantic drama film Dadar Kirti (1980) and suggested to change her name into "Debashree Roy". Her mother never objected to it. She was cast alongside Sandhya Roy, Kali Banerjee, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Tapas Paul and Mahua Roychoudhury in the film. She portrayed the character of Bini, the innocent sibling of Saraswati portrayed by Mahua Roychoudhury. The film became a remarkable box office success and her role and vibrant appearance was loved by the audience, alongside the reverse and solemn appearance of Mahua Roychoudhury.

Roy appeared opposite Tapas Paul in a number of successful Bengali films throughout 1980s. She featured opposite Paul for the first time in Bijoy Bose's Bengali drama Samapti (1983). She, then featured in K. Raghavendra Rao's multistarrer Hindi film Justice Chaudhury (1983) alongside Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Moushumi Chatterjee, Sridevi and Raj Kiran. The film was a major success at box office.

Following the success of Kuheli (1971), Tarun Majumdar gave his word that he would introduce Roy as a leading actress when she hit her teenage. Hence Arati Roy, her mother refused to let Roy play any other supporting roles in order to retain her daughter's exclusivity. In 1975 Roy was finally summoned for the titular role in Majumdar's Balika Badhu. The film was the Hindi remake of his 1967 Bengali film Balika Badhu (1967). After she appeared for a look test, Majumdar changed his mind considering her imperfect for this role and she got replaced by Rajni Sharma. An upset Roy, then accepted a role in Sushil Mukherjee's Bengali drama Sudur Niharika (1976) where she was credited as "Rumki Roy". She, then featured in Kushali Goshthi's Aguner Phulki (1978) alongside veterans like Anil Chatterjee and Sabitri Chatterjee. During this time Arabinda Mukhopadhyay was looking for a young actress for the female lead opposite Mithun Chakraborty in Nadi Theke Sagare (1978). Sandhya Roy who played the another female lead in the film suggested the director to cast Roy in the lead opposite Chakraborty. As described by the director, the film narrates the ebb and flow of the life of two unfathered individuals played by Roy and Chakraborty. Roy played the unfathered daughter to Sandhya Roy. Upon its release, the film received favourable review. Roy was critically appreciated for her gaze in the film. She had to enact the adolescence as well as the adulthood of the character she was given. A perfectionist, director Arabinda Mukhopadhyay wanted her gaze to be mature enough for the adult role while practically, she was not an adult at that time. To shed off her juvenile, impulsive look, He instructed her not to undergo any conversation or any kind of playful activity for a long time before shooting. The film was a major success at box office. She then featured opposite Anil Dhawan in Kuldeep Pandey's Hindi film Ghata (1978). The film won critical favour but failed to create any ripple at box office. She acted opposite Prem Nazir in N. Sankaran Nair's Malayalam film Ee Ganam Marakkumo (1978) where she was credited as "Rugmini Roy". The film was a major failure at box office. The next year she had two releases — Ajit Gangopadhyay's Lattu (1979) and Swadesh Sarkar's Jiban Jerakam (1979). Both the films tanked at box office.

Roy alongside her sister Tanushree Bhattacharya, made a career in dance at a very young age after she became popular for her role in Balak Gadadhar (1969). Barin Dhar, a famous impresario at that time named her "Rumki" and her sister Tanushree "Jhumki". She was trained in Odissi by Kelucharan Mohapatra. In 1991, she formed her troupe Natraj. In 1991, she was hailed for Vasavdatta, a production by Natraj. It was a dance-drama where she translated classical Indian dance forms and their iconography into a solemn contemporary dance movements. It was based on Abhisar, a poem by Rabindranath Tagore. She enacted the role of Vasabdatta, a celebrated courtesan who meets a young mendicant on her way and pleads him to accept her hospitality at her home. The mendicant assures her that he will accept only when the right time will come. Later, Vasavdatta is banished and left alone outside of her city as she has contracted a contagious disease. The mendicant comes, takes her into his arms and says that the time has come. Roy was careful enough regarding the sobriety and delicacy while rehearsing it. Vasavdatta got full seat occupancy every time it was staged.

Her first acting assignment was Hiranmoy Sen's Bengali devotional film Pagal Thakur (1966) where she was cast as an infant Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Her first leading role came with Arabinda Mukhopadhyay's Bengali film Nadi Theke Sagare (1978). She shot to wider recognition for her role in Aparna Sen's National Award winning directorial debut 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) and Kanak Mishra's Jiyo To Aise Jiyo (1981) under Rajshri Productions. She also appeared in several other Hindi films such as Bura Aadmi (1982), Justice Chaudhury (1983), Phulwari (1984), Kabhie Ajnabi The (1985), Seepeeyan (1986) and Pyar Ka Sawan (1989). After her Bengali film Troyee (1982) became a major success at box office, she concentrated more in Bengali cinema. Her other major hits at the box office include films such as Bhalobasa Bhalobasa (1985), Lalmahal (1986), Chokher Aloy (1989), Jhankar (1989), Ahankar (1991) and Yuddha (2005) to name a few. She made her small screen debut in Soumitra Chatterjee starrer Bengali tv series Dena Paona. Her other famous roles from Bengali TV series are that of Louhakapat, Ratnadeep, Nagarpare Roopnagar and Biraj Bou to name a few. In 1988, she appeared as Satyavati in B.R.Chopra's Mahabharat. In 1997, she gave birth to speculation and controversy for her role as Tishyarakshita in Nitish Roy's Samarpan aired on Zee Tv.

Roy was an infant when she was introduced to cinema. She was cast in the role of an infant Ramkrishna Paramhansa in Hiranmoy Sen's devotional film Pagal Thakur (1966) alongside Chhaya Devi playing Chandramani Devi, mother of Ramakrishna. She was credited as "Chumki Roy" in the film. She was noted for the first time for her role in Hiranmoy Sen's another devotional film Balak Gadadhar (1969), her second film assignment where she was once again cast as a young Ramkrishna Paramhansa. Hiranmoy Sen also zeroed in on her to play the role of Devi Kanya Kumari in the film. During this time Tarun Majumdar was looking for a pretty but expressive little face for the role of Ranu in his new Thriller Kuheli (1971). Chhaya Devi who was also a part of that venture suggested Chumki's name for that role. She was cast alongside veterans like Biswajit Chatterjee and Sandhya Roy in the film. Roy portrayed Ranu who, every night, stealthily goes out to meet a mysterious woman whom she believes to be her mother. The film was a prominent success at box office and Chumki became a starlet.