BENGAL CM Mamata Banerjee, a galaxy of actors & politicians pay last respects to Tapas Pal

After former Trinamool Congress MP and popular Bengali actor Tapas Pal died of cardiac arrest in Mumbai on August 18, Tuesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says pressures by the central investigating agencies are to be blamed for his untimely demise. Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday “Central government’s pressure has claimed many lives. Three people died due to this pressure by the agencies. First former TMP MP Sultan Ahmed then TMC MP Prasun Banerjee’s wife passed away and now Tapas Pal.”  The matinee idol tuned politician who breathed his last in a Mumbai hospital was meanwhile consigned to flame in South Kolkata’s Keoratal cremation ground on Wednesday with full state honours. He was a chronic heart patient and had a neurological problem. His body was brought from Mumbai last night and kept at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata’s cultural hub, to enable people to pay homage. Haranath Chakrabarty, who was the director of Pal’s numerous movies, was in tears. He was admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai after felt sick at the airport before departure to Kolkata. He had gone to Mumbai to meet his daughter in January. The two-term former MP from West Bengal had skipped films and active politics after the CBI arrested him in the Rose Valley chit-fund scam in December 2016 and was granted bail after 13 months from Bhubaneswar Jail. He is survived by his daughter Sohini and wife Nandini. Nandini said the actor was taken to the hospital on February 1 after he fell ill at the Mumbai airport on his way to the United States for treatment. The actor-politician, known for films such as “Saheb” and “Amar Bandhan”, was on the ventilator till February 6. Born in Chandannagar in Hooghly district, he had graduated from Hooghly Mohsin College in bioscience. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in her condolence message that Pal’s death had left a deep void in films and politics.’’ Saddened & shocked to hear about the demise of Tapas Paul. He was a superstar of Bengali cinema who was a member of the Trinamool family. Tapas served the people as a two-term MP and MLA. We will miss him dearly. My Condolences to his wife Nandini, daughter Sohini & his many fans’’.  Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit Nene says ‘’  The loss of Tapas Paul ,who was one of the very first actors, I have worked with is felt by many. May God bless and comfort his family during this difficult period’’. Tapas Pal, it may be recalled, had shot to fame and popularity with his debut film Dadar Kirti, a romantic drama directed by Tarun Majumdar.Some of his memorable movies are Saheb, Parabat Priya, Bhalobasa Bhalobasa, Anurager Choyan, Amar Bandhan. Paul made his Bollywood debut in Hiren Nag’s Abodh (1984) opposite Madhuri Dixit.(image courtesy to Dhruba Halder )