# Debashree Roy (দেবশ্রী রায়)
**Debashree Roy** has received more than forty awards, including the National Film Award for Best Actress for *[Unishe April](https://www.edgepedia.org/unishe-april)*, three BFJA Awards, five Kalakar Awards and an Anandalok Award[1](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/42nd%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf). She represented the Raidighi constituency in the [West Bengal Legislative Assembly](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-bengal-legislative-assembly) from 2011 to 2021, and later returned to acting with an OTT debut and a 2024 theatrical release[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-choosing-shastri-that-mithun-da-would-act-opposite-me-was-a-huge-factor/cid/2058003).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Screen debut | *Pagal Thakur* (Hiranmoy Sen), cast as an infant Ramakrishna Paramhansa[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy) |
| National Film Award | Best Actress of 1994 for *Unishe April*, with a Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 10,000[1](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/42nd%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf) |
| Later screen work | OTT debut in Hoichoi's *Chemistry Mashi*, then the film *Shastri* (2024) opposite Mithun Chakraborty[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-choosing-shastri-that-mithun-da-would-act-opposite-me-was-a-huge-factor/cid/2058003) • [4](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-making-her-web-debut-with-hoichoi-series-chemistry-mashi/cid/2004931) |
## Early life and entry into film
Sources disagree on Roy's date of birth: IMDb lists 1961 (and elsewhere June 13, 1961)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/), Bharatpedia records 8 August 1962, and one biographical page gives 8 August 1965[6](https://en.acting.gurukul.edu.bd/debashree-roy/). All accounts place her birth in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/). Her father, Birendra Kishore Roy, worked for the West Bengal Finance Corporation, and her mother, Arati Roy, initially wanted her to be a dancer[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/).
**Child roles.** Roy's first screen appearance came in Hiranmoy Sen's Bengali devotional film *Pagal Thakur*, based on the life of Ramakrishna Paramhansa, in which she was cast as an infant [Ramakrishna](https://www.edgepedia.org/ramakrishna)[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy). Director Tarun Majumdar cast her as Ranu in his acclaimed 1971 thriller *Kuheli*, and the name Debashree Roy was later given by Majumdar[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/).
## Film career
Roy's first adult role was in Arabinda Mukhopadhyay's Bengali film *Nadi Theke Sagare* (1978), but recognition came with [Aparna Sen](https://www.edgepedia.org/aparna-sen)'s *[36 Chowringhee Lane](https://www.edgepedia.org/36-chowringhee-lane)* (1981) and Kanak Mishra's Rajshri Production Hindi film *Jiyo To Aise Jiyo* (1981)[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy). Her Bengali film *Troyee* (1982) was a major box-office success, and a string of commercial hits followed, including *Bhalobasa Bhalobasa* (1985), *Chokher Aloy* (1989), *Jhankar* (1989) and *Ahankar* (1991)[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy). In [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) she appeared in films such as *Bura Aadmi* (1982), *Justice Chaudhury* (1983), *Phulwari* (1984), *Kabhi Ajnabi* (1985) and *Pyar Ka Sawan* (1989), and in Tamil films she was known as Chintamani[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy). A contemporary Rediff profile described her as the reigning queen of Bengali commercial cinema[7](https://m.rediff.com/movies/1999/oct/04deba.htm).
On television, [B. R. Chopra](https://www.edgepedia.org/b-r-chopra) signed her for the serial *Mahabharat*, in which she played [Satyavati](https://www.edgepedia.org/satyavati)[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy).
**The National Award and the turn to serious roles.** Roy won the National Film Award for Best Actress of 1994 for her performance as a lonely doctor in [Rituparno Ghosh](https://www.edgepedia.org/rituparno-ghosh)'s Bengali film *Unishe April*; the official citation praised her complete identification with the character and the film's sensitive, controlled portrayal of emotion[1](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/42nd%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf). The award brought a Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 10,000[1](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/42nd%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf). Afterward she concentrated more on meaningful roles than mainstream commercial ones: [Bhabendra Nath Saikia](https://www.edgepedia.org/bhabendra-nath-saikia)'s Hindi crime drama *Kaal Sandhya* (1997), Ghosh's *Asukh* (1999), Goutam Ghose's *Dekha* (2001), Bappaditya Bandopadhyay's *Shilpantar* (2002) and Subhadro Chowdhury's *Prohor* (2004)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/).
## Dancing
She performs with and leads the Natraj dance troupe, with productions such as *Vasavdatta* and *Swapner Sandhane*, was applauded abroad for her performance in *Bichitro*, and has choreographed most of her own dance numbers[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy). She has cited her choreography of *Aar Kato Raat Eka Thakbo* from *Chokher Aloy* as her most memorable work[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy).
## Politics
In the 2016 assembly election she defeated Ganguly by a large margin of votes[8](https://sxccal.edu/upload/Politique-_2022.pdf). She has said that political work left her little time for acting, and that she eventually felt out of place in politics and decided to return to acting[9](https://bengali.abplive.com/entertainment/debashree-roy-exclusive-actress-debashree-roy-shares-her-feeling-and-experience-of-chemistry-mashi-and-her-acting-career-1020991). In a 2024 interview she described herself as "an actress first and then a politician" and said, "I was invited to join a party. There, I felt that I am more of an actress than I am a politician. I identify more as an artiste"[10](https://www.ottplay.com/amp/interview/exclusive-shastri-actress-debashree-roy-im-an-actress-first-and-then-a-politician-and-i-like-that-people-have-stepped-out-and-made-a-space-for-dissent/ea56a381c6926).
## Animal welfare
Roy founded the Debasree Roy Foundation, a non-profit organization that works for the cause of stray animals[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy). She has spoken publicly about animal protection; in 2025 she described harassment she faced while trying to protect a pet, arguing that the deities people worship each have an animal as their mount[11](https://bengali.indianexpress.com/entertainment/bengali-actress-debashree-roy-expressed-her-anger-after-facing-harassments-while-trying-to-protect-a-pet-10598010).
## Return to acting
After her political decade, Roy made her OTT debut as a chemistry teacher in the Hoichoi series *Chemistry Mashi*, a role that drew critical acclaim[4](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-making-her-web-debut-with-hoichoi-series-chemistry-mashi/cid/2004931) • [2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-choosing-shastri-that-mithun-da-would-act-opposite-me-was-a-huge-factor/cid/2058003). She followed it with [Pathikrit Basu](https://www.edgepedia.org/pathikrit-basu)'s film *Shastri*, a drama pitting science against astrology, in which she plays Sarala, the wife of [Mithun Chakraborty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mithun-chakraborty)'s character; she said that Chakraborty's casting opposite her was a major reason she accepted the film[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-choosing-shastri-that-mithun-da-would-act-opposite-me-was-a-huge-factor/cid/2058003).
## Personal life
Roy married the Bengali film actor [Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://www.edgepedia.org/prosenjit-chatterjee); the marriage ended in divorce in 1995[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/). Her sister Krishna Mukherjee is a former playback singer, and the actress [Rani Mukerji](https://www.edgepedia.org/rani-mukerji) is her niece[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/).
## References
1. [42nd National Film Award Catalogue, National Film Archive of India (Best Actress citation for Debasree Roy, *Unishe April*)](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/42nd%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf)
2. [Debasree Roy on choosing *Shastri*, Telegraph India](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-choosing-shastri-that-mithun-da-would-act-opposite-me-was-a-huge-factor/cid/2058003)
3. [Debashree Roy, Filmography & Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/debashree-roy)
4. [Debasree Roy on making her web debut with Hoichoi series *Chemistry Mashi*, Telegraph India](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/debasree-roy-on-making-her-web-debut-with-hoichoi-series-chemistry-mashi/cid/2004931)
5. [Debashree Roy Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746987/bio/)
6. [Debashree Roy, Acting Gurukul, GOLN](https://en.acting.gurukul.edu.bd/debashree-roy/)
7. [Debasree Roy profile, Rediff On The NeT (1999)](https://m.rediff.com/movies/1999/oct/04deba.htm)
8. [Journal, St. Xavier's College, Calcutta (2016 West Bengal Assembly election account)](https://sxccal.edu/upload/Politique-_2022.pdf)
9. [Debashree Roy Exclusive interview, ABP Live Bangla](https://bengali.abplive.com/entertainment/debashree-roy-exclusive-actress-debashree-roy-shares-her-feeling-and-experience-of-chemistry-mashi-and-her-acting-career-1020991)
10. [Exclusive! *Shastri* actress Debashree Roy interview, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/amp/interview/exclusive-shastri-actress-debashree-roy-im-an-actress-first-and-then-a-politician-and-i-like-that-people-have-stepped-out-and-made-a-space-for-dissent/ea56a381c6926)
11. [Debashree Roy on animal protection, Indian Express Bangla](https://bengali.indianexpress.com/entertainment/bengali-actress-debashree-roy-expressed-her-anger-after-facing-harassments-while-trying-to-protect-a-pet-10598010)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Bengali film actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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