Renowned actress Jayasree Kabir passes away in London

Jayasree Kabir, a renowned Bengali film actress and former Miss Calcutta, died on January 12 at the age of 73. She passed away at a nursing home in Romford, Essex, in Greater London. Her death occurred nearly two days before it became publicly known.
The news was first shared on Facebook by her nephew, Javed Mahmood, who wrote in Bengali that the actress had died in London. Her son, who lives and works in Singapore, was unreachable at the time and has consistently avoided media attention, in keeping with his mother’s long-standing preference for privacy.

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Born on June 22, 1952, Jayasree Kabir rose to prominence after winning the Miss Calcutta title in 1968. She made her film debut under acclaimed director Satyajit Ray in “Pratidwandi” (1969), a role widely regarded as a significant early milestone in her career and one that placed her firmly within the parallel cinema movement of the time.
She went on to act in more than 40 Bengali films in Kolkata, including “Picnic”, “Sabyasachi” and “Ashadharan”, working with leading actors of the era such as Uttam Kumar. Known for her restrained performances and elegant screen presence, she moved with ease between commercial cinema and more artistically driven films, earning critical respect rather than mass stardom.

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Jayasree Kabir later moved to Bangladesh, where she formed a close personal and professional relationship with filmmaker Alamgir Kabir, one of the country’s most important post-independence directors. She acted in a small number of Bangladeshi films, including “Shurjokonya”, “Shimana Periye”, “Rupali Shoikotey”, “Mohona” and “Puroshkar”. Her appearance in the song “Bimurto Ei Ratri Amar” from “Shimana Periye” remains one of her most recognisable screen moments. During this period, she frequently worked opposite actor Bulbul Ahmed, forming a notable on-screen pairing.

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Her marriage to Alamgir Kabir later ended in divorce. After leaving Bangladesh, she returned briefly to Kolkata and subsequently settled in London with her son. Alamgir Kabir died in 1989.
In the UK, Jayasree Kabir largely withdrew from public life. She made occasional appearances at international film festivals, taught English at a school, undertook voice-over work for the BBC and Channel 4, and participated in cinema workshops. She also represented the films of Satyajit Ray at international events. Despite her reclusive lifestyle, she remained attentive to developments in Bengali cinema in both Dhaka and Kolkata.

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Her death marks the passing of an actress associated with a formative period of Bengali cinema, remembered for her composure, subtlety and highly selective body of work, as well as for her rare position bridging the cinematic traditions of Kolkata and Dhaka.