<p>Legendary Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who has portrayed a versatile range of lead characters in films by Satyajit Ray, has been selected for India's highest film honour - the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2012.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Confirming the news, Chatterjee told IANS that he was "extremely happy" at the honour.<br /><br />“I am extremely happy. Till this evening I had not thought of this award. But after I got the news I am extremely happy,” Chatterjee said.<br /><br />Chatterjee, one of India's most talented actors, made his debut in 1959 with Ray’s super-hit movie <br /><br />"Apur Sansar". The film gave him the much needed platform, and he never looked back.<br /><br />Chatterjee soon became Ray's favourite, and became the lead actor of most of the movie maker's classics including "Sonar Kella", "Charulata", and "Ghare Baire".<br /><br />Chatterjee's association with Ray is often compared with the chemistry between famous actor-director duos of the world such as Akira Kurosowa-Toshiro Mifune and Marcello Mastroianni-Federico Fellini.<br /><br />Apart from Ray, Chatterjee has worked with all internationally acclaimed directors of his time, including Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Tarun Majumdar.<br /><br />Some of his notable movies are "Jhinder Bandi", "Koni", "Kaapurush", "Akash Kusum", "Aranyer Din Ratri", "Joy Baba Felunath", "Teen Bhubaner Pare", "Ganashatru" and "Sakah Prashakha".<br /><br />The Padama Bhushan awardee has also worked with other famous directors such as Aparna Sen, Goutam Ghose and Rituparno Ghosh.<br /><br />Besides films, Chatterjee is also known for his passion for the stage where he has both acted and directed plays. He is also one of the all-time best elocutionists of Bengal.<br /><br />He has also received 'The Officier des Arts et Metiers', the highest award for arts from France and lifetime achievement award from Italy.</p>
<p>Legendary Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who has portrayed a versatile range of lead characters in films by Satyajit Ray, has been selected for India's highest film honour - the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2012.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Confirming the news, Chatterjee told IANS that he was "extremely happy" at the honour.<br /><br />“I am extremely happy. Till this evening I had not thought of this award. But after I got the news I am extremely happy,” Chatterjee said.<br /><br />Chatterjee, one of India's most talented actors, made his debut in 1959 with Ray’s super-hit movie <br /><br />"Apur Sansar". The film gave him the much needed platform, and he never looked back.<br /><br />Chatterjee soon became Ray's favourite, and became the lead actor of most of the movie maker's classics including "Sonar Kella", "Charulata", and "Ghare Baire".<br /><br />Chatterjee's association with Ray is often compared with the chemistry between famous actor-director duos of the world such as Akira Kurosowa-Toshiro Mifune and Marcello Mastroianni-Federico Fellini.<br /><br />Apart from Ray, Chatterjee has worked with all internationally acclaimed directors of his time, including Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Tarun Majumdar.<br /><br />Some of his notable movies are "Jhinder Bandi", "Koni", "Kaapurush", "Akash Kusum", "Aranyer Din Ratri", "Joy Baba Felunath", "Teen Bhubaner Pare", "Ganashatru" and "Sakah Prashakha".<br /><br />The Padama Bhushan awardee has also worked with other famous directors such as Aparna Sen, Goutam Ghose and Rituparno Ghosh.<br /><br />Besides films, Chatterjee is also known for his passion for the stage where he has both acted and directed plays. He is also one of the all-time best elocutionists of Bengal.<br /><br />He has also received 'The Officier des Arts et Metiers', the highest award for arts from France and lifetime achievement award from Italy.</p>