Actor and technician Arun Guhathakurta died of COVID-19 yesterday, 7 July, at Kolkata's MR Bangur hospital. He had been admitted to the hospital a day earlier after testing positive.
According to a report in The Times of India newspaper, Guhathakurta's daughter Payel said he tested positive at a nursing home and suffered cardiac arrest yesterday. His wife has also tested positive for COVID-19.
Guhathakurta was born in Barisal, now in Bangladesh, on 14 August 1944. He was an assistant to National award-winning director Buddhadeb Dasgupta.
As a senior citizen, he became more involved in acting, appearing in films like Laptop (2012), Apur Panchali (2014), Bisorjon (2017) and Nagarkirtan (2019). He won many supporting actor awards for his role as Hari in Cinemawala (2016).
Guhathakurta also directed a few films in Bengali, and many television serials and telefilms. The veteran artiste was remembered by filmmakers and artistes of the Bengali industry.
Really sad at the demise of veteran actor and director Arun Guhathakurta... has spent some quality time with him in the sets of #cinemawallah & #Apurpanchali he will be etched in our memory forever through his work.
— parambrata (@paramspeak) July 7, 2020
A gem of a person Arun Da was..& such a brilliant actor!Sad sad time around....... @indraroy @KGunedited https://t.co/HUuiIflB1s
— Abir Chatterjee (@itsmeabir) July 7, 2020
Today we lost one of the finest actors we had in Arun Guha Thakurta to Covid19. Will remember him for his brilliant turns in Cinemawallah, Bishorjon & Chotoder Chobi. Will be dedicating possibly his last work, Chinnomostar Obhishaap in the Feluda Pherot series, to his memory.
— Srijit Mukherji (@srijitspeaketh) July 7, 2020
It was my absolute pleasure to have worked with you in so many films #ArunDa. In respect to dedication and brilliance in one's own craft, you belonged to that rare species which is fading away slowly. May your absolutely pure soul rest in peace Arun da 🌹🙏 pic.twitter.com/YM0CFBTBGN
— Sudiptaa Chakraborty (@SudiptaaC) July 7, 2020