Our Beloved Goopy

An actor par excellence, he went to define the childhood of many Bengalis. With only 20 films in his purse, "Goopy" became a legend of the Tollywood film industry.

Tapen Chatterjee as Goopy; Source: RadioBanglaNet

It’s the late 90s. Another Sunday in a Bengali household. The mini television which precariously rests on a table surrounded by every other household item sparks to life after a few minutes of static. The children, the adults, and the neighbours all have gathered to witness this magic one more time. The opening scene rolls in with the sound of fast beating drums and transpires to the music of an ektara.

The credit ends and there he is. Tapen “goopy” Chatterjee, walking with a tanpura resting on his shoulder. “Goopy, Goopy”, the children and adults cheer him with claps as they see Tapen Chatterjee on the screen.

There are only a few actors who can grace a certain role and then the role itself becomes a part of him. It is no less feat than climbing Everest if that actor is called by his on-screen name rather than his real name. Tapen Chatterjee, Satyajit Ray’s discovery, became one such legendary figure in the Bengali film industry.

A life that was spent in preparation for a career far away from cinema, a journey that awed movie-goers with his subtle acting, Tapen Chatterjee was a beloved actor of his time. Becoming a household name after essaying Goopy in the Ray directed “Goopy Gyne Bagha Byen”, he had been immortalized in the popular culture.

Born in the pre-independence era on 3rd September 1937, he hailed from Calcutta. The path to a successful career made him take engineering, for which he had to go to the western corner of India, Rajasthan.

A striking similarity with today’s engineers, he soon changed his path and returned to Calcutta.

It was at that time that the “Sandesh” magazine which was run by Satyajit Ray but was a brainchild of his grandfather became a raging hit among young readers. Chatterjee joined the forces and got a job with the advertising department.

Soon everything was about to change. He would go from advertising everything else to become the hero himself on the silver screen.

It was only visionaries like Satyajit Ray who could see such budding talent and utilize them to the utmost. Thus began the journey of a lifetime as the director cast him in the 1963 film Mahanagar. However, Tapen Chatterjee would find success in the next film, the acclaimed Goopy Gyne Bagha Byen, and would later go on to essay the role of Goopy two more times in the following sequels. Film lovers would be in for a treat as Tapen Chatterjee made appearances in other films such as Dhanyee Meye or Nanigopaler Biye. Even them, people would fondly call him Goopy.

An actor who was known for his meticulous portrayal and dedication, he became the long-lost piece of everyone’s childhood. Even today no one can come near the love the masses had for him. As someone who belonged to a different background and acting was the last thing he looked up to, he went on to replace great names in his second film as Goopy.

Not more than 20 films in his filmography, he still charmed his way into the audience’s heart. Even today if the song “Aha Ki Anondo Akashe Batashe” plays in the paras( lanes) of Calcutta, the first and foremost thing that would stir the listener’s heart is their memory of Goopy singing the song.

It shows the range of the actor who could achieve something with less than 20 films. For when he passed away on 24th May 2010, the whole of Bengal was plunged into sorrow. Their childhood was gone in a second after he left this earth suffering from pulmonary ailments. The 72 years of his life became a shining star in the memory of the Bengali film industry. Goopy was no more!