Sreelekha Mitra is an Indian actress who is known for her work inBengali cinema. Winner of a BFJA Award and an Anandalok Award, Mitra is best known for her roles in films such as Hothat Brishti, Kantatar, Aschorjo Prodip, Swade Ahlade, Choukath and Rainbow Jelly. Mitra made her big screen debut with Bimal Dey's Bengali film Sei Raat. Her breakthrough role came with Basu Chatterjee's Hothat Brishti which was a major success at the box office. Despite the success of the film, Mitra never attained any significant elevation in her career which she claimed to be an undesirable consequence of Nepotism in Bangali cinema. She was conferred with BFJA Award and Anandalok Award for her role in Bappaditya Bandopadhyay’s Kantatar where she essayed Sudha, an illegal immigrant who moves from one man to another and from one religion to another in quest of love. In 2011, she was awarded the Big Bangla Movie Award for Best Actress in A Supporting role category for her role in Mahanagar@Kolkata, by Suman Mukhopadhyay. In 2012, she was awarded the Zee Bangla Gourav Samman for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Uro Chithi. She was nominated for Filmfare Award for her role in Ashchorjyo Prodeep. She was further acclaimed for her role in Raja Dasgupta's Bengali film Choukaath. She made her Bollywood debut in Reema Mukherjee's directorial debutArdhangini Ek Ardhsatya. Mitra has also an extensive career on television. Her notable telefilms include Dwicharini, Raja Opera, Teen Satyi, Dui Purush, Teen Purush and Ami Shey O Anu, to name a few. Her notable television series include Trishna, Ei To Jiban, Pratibimba, Bhanga Gorar Khela, Probahini Ei Samay and Bandhan, to name few. She is also a judge on the Bengali standup comedy show Mirakkel. Mitra appeared in a Coca-Cola advertisement with Aamir Khan.
While working at Taj Hotel, Kolkata, Mitra was spotted by a director who offered her to play a role in a Bengali TV series. Her first Bengali film was Sei Raat directed by Bimal Dey. She went on to appear in films such as Saptami, Samadhan and Sreeman Bhootnath. In 1998, she got a breakthrough in Basu Chatterjee's Hothat Brishti, which came out as a major success at the box office. She proceeded with hits such as Khelaghar, Krishna Kaberi, Aamader Sansar, Apan Holo Par, Annadata, Tak Misti Jiban, Teen Ekke Teen and Debdoot to name a few. Despite being very popular and brilliant as an actress, she never attained an elevation in her career. Sreelekha Mitra claimed that she had been replaced in most of the films starring Prosenjit Chatterjee since she never showed any interest to be the ladylove of the latter. She featured in Arghyakamal Mitra's Jonmodin. In 2006, she came to wider attention for her role in Bappaditya Bandopadhyay's much acclaimed film Kantatar, where she essayed the character of Sudha, an illegal immigrant who moves from one man to another and from one religion to another in quest of love. The film earned her the Anandalok Award for Best Actress in 2006 and BFJA Award for Best Actress in 2007. She featured in Manoj Michigan's Bengali drama film Hello Kolkata. She was awarded the Zee Bangla Gourav Samman for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Uro Chithi. In 2014, she was nominated for the Filmfare Award East for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ashchorjyo Prodeep. She featured in Arindam Sil's Swade Ahlade. In 2015, she collaborated with Raja Dasgupta in his big screen directorial debut Choukaath, where she essayed the role of Debi who meets an accident, loses her consciousness and gets taken to the hospital by an unknown passer-by. When she regains her consciousness, she cannot recall what happened to her after she met the accident. Eventually, she comes to know that her husband is suspicious that she has been raped after the accident and is pregnant due to the rapist. Mitra was well acclaimed for her performance in the film. Times of India described her performance as "understated and dignified in her pain". In 2016, she made her Bollywood debut in Reema Mukherjee's directorial debut Ardhangini Ek Ardhsatya. Mitra eschewed the lead inDupur Thakurpo: Season 2. Mitra has also an extensive career on television. Her notable telefilms include Dwicharini, Raja Opera, Teen Satyi, Dui Purush, Teen Purush and Ami Shey O Anu to name a few. Her notable television series include Trishna, Ei To Jiban, Pratibimba, Bhanga Gorar Khela, Probahini Ei Samay and Bandhan, to name few.
Personal life
Mitra was married to cinematographer Shiladitya Sanyal.
