Rituparna Sengupta is Indian actress and producer who is known for her work in Bengali, Odia and Hindi cinema. One of the most successful actresses of Bengali cinema, she rode the crest of her box office success in the late 1990s. She has won a National Award, two Filmfare Awards, four BFJA Awards and four Anandalok Awards.
Initially promoted as the carbon copy of Satabdi Roy, Sengupta made her screen debut opposite Arindam Ganguly in the Bengali fantasy TV series Rong Berong (1989) broadcast on DD Bangla. Her first film was Bahattar Din Par (1990) opposite Arjun Chakraborty. Throughout her career, she featured in a host of National Award-winning Bengali films such as Shwet Patharer Thala (1992), Lathi (1996), Dahan (1997), Paromitar Ek Din, (2000), Mondo Meyer Upakhyan (2002) and Anuranan (2006). She made her Hindi cinema debut with Partho Ghosh's Teesra Kaun (1994). She was interested in the arts since a young age and learned painting, dancing, singing and handicrafts at a painting school, called Chitrangshu. She studied at Carmel High school, and later graduated in history from Lady Brabourne College. She began studying Modern History for an M.A. at University of Calcutta, but had to interrupt studies to concentrate on her career as an actress.
Career
Debut and initial struggle (1989—1990)
thumb|right|Sengupta at No Tobacco campaign organised by CPAA
Sengupta made her screen debut opposite Arindam Ganguly in the Bengali fantasy TV series Rong Berong (1989) broadcast on DD Bangla. Kushal Chakraborty's sister Anindita Paul was her classmate. After her Secondary Examination, she was insisted by Anindita to appear for a screen test for a role in the series. She was finally chosen as the female lead in the second episode Shwet Kapot alongside Arindam Ganguly and Gita Dey. The TV series was produced by Ratna Ghosal. The episode was an adaptation of the Danish fairy tale The White Dove. He played the role of Arka. a popular TV series produced by Teleframe. Based on Samaresh Majumdar's widely acclaimed novel of the same name, the series was directed by Raja Dasgupta. written by Girish Chandra Ghosh. It was staged at Minerva Theatre. Impressed with her performance, film director Shishir Majumdar offered her a role in his Bengali film Shesh Chithi, starring Soumitra Chatterjee and Tanuja in the lead. Bijay Mohanty who also had a role in this film, advised her to audition for the role of the female lead in Vijay Bhaskar's Odia film Kotia Manish Gotiye Jaga (1991). The film is a remake of Velai Kidaichuduchu (1990). It manifests conflict based on the political sabotage in Sujanpur. Mohanty played the protagonist Jagan Das, an aspiring politician who subdues Naga, the powerful MLA of Sujanpur played by Raimohan Parida. Sengupta successfully auditioned for the female lead the film. She enacted Radha, the love interest of Jagan played by Mohanty. Her father Prabir Sengupta initially disapproved the film as she was required to enact a bathroom sequence alongside Mohanty. Later he changed his mind and approved her to accept the role.