Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee, who has been married to music composer Jayanta Mukherjee for over five decades, recently reflected on the dramatic changes in her life during her teenage years. Married at just 15 and a mother by 17, she went on to become one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated stars in the 1970s, starring alongside icons like Rajesh Khanna, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan in films such as 'Roti Kapda Aur Makaan', 'Angoor', and 'Kacche Dhaage'.
Early Marriage and Engagement
Moushumi opened up about how her engagement and marriage happened soon after her acting debut in the Bengali film 'Balika Badhu'. Recalling that phase of her life, the actress said in an interview with NDTV, “Everything happened for a reason. I was in the 10th standard, but I was engaged after Balika Badhu only because my father-in-law, Hemanta Mukherjee, was the music director of that film. So their family and our family became a thing. And at that time, everybody wanted to make me their daughter-in-law; everyone wanted me as their wife.”
Overwhelming Attention
She further described how overwhelming the attention around her had become at the time. “It was crazy. From morning to evening, there was a line. That’s why I’m thoroughly spoiled. And then my badi bua (aunt), I was very attached to her; she used to live in Bhawanipur. And she was in the last stage of cancer when we got to know. She held my father-in-law’s hand and said, ‘Hemanta Babu, can I see her wedding?’ Because I was the last girl from our family, my father-in-law said, ‘Yes, you will.’ And within a month, the marriage took place.”
Life in Bombay
Moushumi also remembered shifting to Bombay after her wedding and how her family ensured she felt comfortable in an unfamiliar city. Sharing those memories, she said, “So that’s why I came here, Bombay. I bought my dollhouse, my small doggy. And then one of my friends also went back and gave her 10th exam because she also missed one year. She was with me. My father-in-law ensured I got everything. I should not feel left alone. I used to play with my dollhouse the whole day. My father was very protective of me. He was like a mother and father, both here in Bombay.”
Reflections on Early Motherhood and Stardom
Over the years, the actress has often spoken candidly about how quickly adulthood arrived for her. In an earlier interview with Lehren, she had recalled missing her examinations around the time her marriage was arranged. Reflecting on becoming a young mother while also experiencing stardom, Moushumi had said, “At the age of 17, I became a mother. I got my own Mercedes. I didn’t even understand the meaning of success at that time. I just used to get happy seeing my face on the big screen.”
Family Life
Moushumi Chatterjee and Jayanta Mukherjee had two daughters, Megha and Payal. Their younger daughter, Payal, who had been diagnosed with diabetes at a young age, passed away in 2019 at the age of 45.
