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Babita in pictures

Entertainment Desk

The sweetheart of movie buffs in the seventies, Babita celebrated her 70th birthday recently. She is still firmly lodged in the hearts of her innumerable fans. This is a photo tribute to the popular movie star. The captions tell the story of how it all began, her versatility as an actress and her sheer presence on the screen.

She would love watching movies being filmed, but never imagined she would appear in a movie. She first went to watch the shooting of 'Chaowa Paowa' directed by Naryan Ghosh Mita
She never had any desire to act in the movies. When she first received an offer to act in Zahir Raihan's 'Sangsar', she flatly refused. But later, cajoled by her mother and sister, she agreed. She was just in Class 6 at the time. The film was a flop.
Her mother practiced homeopathic medicine and Babita was her assistant. She had wanted to be a physician too.
She was quite a little imp as a youngster. Her mother would treat patients for free, but if her mother wasn't around, Babita would take fees from them without her mother knowing!
She would collect the money and go to the movies with her friends. The first movie she watched was 'Hotel Sahara' at Naz cinema hall in Gulistan, Dhaka.
Director Zahir Raihan once again offered her a role in the Urdu movie 'Jalte Suraj Ke Niche' and Babita once again refused. She was only 14 at the time. The movie eventually was never completed due to schedule problems of the stars.
This time Zahir Raihan cast her in a Bangla film. The film was a super hit. Though she had been reluctant to act, one the movie was a hit, she ventured on her career in the films.
There was no looking back. 'Swaralipi', 'Peech Dhala Path', 'Taka Anna Pai', were all super hit Razzak-Babita starrers
Then she entered the world of international cinema with the renowned film-maker Satyajit Ray. She appeared in Ray's first colour movie 'Ashani Sangket'. The film was released in 1973 and Babita won many awards for it, including the National Film Award.
Babita won the National Film Award 8 times. She won the Meril-Prothom Alo award, Bangladesh Film Journalists Association award and numerous other accolades and recognition.
This superstar celebrated her birthday recently. Babita was born on 30 July 1953 in Bagerhat. She spent her birthday in Canada with her son Anik.
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