Suchitra Sen wanted to become a singer

Suchitra Sen won acclaim as an actress, but few know that she entered the film industry as a singer - Rama Sen.

After Suchitra got married in 1947, she tried her luck in singing for Bengali films, but she failed to make much of an impression, though it opened the door for her acting career.

In 1951, she auditioned as a playback singer, but moved by her beautiful looks, the director, Sukumar Dasgupta, decided to cast her in 'Sesh Kothay'. The film, however, never saw the light of day.

Dasgupta's assistant director Nitish Roy told her that Rama, her real name, doesn't suit an actress and suggested Suchitra, the name with which she went on to achieve celebrity status.

It is said that she had even recorded a few Bengali songs in an album for HMV before she forayed into acting.

HMV officials said they do not have any recordings of those songs.

Later, when the Megaphone Company had approached her for recording an album, Suchitra lend her voice to two Bengali songs — 'Amaar Natun Ganer Nimontrone Aashben Ki' and 'Boney Noye Aaj Mone Hoye Jeno'.

The company has preserved the recordings whose lyrics were by Gouri Prasanna Majumdar, Megaphone officials said.