Fortunate to meet Suchitra Sen, pray for her: Mamata

Overwhelmed at the rare opportunity of meeting ailing, reclusive Bengali screen goddess Suchitra Sen Sunday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged people to "pray for her early recovery and good health".

"I am undoubtedly fortunate enough to get an opportunity to meet her in person. I am overwhelmed and proud to meet the legendary actress whose films we had seen so many times. It is an emotional moment," Banerjee said on her Facebook page.

"I find that she is improving gradually. Let us all pray to God for her early recovery and good health."

According to latest reports, Sen is "partially responding" to intermittent non-invasive ventilation support,and is stable though not out of danger yet.

Banerjee had Jan 3 visited the Belle Vue Clinic where Sen is undergoing treatment.

However, the Trinamool Congress supremo restricted her visit to the doctors and Sen's daughter Moon Moon to respect the actress's well-known insistence on privacy.

"Later on, when she became a little stable, and came to know that I visited the nursing home to enquire about her health, she expressed her desire to meet me. Dr.(Subrata) Maitra communicated her desire and accordingly I rushed to the hospital and met her for about 25 minutes today. I also met Moon Moon Sen, Raima Sen, Dr. Maitra and others."

"Everyone knows that she has kept herself away from public view for more than 30 years. She is not even meeting anyone now."

The 82-year-old actress was undergoing treatment for a chest infection at the nursing home since Dec 23 and was taken to the CCU after her condition worsened Dec 28 night.

She is known for her performances in films like "Deep Jwele Jaai" and "Uttar Falguni" in Bengali as well as Hindi movies such as "Devdas", "Bombai Ka Babu" and "Mamta". She won the best actress award for "Saat Paake Bandha" at the Moscow Film Festival in 1963.

The mother of actress Moon Moon Sen, Suchitra quit acting in 1978. Since her retirement, she meets only a few people, including her daughter as well as grand daughters Raima and Riya Sen.