GUWAHATI, Nov 23 - The last rites of Assamese cinema�s �one and only superstar� Biju Phukan was today performed at the Nabagraha crematorium with full state honours in the presence of family members, friends, members of the film fraternity and fans, marking the end of an era spanning over several decades.
Biju Phukan, who featured in most of the landmark Assamese films made in 1970s and 1980s, passed away last evening at a city hospital following a cardiac arrest.
His mortal remains were consigned to flames around 1:30 pm. The funeral pyre was lit by his son Angshuman Phukan.
The screen icon�s final journey began from his residence around 9:30 am after which the mortal remains of the legendary actor was taken to the Assam State Film (Finance and Development) Corporation, Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio, AGP party office, Rabindra Bhawan and Swahid Nyas before being brought to Nabagraha cremation ground for the last rites.
Fans and admirers of the charismatic actor turned up in large numbers to pay last respect to the actor, with moist eyes and folded hands. Floral tributes were also paid to the departed soul.
Among those who showed up included Cultural Affairs Minister Naba Kumar Doley, leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, Chief Minister�s media adviser Hrishikesh Goswami and AASU adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya.
The mourners included members of film fraternity like actors Nipon Goswami, Dinesh Das, Jatin Bora, Madhurima Baruah, Atul Pachoni, Zerifa Wahid, Aimee Baruah, Chandana Sarma, singers Dwipen Baruah, Rupam Bhuyan, Babu, filmmakers Sanjib Sabhapandit and Rajesh Bhuyan, among others.
Attending the funeral, Naba Kumar Doley said, �The death of Biju Phukan is an irreparable loss to the State as a whole. The government will preserve his works for the future generation.�
Actor Jatin Bora said, �Biju Phukan was in a way instrumental in exposing me to the cine world. As an actor, he could deliver long dialogues in one take which was amazing to watch. Superstardom in Assamese movies starts and ends with him. He was working on some projects which unfortunately could not be completed.�
Recollecting her association with Biju Phukan, actress Madhurima Choudhury said, �He was a class apart. His charisma and aura was unmatched.�
�Apart from being a fine actor, Biju Phukan had a very good sense of music and which is why he could lip sync songs better than probably any other actor of his time,� said singer Dwipen Baruah.
Meanwhile, ever since the news of Biju Phukan�s death broke, social networking sites, including Twitter and Facebook, were flooded with condolence messages from his fans and admirers, most of them referring to him as the only superstar of the regional film industry.
Like in reel life, the protagonist in Biju Phukan weathered various ups and downs in his real life as well.
Biju Phukan tried his luck in politics as well. He first contested in the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat as an Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate in 1999, and then as a Trinamool Congress candidate for the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat in 2014, but lost on both the occasions.
Meanwhile, condolence messages continued to pour in with various organizations expressing grief at the demise of the actor. These included sociocultural organisation Jyotirupa, Gauhati Artists Guild and All Assam Cine Producer�s Association.
In a press release, Jyotirupa president Prafulla Govinda Baruah and secretary Naren Hazarika said the people of Assam will always remember the evergreen actor�s contribution to the State�s cultural arena.