GUWAHATI, June 20 � Acclaimed actor Mahananda Sarma passed away at the GMCH tonight. He was 79 and had been ailing for some time.
Born at Panigaon in Nalbari district on November 12, 1935, Sarma took to acting and other forms of fine arts at an early age and initiated his acting life at a Jatra party of Nalbari. Later he came into contact with Dr Bhupen Hazarika and stayed with him at Kolkata where he started his career as a professional actor in a local drama group. He earned acclaim for his acting in a number of super-hit plays such as Khuni Ke, Je Jekhane Dariye, Pal Theke Door, etc.
Sarma returned to Nalbari in 1962 following his father�s illness and devoted whole-heartedly to acting again. He left an indelible imprint of his versatile acting genius in a number of mobile theatre groups including Purbajyoti, Suradevi, Nataraj, Kohinoor, Bhagyadevi, Hengul, Asom Star, Udayan, Meghdoot, Saraighat, Aparupa, Sankardev and Rajtilak.
Sarma was the first actor who appeared in a dual role in a mobile theatre. He was also the producer of Aparupa Theatre which he ran for six years from 1984. Stage acting apart, he acted in several feature films such as Lalita, Black Money, Ponakan, Son-Moina, Kadam Tale Krishna Nache and Nilakantha. He was also associated with a number of serials in Doordarshan.
He leaves behind his wife, two sons and a daughter.
