KOLKATA: From a model-actor and nail artist living in a humble house at Belgharia's Dewanpara to an actor and film producer owning multiple flats in posh high-rises in south Kolkata, Arpita Mukherjee has come a long way over the past few years.
In 2019, she replaced actor Rituparna Sengupta as the poster girl for Naktala Udayan Sangha, patronized by Partha Chatterjee. But nothing could account for the Rs 21.2 crore in cash, gold jewellery worth Rs 79 lakh and Rs 54-lakh forex, along with 22 mobiles, seized from her Tollgyunge flat.
Sources said Mukherjee began a career in modelling in around 2004. Over the years, she opened three nail salons in Patuli, on Lake View Road and in Baranagar. While working on her modelling career, she began getting small roles in Bengali films.
Director and producer Anup Sengupta, who directed Mukherjee in three films, was "dumbfounded" by the revelations. "Someone introduced me to Arpita when I was looking for a girl to play the heroine's friend for 'Mama Bhagne' (2010), starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, Ranjit Mallick and Ananya Chatterjee. In 2011, she again acted in my 'Bangla Banchao', starring Prosenjit, Paoli, Shaheb Bhattacherjee. I am dumbfounded to see how she has amassed so much wealth. When I worked with her, she rode a second-hand car to work," he said.
BJP's Kolkata district president Sanghamitra Chaudhuri had cast Mukherjee in her films, 'The Bhoot of Roseville' and 'Bidehir Khonje Rabindranath', in 2011. "Arpita was introduced to me by Siddhartha Sinha, producer of her first film, 'Sparsh'. She came from an orthodox family and travelled by public transport to shoots. Before I joined BJP in 2013, Arpita would take my suggestions about her film career. But once I joined BJP, our interactions stopped. Once I met her at a party, where she said she was working in Oriya and south Indian films," said Chaudhuri, National Award jury member last year.
Mukherjee has a sister, who is married, and her mother lives in their old Belgharia home. "Arpita used to visit me twice a week. My husband had a central government job. After he passed away, Arpita was offered the job but she refused. She was into modelling and acting. She worked in Oriya films. She had her own production house," said Minati Mukherjee, her mother.
Active on social media, Mukherjee has over 200 Instagram reels, many of which had 10,000-plus views. At 5.30pm on July 22, hours before the ED raid, Arpita had made an Instagram and Facebook post: "When Dharmendra first joined the film industry, his salary was a meagre sum of Rs 51 only! Insane! Isn't it?" After news of the raid became public, the post was bombarded with comments like, "And your first salary is 21 crores", "Didi, give the 21 crores to your followers" and "How life can change in just 20 hours".
Her Facebook bio read, "A multi-talented versatile actor, having worked in several films in Tollywood." She also shared philosophical advice at least twice a day. Quotes like, "If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down" make a prominent part of her feed, along with photos of her modelling for various photographers, as well as that of her lavish lifestyle, including travel. Many of these posts are now flooded with comments, like "21 cr is really heavy... you can't fly with it".
