Actress Moonmoon Sen has shared memories of how her late husband, Bharat Dev Varma, doted on their two daughters, Riya and Raima Sen, according to an interview reported by BiswaBangla Sangbad. In the interview, Sen described a father who could not bear to see the girls corrected and who would break down whenever she scolded them. The recollections were published by the outlet on Tuesday.
Sen said that while she was the one who handled discipline at home, her husband took any reprimand of the children very badly. Whenever she spoke firmly to Riya or Raima, he would grow emotional and weep, the actress recalled.
Why it matters
The interview offers a rare look at the private life of one of Bengal's best-known film families. Riya and Raima Sen are familiar to audiences as glamorous screen stars, but Sen's account presents them as children raised inside an ordinary, affectionate household. According to BiswaBangla Sangbad, the story has resonated with fans since it circulated on social media, seen as an illustration of how deeply a father can cherish his daughters.
A father's tearful protest
Sen recounted that her husband's distress went beyond quiet upset. He would turn his grievance on her directly, asking why she was being so harsh with his girls and complaining that she was being cruel to them, the outlet reported.
The situation, as Sen described it, often ended with an unexpected reversal: rather than the daughters apologising, she would find herself going to them to say sorry, because her husband's reaction had made the whole episode too much to sustain.
Bharat Dev Varma, who died in 2023, belonged to the erstwhile royal family of Tripura. Sen's account places him at the centre of her daughters' lives, a constant and indulgent presence. Both Riya and Raima have long been described as devoted to their father, and Sen said the sisters always had his quiet backing, whether in their studies or as they built independent careers in acting.
Sen herself is the only child of another celebrated actress, Suchitra Sen. Her reminiscences, as carried by BiswaBangla Sangbad, focus on the domestic side of a family whose public image has been shaped largely by the screen.
The interview did not give further details about when it took place or where it was conducted. The outlet presented the account as Sen's own recollection of her married life and of her husband's attachment to their children.
What happens next: watch for further excerpts from the interview and for any response from Riya or Raima Sen to their mother's account.
