Veteran actor Swatilekha Sengupta passed away on Wednesday. She was 71. Sengupta, who had been suffering from chronic kidney disorder, was being treated at a private hospital off EM Bypass. She breathed her last at 2.45pm, said an official there. Advertisement Sengupta is survived by her husband, thespian Rudraprasad Sengupta, and daughter Sohini, also a stage and film actor. “She had been a diabetic for a long time. That led to kidney failure,” said Sohini. “She was a very independent lady. I hope that is how she is remembered by all.” Sengupta was cremated at the Keoratala burning ghat. She had started her acting career on the stage in Allahabad. A gold medallist in English literature at Allahabad University, Sengupta joined Nandikar in Calcutta in 1978.