June Malia

June Malia (born 24 June 1970) is an Indian actress and politician from West Bengal, recognized for her extensive work in Bengali-language cinema and television.^[1] She debuted in acting in 1996 and has featured in notable films including Har Har Byomkesh (2015), Zulfiqar (2016), and Porobashinee (2017).^[2] Born in Darjeeling to a middle-class family, Malia has built a career spanning supporting roles in regional entertainment.^[3] In a significant shift, she entered politics with the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and secured victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Medinipur constituency, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Agnimitra Paul in her first electoral contest.^[4][5] This win marked her as a first-time Member of Parliament, highlighting her transition from screen to legislative roles.^[4]

Early life

Family background and upbringing

June Malia was born on 24 June 1970 in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.^[1][3] She was raised in a middle-class Hindu family in the hill town of Darjeeling, known for its tea estates and multicultural environment influenced by Nepali, Bengali, and British colonial heritage.^[3][6] Public records provide limited details on her parents or siblings, with no verified names or professions disclosed in biographical accounts.^[7] As a child, Malia was noted for her mischievous and energetic personality, traits that reportedly shaped her early years in the region's temperate climate and diverse community.^[3] Her upbringing in this relatively affluent yet modest household environment preceded her entry into the entertainment industry in the mid-1990s.^[3]

Education and early interests

June Malia completed her secondary education at Auxilium Convent High School in Mumbai. She subsequently attended the University of Calcutta in Kolkata, from which she graduated.^[3] Details on her early interests are sparse in available records, though her childhood in a middle-class family in Darjeeling was marked by a notably mischievous disposition. This formative period preceded her entry into the performing arts, where she developed skills through theatre before her film debut.^[3]

Professional career

Entry into acting

June Malia made her acting debut in the Bengali film Lathi, which was released on September 20, 1996.^[4][3][8] Directed by Prabhat Roy and produced by R.P. Films, the drama addressed themes of rural exploitation and family dynamics, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee in the lead role alongside Victor Banerjee and Debashree Roy.^[9] Malia's performance in this film marked her initial foray into Bengali cinema, establishing her presence in the industry during the mid-1990s. Following this entry, she transitioned into a series of supporting and character roles in subsequent Bengali productions, building her reputation through consistent work in film and television.^[10]

Television roles

Malia entered Bengali television primarily through reality programming and supporting roles in serials, with her debut in the medium occurring in 2011 on the Zee Bangla game show Didi No. 1, where she participated as a contestant showcasing women's skills and talents.^[3] In 2010–2011, she portrayed the mythological figure Devi Parvati in the Star Jalsha serial Behula, an adaptation of the Bengali folklore epic centered on themes of devotion and resurrection.^[11] Malia gained notable recognition for dramatic roles in daily soaps during the late 2010s. In the Colors Bangla serial Resham Jhanpi (2017–2019), she played the antagonistic Rupomoti Basu, a character involving intricate family conflicts and villainy, for which she received audience acclaim despite the negative portrayal; her re-entry arc in late 2018 heightened plot tensions around inheritance and revenge.^[12][13] From 2019 onward, she appeared as Mallika Mallick in Star Jalsha's Saanjher Baati, depicting a nurturing yet resilient mother to the protagonist Arjo (played by Rezwan Rabbani Sheikh), navigating themes of familial duty, economic hardship, and generational aspirations in a rural-urban context; the role emphasized her as a doting parental figure amid the show's focus on a daughter's ambitions conflicting with traditional expectations.^[14][15][16] In 2021, Malia joined the cast of Star Jalsha's Gantchhora (also stylized as Gaatchora), contributing to its ensemble in a narrative exploring interpersonal drama and social dynamics, though specific character details remain secondary to the lead storyline.^[17] Her television work often complements her film career, featuring character-driven parts in family-oriented serials rather than leads, with appearances typically spanning 1–2 years per production.^[16]

Filmography

June Malia primarily portrayed supporting roles in Bengali cinema, with occasional appearances in Hindi and other language films.^[19][2]

Other media appearances

In 2011, June Malia hosted the third season of the Bengali reality game show Didi No. 1 on Zee Bangla, a program featuring female contestants competing in challenges to be crowned the ultimate "didi" (sister).^[3][21] The season aired episodes including promotional appearances by Malia, emphasizing themes of empowerment and entertainment targeted at women viewers.^[22] Beyond scripted acting, this hosting role marked one of her notable forays into non-fiction television formats.^[23]

Political involvement

Affiliation with Trinamool Congress

June Malia joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the lead-up to the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, marking her entry into active politics from her acting career.^[4] The party nominated her as its candidate from the Medinipur constituency on March 14, 2021, replacing the incumbent TMC MLA Mrigendra Nath Maiti, in a strategic move to leverage her public profile amid competitive electoral dynamics.^[24][8] Her affiliation with TMC has centered on electoral representation in the Medinipur region, where she secured victory in the 2021 assembly polls, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's Samit Kumar Das by a margin reflecting the party's stronghold in parts of Paschim Medinipur district.^[4] TMC continued to back her candidacy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Medinipur parliamentary constituency, announcing her inclusion in the party's candidate list on April 20, 2024, as part of its broader strategy in West Bengal.^[25] She won the seat on June 4, 2024, polling 702,192 votes against BJP's Agnimitra Paul, thereby transitioning to a parliamentary role while maintaining her TMC membership.^[26][4] Throughout her TMC tenure, Malia has balanced political duties with her professional acting commitments, a flexibility noted in party contexts where celebrity candidates are deployed to enhance voter outreach without requiring full-time disengagement from prior vocations.^[4] Her affiliation aligns with TMC's emphasis on regional identity and welfare-oriented governance in West Bengal, though specific internal party roles beyond candidacy—such as committee assignments—remain undocumented in public records as of her 2024 election.^[27]

Electoral campaigns and victories

June Malia entered electoral politics in 2021 as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate for the Medinipur Assembly constituency in the [West Bengal Legislative Assembly](/page/West Bengal_Legislative_Assembly) election, replacing the incumbent TMC MLA Mrigendra Nath Maiti.^[8] She expressed surprise at her nomination but campaigned on confidence in TMC's prospects under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, predicting a third consecutive term for the party.^{[24] [27]} Malia defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Samit Kumar Das, securing victory and becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Medinipur in Paschim Medinipur district.^[8] In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Malia contested from the Medinipur parliamentary constituency on a TMC ticket, facing BJP's Agnimitra Paul in a closely watched contest.^[4] During the campaign, she challenged BJP leader Dilip Ghosh to present a "report card" of accomplishments in the area, emphasizing TMC's local development efforts.^[28] Malia emerged victorious, polling 702,192 votes to Paul's 674,973, winning by a margin of 27,219 votes and marking her entry into Parliament as a first-time MP.^[26] This win contributed to TMC's performance in West Bengal, where the party secured 29 of the state's 42 seats.^[4]

Legislative roles and positions

Malia was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from the Medinipur constituency in the March–April 2021 state elections as a candidate of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's Samit Kumar Das by a margin of approximately 18,000 votes. She assumed office as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) on May 10, 2021, representing Paschim Medinipur district, and focused her tenure on local issues such as infrastructure development and women's welfare in the region. No specific committee assignments or leadership roles within the assembly were publicly documented during her three-year term.^[8][24] Following her victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Medinipur parliamentary constituency, Malia resigned her assembly seat on June 5, 2024, triggering a by-election for Medinipur, which was held alongside five other West Bengal assembly seats on November 13, 2024. In the general election, she secured 702,192 votes against BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul's 674,999, winning by a margin of 27,193 votes and entering the 18th Lok Sabha as a first-term MP.^[29][4][26] As an MP, Malia was nominated to the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, where she tabled reports numbered 375 through 379 in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2025, addressing matters related to the committee's oversight domains. Her parliamentary positions remain limited as of late 2025, with no additional ministerial or panel leadership roles reported.^[30]

Criticisms and controversies

In August 2022, Trinamool Congress Minister of State Srikant Mahato accused June Malia and other celebrity politicians, including actors Dev, Mimi Chakraborty, and Nusrat Jahan, of engaging in corruption and "looting," while claiming that party leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Subrata Bakshi treated them as protected "assets" despite their alleged misconduct.^[31][32] Mahato's remarks, made during an informal meeting in Salboni and later circulated via video on social media, prompted a show-cause notice from the party, a reprimand from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a cabinet meeting, and an unconditional apology from Mahato to Malia, after which his security detail was withdrawn by district authorities.^[31] On January 29, 2023, during Malia's visit to Midnapore town as part of the Trinamool Congress's "Didir Suraksha Kavach" campaign, local party workers protested against her near a tea shop in the Panpara area, alleging that her conversation with suspended TMC members was exacerbating internal divisions within the party.^[33] The demonstration forced Malia to depart the site abruptly amid the escalating tensions.^[33] These incidents reflect intra-party frictions, particularly criticisms of Malia's celebrity background influencing her political standing, though no formal charges or external investigations into the corruption allegations have been reported.^[32]

Philanthropy and social activism

Membership in West Bengal Women's Commission

June Malia served as a member of the West Bengal Women's Commission from 1 June 2011 to 2016.^[34] The commission, established under the West Bengal Commission for Women Act, 1993, functions as a statutory body to investigate complaints related to deprivation of women's rights, safeguard against discrimination, and promote welfare initiatives. Her appointment aligned with her prior engagement in social causes, preceding her roles in child rights advocacy from 2016 to 2021.^[34] During this period, Malia's membership contributed to the commission's mandate amid broader state efforts to address gender-related issues, though specific cases or decisions attributed directly to her involvement are not publicly detailed in official records. Subsequent references to her as a commission member in media coverage up to 2021 likely reflect her past service rather than an ongoing term, consistent with the documented endpoint in 2016.^[35] This role underscored her transition from acting to public service, emphasizing advocacy for women's issues within the Trinamool Congress framework.^[34]

Charitable initiatives and public service

Malia has engaged in charitable activities focused on child welfare, notably participating in a fundraising fashion show organized by the Hope Kolkata Foundation on June 13, 2015. During the event, held at Novotel Kolkata, she walked the ramp alongside 30 children aged 5-9 from the foundation's Kasba Girls Home and Boys Home, aiming to raise awareness and funds for street and slum children.^[36] In March 2019, she served as chief guest at a ramp walk event in Kolkata where children highlighted social evils including child labor, child marriage, and trafficking, promoting public awareness of these issues affecting vulnerable youth.^[37] As a Member of Parliament, Malia has contributed to public service through advocacy for animal welfare, speaking in the Lok Sabha in February 2025 to urge the tabling and passage of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks stricter penalties for animal cruelty offenses.^[38][39]

Personal life

Family and relationships

June Malia has two children from her first marriage, which ended in divorce prior to 2005: a daughter named Shivangini Malia and a son named Shibendra Malia.^[40][41] She maintained primary custody and balanced raising them with her acting career during that period.^[41] In 2005, Malia entered a relationship with Kolkata-based businessman Sourav Chattopadhyay, which lasted 14 years before culminating in a registry marriage on November 30, 2019, at a private ceremony in Mominpur, followed by a reception attended by industry figures.^[16][41][42] The couple, both previously married, described their partnership as mature and cautious, with Chattopadhyay integrating into family life alongside her children.^[40] No further children from this marriage have been publicly reported as of 2025.^[43]

Public persona and lifestyle

June Malia maintains a public persona centered on resilience and versatility, having established herself as a prominent actress in Bengali cinema and television before entering politics, where she is viewed as a determined campaigner capable of challenging established opponents.^[4] Her on-screen presence, spanning roles in productions like Har Har Byomkesh (2015) and Zulfiqar (2016), has contributed to an image of elegance and emotional depth, often portraying strong female characters that resonate with audiences in West Bengal.^[2] In terms of lifestyle, Malia leads a family-oriented life, having married businessman Saurav Chatterjee on November 30, 2019, after a 14-year relationship that began prior to her divorce.^{[41] [42]} She is a mother to two children, Shivangi and Shivendra, from her previous marriage, and has balanced professional commitments with domestic responsibilities, including creative pursuits such as personally designing the interior of Chatterjee's office near their Picnic Garden Road residence in 2020.^{[16] [44]} This reflects a practical approach to personal and professional integration, though she has kept finer details of her daily routines relatively private amid her public roles.^[40]