Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Uttam Kumar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uttam Kumar (Bangla: উত্তম কুমার ) (3 September 1926 - 24 July 1980) was a famous Bengali actor. He is fondly called the Mahanayak or the "Great Hero" of Bengali cinema. He was born as Arun Kumar Chatterjee on 3 September 1926 in Kolkata.
He had been an actor, director and producer. Apart from acting in two films with Satyajit Ray, Nayak (The Hero) and Chiriyakhana (The Zoo, a thriller written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, in which he played the famous Bengali detective Byomkesh Bakshi), he has acted in some Hindi films like "Chhoti si Mulaqat" (with Vyjayantimala Bali), "Amanush" (with Sharmila Tagore), "Ananda Ashram" (with Sharmila Tagore), "Kitaab" and "Dooriyan".
Contents |
Uttam Kumar was born in Kolkata. After his schooling in South Suburban School, he went for higher studies in Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration, an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta system. However, he couldn't complete his studies as he started working at the Kolkata Port as a clerk. During this period, he acted for amateur theater groups.
Uttam's first released film was Drishtidan (The gift of sight) directed by Nitin Bose, though he worked in an earlier unreleased film called Mayador (Embrace of affection). His breakthrough film, though was Sare Chuyattor (74 and a half) with a young actress called Suchitra Sen. This romantic comedy launched the career of the greatest romantic duo to grace the Bangla film industry.
Uttam-Suchitra have ever since been a household name. Some of Uttam's famous films co-starring, with Suchitra include Soptopodi (Seven Steps),Pothe Holo Deri (Delay on the road), Harano Sur (Lost Music), Chaowa-Paowa (Wish and Achievement), Bipasha (River name of Punjab), Jeebon Trishna (Thirst for Life) and Sagorika (Sagorika). It is however debatable as whether on-screen chemistry between the two actors translated to off-screen romance. Suchitra Sen turned down the marriage proposals of Uttam Kumar many times, during their long career together.[citation needed]
Uttam Kumar tried his hand at the popular Bombay/Hindi film with the oft-criticised box office bomb Chhoti Si Mulakat, a film he produced and starred in, among others that were better received. But his towering contribution was to Bengali cinema, or Tollywood(as it is primarily located in Tollygunge district of Kolkata). Many of his Bengali films were directed by notable directors or directing groups of the sixties and the seventies, such as Agradut, Agragami, and Yatrik. Arguably, one of his most lauded appearances was in Satyajit Ray's Nayak (film) (The Hero). It has been rumored that Ray wrote the script with Uttam in mind. Later in his career, Uttam branched out into producing and directing much-lauded films such as Bon Palashir Padaboli. He is a nice film hero in peoples mind. He is the best hero in his time.He is the pionner of prosperous bangla film. The current reigning "hero" of Bengali "cinema" Prosenjit thinks he is the modern equivalent of Uttam Kumar.What a laugh!
Uttam Kumar was reported to have off-screen romantic affairs with several of his co-stars including Suchitra Sen, Sabitri Chatterjee, Aparna Sen. Although none of his affairs lasted long enough to be seriously be considered as reasons for divorce with his wife. A notable exception to this rule was his relationship with veteran actress Supriya Devi which was well reported in the contemporary Bangla language print media. In her autobiography, Supriya Devi observed that despite co-habiting for some years, their relationship was strictly non physical in nature and was more based on mutual love and respect and shared passion for cinema.[citation needed]
A strict workaholic, he was rumored to have said that his preferred demise would be on the floor of a studio, doing what he loved best, acting. Indeed, that is exactly how he passed away. While filming the Bengali film Ogo Bodhu Shundori in 1980, he died of a massive heart attack at the age of 54.
Uttam Kumar's funeral -- mourned by hundreds of thousands of Bengalis spilling into the streets as a slow-moving procession with his garlanded body moved along the major arteries of Calcutta -- was an elaborate, yet ultimately a simple affair. With his passing, Bengal marked the end of an era as Tollygunge (the area in Calcutta where most of the film studios are located) slowly but inexorably transformed itself into Tollywood (marked by a slavish imitation of Bollywood -- the Bombay film industry, given mostly to lighter, more superficial 'vehicles' with the ubiquitous song and dance routines).
As for actors -- to date, and arguably, there has appeared in Tollywood no adequate replacement with comparable star power, box office magnetism, as well as acting acumen.
Awards and Achievements: In 1966, he turned in a much-lauded performance in the Satyajit Ray directed film Nayak. When the Indian Government instituted the National Awards for Best Actor and Actress in 1967, Uttam Kumar was the first ever recipient of the Best Actor Award for his performances in Chiriakhana directed by Satyajit Ray, and Antony Firingi (1967).
- Basu Paribar
- Sare Chuattor
- Moner Moyur
- Griha Prabesh
- Agni Pariksha
- Pathe holo deri
- Jeebon Trishna
- Shaap Mochon
- Shobaar Uporey
- Shyamali
- Shilpi
- Shaheb Bibi Golam
- Nayak
- Chaowa-Paowa
- Surya Toron
- Indrani
- RajLakshmi O Srikanto
- Moru Teertho Hinglaj
- Saptapadi
- Nayika Songbad
- Chiriyakhana
- Grihodaho
- Kokhono Megh
- Chhodmobeshi
- Dhonyee Meye
- Stree
- Tinkori Haldar
- Agnishwar
- Sonyasi Raja
- Harano Sur
- Chowranghee
- Chhoti Si Mulaqat
- Sankhabela
- Amanush
- Sanyashi Raja
- Ananda Ashram
- Ogo Bodhu Sundori
- Desh Premee
(This is by no means an exhaustive list)
"It is the demise of a leading light of the Bengali film industry…There isn't - there won't be another hero like him." -- Satyajit Ray
