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Uttam Kumar | |
|---|---|
 Kumar in 1968 | |
| Born | Arun Kumar Chattopadhyay (1926-09-03)3 September 1926 |
| Died | 24 July 1980(1980-07-24) (aged 53) Calcutta, West Bengal, India |
| Other names | Mahanayak |
| Alma mater | Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, producer, director |
| Years active | 1948–1980 |
| Works | Filmography |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
 | |
Arun Kumar Chattopadhyay (3 September 1926 – 24 July 1980), known professionally asUttam Kumar (Bengali pronunciation:[ut̪ːɔmkumar]),[1] was an Indian actor, director, producer, screenwriter, composer and playback singer who predominantly worked inBengali cinema.[2] Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most successful actors in thehistory of Indian cinema,[3][4] Kumar dominated Bengali cinema from the 1950s throughout the 1970s, being referred to as"Mahanayak" (Bengali for "The Great Hero").[5] His accolades include fiveNational Awards and fourFilmfare Awards.[6]
In a career spanning over five decades, Kumar worked in211 films, till his death in 1980. After a few years of acting in plays, he made his film debut in the 1948 filmDrishtidan in a supporting role, produced by M. P. Productions. By the early 1950s, he had graduated to lead roles and had his first box office hit withBasu Paribar (1952), following a series of unsuccessful ventures. He first gained popularity withSharey Chuattor (1953), where he starred opposite his frequent co-starSuchitra Sen. He consistently starred in top-grossing films from the mid-1950s to the 1960s, such asChampadangar Bou,Agni Pariksha,Shap Mochan,Sabar Uparey,Sagarika,Ekti Raat,Harano Sur,Pathey Holo Deri,Indrani,Maya Mriga,Saptapadi,Bipasha,Bhranti Bilash,Deya Neya,Kokhono Megh, as well as some of his most acclaimed performances includeUpahar,Raat Bhore,Saheb Bibi Golam,Shyamali,Marutirtha Hinglaj,Bicharak,Abak Prithibi,Kuhak,Khokababur Pratyabartan,Jhinder Bondi,Sesh Anka,Uttarayan,Jatugriha,Nayak,Chowringhee,Chiriyakhana andAntony Firingee. He achieved further superstardom and appreciation in the 1970s, for starring in several successful ventures with different genres, includingNishi Padma,Rajkumari,Bilambita Loy,Dhanyee Meye,Chhadmabeshi,Stree,Mem Saheb,Andha Atit,Bon Palashir Padabali,Amanush,Sanyasi Raja,Agnishwar,Mouchak,Bagh Bondi Khela,Sabyasachi,Ananda Ashram,Bandie,Nishan,Dhanraj Tamang,Brojobuli,Pankhiraj,Dui Prithibi,Ogo Bodhu Shundori andKalankini Kankabati. Apart from acting, Kumar showed his versatility in another fields, including as a director and screenwriter of films such asSudhu Ekti Bachhar,Bon Palashir Padabali andKalankini Kankabati, as a composer inKal Tumi Aleya andSabyasachi, and as a singer inNabajanma.
Kumar was the first recipient of theNational Award in theBest Actor category for his work inAntony Firingee andChiriyakhana.[7][8] He is the namesake ofMahanayak Uttam Kumar metro station inTollygunge and the Mahanayak Samman Award given by theGovernment of West Bengal.
Uttam Kumar was born as Arun Kumar Chattopadhyay on 3 September 1926 at his maternal home, situated at 51 Ahiritola Street innorthern Calcutta (nowKolkata), in theBengal Province ofBritish India (now inWest Bengal,India).[9] His father was Satkari Chattopadhyay, aHinduBrahmin fromHooghly district, and his mother was Chapala Devi.[10] Initially he was named "Uttam" by his maternal grandfather, although his mother did not like this name, so the name "Arun" was given.[11][12] Sripurna Sanyasi, the spiritual master of his maternal family, predicted that the entire country would recognise him by the name "Uttam", seeing his smile.[13]
Belonging to an extended middle-class family,[14] Kumar's father was a film projectionist inMetro Cinema.[15] He had two brothers, Barun andTarun, of which the latter also became an actor.[16] His ancestral home was at 46/A Girish Mukherjee Road inBhabanipur, where his interest in acting grew by watching theJatra reharsed and performed by the group Suhreed Samaj, founded by his father and uncle.[12][17]
Kumar first studied in Chakraberia High School, where his first acting opportunity came at the age of five in theGayasur play, which awarded him a medal, in the child role of Gayasur.[16] In 1936, he found a theatre group called Lunar Club, along with his friends, whose first production wasRabindranath Tagore'sMukut.[18] It turned out to become a huge success, that the artists were offered a room for their rehearsals at a neighbour's home.[19] His father selected him to play the role ofBalarama in Suhreed Samaj's stage productionBrajer Kanai.[12]
In 1940, Kumar moved to South Suburban School (Main), where he passedmatriculation with second division in 1942.[19] He joined Government Commercial College (nowGoenka College of Commerce and Business Administration) for his higher studies in 1943, where he passedB. Com standard,[19] and joinedCalcutta Port Trust as a clerk in the cash department, with a monthly salary of₹275.[19] In 1943, Kumar also donated₹1,700 to the fund ofIndian National Army, which was earned from a special stage production ofBankim Chandra Chatterjee'sAnandamath by Lunar Club.
Kumar took classical music training from Nidanbandhu Banerjee in his childhood.[20] An admirer ofJohnny Weissmuller, he was the champion ofhundred yards Freestyle at Bhabanipur Swimming Association for three consecutive seasons.[21] He also learnedyoga,wrestling andLathi Khela, a traditional Bengalimartial art. As a skilled footballer, Kumar used to play in theright-back position and was a lifelongMohun Bagan supporter.[22][23][24] At the same time, he was equally interested in playingvolleyball andcricket.[12]
Kumar entered the film industry in 1947, appearing as an extra in the Hindi filmMaya Dore. Although he acted for five days at Bharatlaxmi Studios for a fee of₹125, the film remained unreleased.[25] His first acting role in a film was in the younger role of the central character played byAsit Baran inDrishtidan (1948), directed byNitin Bose; this film was under his birth name Arun Kumar Chattophadyay. The next year in 1949, he appeared for the first time as the hero in the filmKamona, changing his name again to "Uttam Chatterjee". Later he changed his name again to "Arup Kumar" with the 1950 filmMaryada,[26] where he first got the opportunity to lip-sync to a song. In 1951, Kumar joined M. P. Productions as a staff artist. The same year, he starred inAgradoot'sSahajatri. It was the first film in which he used the name "Uttam Kumar", at the advice ofPahari Sanyal.[25] In this film, he met singer-songwriterHemanta Mukherjee, lip-syncing over whose voice later went on to gain his popularity.[27]
By the age of 26, following by his appearances in a series of unsuccessful films, such asOre Jatri,Nastaneer andSanjibani, Kumar was derogatorily nicknamed "Flop Master General". He was hugely disappointed and decided to leave the film industry. By this time, Kumar continued working at the Port Trust simultaneously.[28]
In 1952, Kumar was then discovered by director Nirmal Dey, who cast him in one of the lead roles in M. P. Production'sBasu Paribar, where he starred oppositeSupriya Devi, one of his later frequent co-stars, for the first time. Dey "saw his talent, which most makers didn't. He was exceptional, a genius actor who was in films that weren't good." However,Basu Paribar was a box-office success and one of thehighest-grossing films of that year, breaking Kumar's dry spell at the box office and making him a star.[25] Following its success, he resigned from his job at the Port Commissions, and joined the film industry in a complete manner. His another release in that year wasKar Paape, a social problem film addressing the matters ofsyphilis, a sharp contrast to theromantically themed films that had generally preceded it.[29] However, it initially bombed at the box-office because of itsA-certified storyline,Kar Paape later got recognition for its groundbreaking theme.[30][29]
In 1953, Kumar collaborated with Dey for the second time inSharey Chuattor, a multistarrer comedy which was his first time appearance withSuchitra Sen. It became a trend-setter by running for over 63 weeks in single-screens and emerged as thehighest-grossing Bengali film of the year.[31]Sharey Chuattor also created a history for being the first film to be screened at Paradise cinema hall, a theatre ofKolkata where mostly Hindi films were used to be shown throughout a year.The Times of India ranks the film in their list ofBengali cinema's all-time greatest comedy films.[32] The same year, Kumar played Uday inBou Thakuranir Haat, based onRabindranath Tagore's 1883 novel of the same name.[25] The flow of successes continued for Kumar in 1954. He began the year withMoner Mayur andOra Thake Odhare, both of which ended up as moderate commercial successes. After this, he starred in Nirmal Dey's drama filmChampadangar Bou, a box-office success. His another films in this year includedMaraner Pare,Sadanander Mela and theNational Award winningAnnapurnar Mandir. Kumar's first breakthrough role came withAgradoot's musical romanceAgni Pariksha; it coincidentally released on Kumar's 27th birthday, giving birth to a new image of him, that of a "romantic hero".[33][34] The film opened to excellent response, eventually taking top spot at the box office that year and emerging anAll Time Blockbuster as well as Kumar's biggest up to that point of time.[28][33] Kumar's performance in the film is considered as one of the most iconic performances in Tollywood history.[35]
Agni Pariksha had a special contribution in terms of promotion in the history of Bengali cinema. M. P. Productions used the signatures of both Kumar and Sen on the poster of film as the main attraction under the tagline "Witness of Our Real Love".[36] It created speculation as Kumar's wife Gauri Devi and Sen's husband Dibanath Sen did not take the caption in well.[37] However, his on-screen chemistry with Sen in the film gained huge popularity, which later went on to be named the "Uttam-Suchitra magic".[38] It was the first of many collaborations between Agradoot and Kumar; the team wrote many of their subsequent scripts and films with Kumar in mind for the lead role, and insisted on him being cast for their later films.[25][31] By this time, Kumar had developed his distinct, signature style of understated acting of mumbling his dialogues while giving myriad expressions and meanings to lines that his characters uttered.[31]
In 1955, Kumar starred in a variety of film genres, from the mythologicalRaikamal and the psychological dramaHrad to the romantic dramaSaajher Pradip.[39] He received his firstBFJA Award in theBest Actor category, for his portrayal of a short termanterograde amnesia patient inHrad. This was also the year in which he starred in two important films of his career. The first was the musical blockbusterShap Mochan, directed by Sudhir Mukherjee, where he worked with Suchitra Sen,Bikash Roy,Pahari Sanyal,Kamal Mitra andTulsi Chakraborty. Emerged as a blockbuster at the box-office, his combination with Hemanta Mukherjee became iconic, and they later became the most popular singer-actor duo.[27][40]The Times of India ranksShap Mochan amongTen Must-Watch Bengali films featuring Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen.[41] The other, released on 1 December 1955, was the crime-noirSabar Uparey, a reworking ofA. J. Cronin's 1950 novelBeyond This Place.[42][43] The same year, Kumar stepped into theart-house dramas, maidenly collaborating withTapan Sinha andMrinal Sen in their respective directorialsUpahar andRaat Bhore.[44][45] Though the former one was a moderate success, the second film which also marks Sen's directorial debut, became both critically and commercially unsuccessful at that point of time. On its failure, Sen himself had mentioned many times that it was not at all a memorable film of him by any standards, despite having Kumar's promising performance.[45][46]
Kumar played the role of a young medical student in the blockbusterSagarika in 1956, co-starring Suchitra Sen.[41] He got critically acclaimed for his performance in the social dramaSaheb Bibi Golam. Based on a1953 novel of the same name byBimal Mitra, the film explores the tragic fall offeudalism inBengal during theBritish Raj.[39] Despite its heavy and female-centric theme,Saheb Bibi Golam went on to become a superhit, and became an influence forAbrar Alvi andGuru Dutt to remake it into Hindi asSaheb, Biwi Aur Ghulam (1962).[47][42]Biswajeet Chatterjee was influenced by Kumar's performance from the film, when he used to play the same character in its stage adaptation under Rangamancha Theatres.[48] The same year, Kumar had an extended cameo inAjoy Kar'sShyamali;[49] it was previously staged under the production ofStar Theatres, where he used to play the same role he played in the film, adapting it from the original story by Nirupama Devi.Kaberi Bose played thetitular role opposite Kumar in the film, whereas it was played bySabitri Chatterjee on stage.[50] Despite having been seen that any successful play did not perform well commercially when picturised in film,Shyamali was an exception, setting a landmark.[51] He was cast byDebaki Kumar Bose inChirakumar Sabha andNabajanma, in the latter of which Kumar made his debut as a singer by singing six verses ofVaishnava Padavali, composed byNachiketa Ghosh.[39] His other major hits that year includeEkti Raat andTrijama, both of which co-starred Suchitra Sen.[52]
Kumar formed his own production house Alo Chhaya Productions, in joint venture with Ajoy Kar in 1957.[53] He made his debut as a producer, starring in Kar's psychological romanceHarano Sur, which emerged as thehighest-earning film of that year.[54] Inspired byMervyn LeRoy's American filmRandom Harvest (1942), the film receivedCertificate of Merit for Third Best Feature Film in Bengali at the5th National Film Awards.[55][56][57] He played an amnesiac patient, who was rescued from the torturous confines of the mental hospital by one of its doctors.[58] Apart from it, Kumar paired with Suchitra Sen in the musical romancePathey Holo Deri, the first Bengali film to be shot ingevacolor, and inChandranath, the first Indian film to be released inMetro Cinema. Following the successes of these,Asit Sen directedJiban Trishna with Kumar and Sen in the lead, which also became a box-office hit, running for over 70 days in theatres.[59] His other releases of 1957,Bardidi andAbhayer Biye underperformed with the latter ending its run with average numbers owing to huge costs, but the crime noirTasher Ghar, in which played his first timedual roles, was a box office hit.[31] This changed in 1958 with back-to-back huge blockbusters alongside Suchitra Sen inRajlakshmi O Srikanta,Indrani andSurya Toran, each being among the top 5highest-grossing films of 1958.[60] The song "Sab Kuchh Lutakar Huye Hum Tumhare" sung byMohammed Rafi without any remuneration, used inIndrani, was the first Hindi song in a Bengali film.[61] In the same year, he appeared alongsideArundhati Devi in Mangal Chakraborty's action-adventureShikar, which proved to be a flop.[46]
In 1959, Kumar got appreciation for his performance in Bikash Roy's mythological dramaMarutirtha Hinglaj, which also became a commercial success. Tarun Kumar, who also acted in the film, mentioned a specific incident during its filming in his bookAmar Dada Uttam Kumar, where the character played by Kumar would choke Sabitri Chatterjee's character out of anger, in a dream sequence; during its shooting, Kumar had got so deep into his character that he actually pressed Chatterjee's throat, and later apologised to her.[62] He appeared in the spy thrillerSonar Harin and the satirical comedyAbak Prithibi, both of which succeeded at the box-office.Bicharak, which was released at the end of 1959, was a highly anticipated project as it saw him playing an anti-heroic character of a judge haunted by his past, and it opened to favourable reviews, particularly towards Kumar's performance and wonNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali at the7th National Film Awards.[63] Following his anotherblockbuster filmChaowa Paowa with Suchitra Sen, he was referred to the title "Mahanayak" by the famous magazineUltorath.[46]
Shap Mochan andSabar Uparey are often credited with exalting Kumar to the heights of superstardom, two years after he became a star withSharey Chuattor andAgni Pariksha, and consolidating his domination of the industry throughout the late-1950s, 1960s and 1970s.[64][65]
In the 1960s, Kumar became a highly successful star. In 1960, he starred in nine films, starting withShuno Baranari andRaja Saja, both of which were hits. He garnered the most appreciation for appearing in a supporting but major role inChitta Bose'sMaya Mriga,[66] starring Biswajeet Chatterjee andSandhya Roy, as well as in the iconicKhokababur Pratyabortan, based on a story byRabindranath Tagore. On his performance as a loyal servant in the latter,The Times of India wrote "It’s not an easy task for a charismatic lead actor to jump into the role of a next door loyal servant. Uttam Kumar excelled it so well that it is still regarded as one of the most touching Bengali films ever created."[67] In the same year, Kumar played another anti-heroic role in the noirKuhak, an adaptation ofThe Night of the Hunter (1955), which gained a cult status generally, in spite of its box-office failure.[55][68]
In 1961, Kumar played triple role in Tapan Sinha's action-adventureJhinder Bondi, a reworking ofAnthony Hope's novelThe Prisoner of Zenda (1894).[55] Notable for portraying Kumar as anaction hero, a far cry from his romantic roles,Jhinder Bondi was the first film where the biggest superstars as well as acting giants of Bengali cinema – Kumar andSoumitra Chatterjee shared screen together, as the protagonist and antagonist respectively.[69] A sword fight scene between him and Chatterjee in the film, is often described as a "battle" showcasing their contrasting acting styles.[55][70] It is also ranked at the sixteenth position atIMDb's list of "The 100 greatest Indian films of all time".[71] That year, another memorable film in his career came in the epic romanceSaptapadi, alongside Suchitra Sen.[41] It was nominated in the Grand Pix category atMoscow International Film Festival in 1963.[54] The iconic bike sequence from the song "Ei Path Jodi Naa Shesh Hoy" featuring him and Sen, has been cited as "Still road-worthy" byThe Telegraph.[72] BothJhinder Bondi andSaptapadi taking top spot at the box office that year and emerging anAll Time Blockbuster as well as Kumar's biggest up to that point of time.[67]
In 1962, Kumar met success withBipasha andShiulibari, also appearing in two exceptional films –Kanna andAmar Desh, whereas the latter was a short film.[73] He once again resumed dual roles in films such as the action comedyBhranti Bilash and the war dramaUttarayan in 1963. An adaptation ofWilliam Shakespeare'sThe Comedy of Errors,[74]Bhranti Bilash had both Kumar andBhanu Banerjee in dual roles, playing identical sets of masters and servants to immense confusion among the other characters.[75] In the same year, he starred inDeya Neya, which was his hundredth film as an actor.[76] His towering performance as an established singer in the film garnered as a cult, emerging to be ablockbuster at the box-office. He further portrayed anti-heroic roles in the action thrillersNishithe andSesh Anka;[55][77] whereas the latter is considered as "a textbook on thriller writing" by Sankha Ghosh ofThe Times of India.[78] 1963 is arguably considered hisannus mirabilis since all of his six releases in the same year were box office successes, withDeya Neya,Bhranti Bilash andSesh Anka being the consecutive highest-grossing Bengali films of the year, a rare feat in Bengali cinema. He collaborated with Tapan Sinha for the fourth time inJatugriha in 1964, which he also produced for his newly formed banner of Uttam Kumar Films Private Limited, breaking up Alo Chhaya Productions with Ajoy Kar.[79]India Today described the film as "A Forgotten 'Modern' Classic" and wrote "It is very much in evident inJatugriha,[80] where Kumar jusifies his statement of changing his acting styles with each co-star, playing a couple in and out of love alongsideArundhati Devi, without an iota of mushiness."[81] His next release was the action dramaLal Pathore, where he played a landlord.[82] In 1965, he gave another iconic performance in his career inThana Theke Aschhi, a psychological thriller where his portrayal of a cop is included inDigital Studio India'slist of Uttam Kumar's memorable performances.[83]
Kumar collaborated withSatyajit Ray for the first time in 1966 on the National Award-winning filmNayak; though he was approached previously by Ray to play the role of Sandip in hisGhare Baire adaptation which he had completed in 1956, but Kumar refused, believing the role would be better for an established actor.[84] Ray wrote the script ofNayak, keeping Kumar in mind, which attained acult status in the history of Bengali cinema.[85] For his performance in the film, he earned his third BFJA Award for Best Actor. At the16th Berlin International Film Festival,Nayak received the UNICRIT Award. Besides,Elizabeth Taylor was impressed with Kumar's performance and wanted to work with and meet him.[73] During a premiere at Indira Cinema, Kumar's shirts was snatched by the frenzied fans.[86] Apart from it, in the same year, Kumar made his directorial debut withShudhu Ekti Bachhar, while his next releaseKal Tumi Aleya was also uncreditedly directed by himself.[42][54][87] Besides,Kal Tumi Aleya also marked his debut as a composer.[88]
In 1967, Kumar was cast asByomkesh Bakshi by Ray inChiriyakhana,[89] in their second collaboration.[90] Despite being considered as "the worst film by Ray" for its complex storyline and unfaithfulness to theoriginal novel bySharadindu Bandyopadhyay,[91]Chiriyakhana later attained a cult following among the audience.[89] Later, he played the titular character in the biographical filmAnthony Firingee, based on the life ofHensman Anthony, a renowned Portuguese-Bengali folk poet.[92][93] For his performances in bothChiriyakhana andAntony Firingee, Kumar became the first recipient to earn theNational Film Award for Best Actor at the15th National Film Awards in 1968, when theGovernment of India instituted the honour.[94][95][96] In the same year, he made his Hindi film debut alongsideVyjayanthimala inChhoti Si Mulaqat, also produced by him.[97] A remake ofAgni Pariksha, the film bombed at the box-office.[98][99] Though he also got several opportunities to make his debut inHindi cinema before, he turned down all the offers, which includeBiren Nag'sBees Saal Baad (1962) and the second lead inRaj Kapoor'sSangam,[100] whereas the latter was previously declined byDilip Kumar andDev Anand.[101] His other major hits that year includeJiban Mrityu,Nayika Sangbad andGrihadaha.[102][103][104]
Kumar gave another iconic performance inChowringhee in 1968, which was based onthe 1962 novel of the same name bySankar.[105] Opined as "The film defining Uttam Kumar's charisma mostly",Chowringhee is ranked amongFilm Companion'slist of 10 Best Performances of Uttam Kumar.[106] Besides, he played an undercover cop in the action thrillerKokhono Megh and an industrialist inTin Adhyay, both of which emerged as one of the highest grossers that year.[107] Kumar also did a cameo asMir Jumla II in the historical filmGarh Nasimpur.[108] In 1969, Kumar appeared in several successful films includingShuk Sari,Sabarmati andChirodiner, but the mostly notable wasAparichita,[109] an adaptation ofFydoor Dostoevsky's famous novelThe Idiot.[37][55] His success flowed with several masala films, such asMon Niye,Rajkumari,Manjari Opera andDuti Mon in 1970. After these, Kumar appeared inKalankita Nayak andNishi Padma, where the latter was thehighest-grossing film of the year.[110] TheFilm Companion critic Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri consideredNishi Padma as "the definitive Uttam Kumar performance afterNayak".[106] At the same time, he delivered another hit inBilambita Loy, an adaptation ofthe 1954 version ofA Star Is Born.[111] In 1971, Kumar appeared in theblockbustersDhanyee Meye,Nabaraag[112] andChhadmabeshi,[113] and also enjoyed critical acclaim withJiban Jigyasa[112] andEkhane Pinjar,[114] whereas he earned his fifth BFJA Best Actor Award for the latter.
In 1972, Kumar played another negatively unconventional role inSalil Dutta's action dramaStree,[115] co-starring Soumitra Chatterjee andArati Bhattacharya.[116] His portrayal of a morally degenerated landlord in the film earned him his sixth BFJA Best Actor Award.[117][118] He got further recognition in the role of a journalist alongsideAparna Sen in the political romanceMem Saheb.[119][120] Other releases that year, the action films likeAndha Atit andChhinnapatra were average fares, butAlo Amar Alo andHar Mana Har were highly successful, reimagining his on-screen partnership with Suchitra Sen.[35] Kumar's first release in 1973 was his own directorialBon Palashir Padaboli, an action drama which also emerged as thehighest grossing Bengali film of 1973.[54] Based onRamapada Chowdhury's novel of the same name, the film was cited by Kumar as his "dream project".[87][121] He also had two hits that year,Roudro Chhaya andSonar Khancha, and received praise for his performance in Ajoy Kar's psychological horror filmKayahiner Kahini, which attracted considerable attention from the media due to Kumar's dual role portrayal. Although the film did not do well commercially, it gained cult status in later years and is considered one of Kar's best works ever.[122][120]
Kumar collaborated withTarun Majumdar in the detective thrillerJadi Jantem in 1974,[123] in which he portrayed the role ofP. K. Basu, a fictional character created byNarayan Sanyal.[124] He did an extended cameo in the Biswajeet Chatterjee directorialRawkto Tilak, which became commercially unsuccessful, while he further achieved success by resetting his image of a "romantic hero" in the filmsAlor Thikana andBikele Bhorer Phool.[125]Partha Pratim Chowdhury's political dramaJadu Bansha, which had Kumar as a middleclass businessman, was unanimously praised by critics, while the film was a box-office bomb.[126] Before the end of the year, Kumar delivered a stellar performance inShakti Samanta's action filmAmanush.[127][128] Simultaneously shot in Bengali and Hindi,[129] the former version released duringDurga Puja, while the latter version released in March 1975.[130] Kumar's performance in the film saw him receiving both his firstFilmfare Award for Best Actor and the seventh time BFJA Best Actor Award. Running for over 96 weeks in theatres,Amanush became the most successful film of Kumar's entire career.[131] The film also became iconic for his chemistry withKishore Kumar as a popular actor-singer duo.[128] In 1975 he appeared in big hit films such asSanyashi Raja,Mouchak, andAgnishwar, and worked with Suchitra Sen for the last time inPriyo Bandhobi. In that same year he appeared inBagh Bondi Khela as the villain.[132][133]
From 1976, Kumar's career slumped, despite he give some hit films likeBanhisikha (1976) where he won his eighth and lastBFJA Best Actor Award which was a record win at that time andSei Chokh. In 1977 he worked another double versionAnanda Ashram by Shakti Samanta but only the Bengali version become all-time blockbuster and ran over 26 weeks.[134] In 1978 he worked on superhitDhanraj Tamang for which he won Best Actor Award inFilmfare Award East. In 1979 he worked onSunayani which was a hit. But between these films, many films flopped and were average.[135] In 1980Dui Prithibi was released, and became successful and critically acclaimed after a long time. This was the last film released during his lifetime.
After his death some films were released; one of themOgo Badhu Sundori (1981), became a huge success at the box office and ran for 26 weeks. Later releasesKalankini Kankabati which he directed, andProtisodh were also successful. In 1982 a Hindi film,Desh Premee, was released in which Uttam Kumar worked in an important supporting role. His last released film in 1987 was a Hindi filmMera Karam Mera Dharam where he appeared for a brief role.[135][136]
Kumar produced six Bengali films and one Hindi film. All of his Bengali films became successful. The first films he produced,Harano Sur (1957) and thenSaptapadi, were under the banner of Alochayas Production. Both films were directed byAjoy Kar and received theNational Film Award. In 1963, he changed the name of his production house to Uttam Kumar Films Private L.T.D. The first film produced under this banner wasBhranti Bilash, which was followed byUttar Falguni, andJatugriha which both won National Award again, andGrihadaha [bn]. The only Hindi film as well as his last produced film wasChhoti Si Mulaqat, which was unsuccessful.
Later, Kumar directed three hit films likeSudhu Ekti Bochor [bn] which ran for 84 days in theatre,Bon Palashir Padabali which ran for 120 days in theatre andKalankini Kankabati (released after his death).[54]
Kumar first sang in the 1950 filmMaryada.[137] He composed music for the filmKaal Tumi Aleya [bn], in which Hemanta Mukherjee and Asha Bhosle sang, and also composedSabyasachi (1977). He was also aplayback singer in his own filmNabajanma [bn] (1956). Later, he made a recording singingRabindra Sangeet.[citation needed] He collaborated withShyamal Mitra on the background score forBon Palashir Padabali.[138]
Kumar acted in theatre before debuting in the film industry. In 1953, he returned to theatre, acting in a play calledShyamali under the Star Theater banner.Shyamali created a record by running for over 486 nights.[139] The directorAjoy Kar made a film based on the play with the same title,Shyamali. In the 1970s, Kumar directed plays under the organisation Shilpi Sangshad. He directed three plays,Charankabi Mukunda Das,Sajahan andCharitraheen, but he did not act in these. Later, he acted inAlibaba.
In 1956Raj Kapoor wanted to cast Kumar in the Bengali version ofJagte Raho, but Kumar declined.[140] In 1962, his friend, composerHemant Kumar offered him the lead role in a Hindi film titledSharmili directed byBiren Nag.[141] Uttam Kumar was included in promotions for the film but later cancelled for unknown reasons. Their relationship hit a low point after he rejected it. In 1964, Raj Kapoor approached him to appear in a film under hisR.K Films banner, calledSangam, but Kumar rejected it, and the role went toRajendra Kumar.[142]Kumar's first Hindi film role was inChhoti Si Mulaqat in 1967, directed by Alo Sarkar and produced by Kumar.[140] The film was adapted from Kumar's earlier Bengali film,Agni Pariksha.Chhoti Si Mulaqat was a failure as the material was considered outdated and lost much of the original film's subtlety. Sarkar's second filmBandi (1978) was also a huge failure. His only huge successful in Hindi wasAmanush.[143] The film, directed byShakti Samanta, was bilingual in both Bengali and Hindi.[140] Kumar's appeared in another bilingual film directed by Samanta,Anand Ashram, a remake of the 1941 filmDaktar was successful at the box office. But his other Hindi films,Kitaab andDooriyaan were box office failures. Although, his work inDooriyan was critically praised.[140]
For the popularity and quality of Kumar's films, he was influenced to remake his films many times in Hindi and South Indian languages.[144]
In the 1960s, a rivalry was started between Kumar and Soumitra Chatterjee who was also a renowned actor.[145] In a 2014 interview, Chatterjee said about Kumar, "I knew Uttamda ever since he was a Kolkata Port Trust employee before becoming a star. We had met at the theatre beforehand. Any talk about our rivalry is baseless as few know how caring he was. He once dragged me jogging to stay and look fit and trim as a hero at the crack of dawn. I woke up in the dawn hearing commotion in the lane outside and then he called me aloud. Waving to the crowd around the Austin we both got inside and drove away - to the lake area."[146]
Kumar andSuchitra Sen appeared together in many films.[147] They first appeared as co-stars inSaare Chuattor. The film was successful, and was followed byAgni Pariksha,Shilpi,Saptapadi,[148][72]Pathe Holo Deri,Harano Sur,Chaowa Paowa,Bipasha,Jiban Trishna,Sagarika,Trijama,Indrani,Sabar Upare,Surjyo Toron,Rajlakshmi O Sreekanto,Ekti Raat,Grihadaha,Kamallata,Har Mana Har, andAlo Amar Alo.[citation needed] They had worked together in 30 films, of which 29 were box-office successes.[citation needed] In an interview, Kumar once said about his chemistry with Sen, "Roma (Sen's real name) saved my career before Sharey Chuattor every heroine was older than me, so the chemistry did not work properly, hence many of my films did not work (flopped), then Roma came and I felt I got my heroine. If Roma never came I never would've been the Uttam Kumar."[149]
Sonar Harin sawSupriya Devi play the lead opposite Kumar. As they began to act in more films together, the two got involved off-screen as well. In 1963, Uttam left his family home at Girish Mukherjee Road, Bhowanipur and stayed with Supriya for the next 17 years until his death.[150] They starred together in several other films likeUttarayan,Chiradiner,Agni Sanskar,Suno Baranari,Kal Tumi Aleya,Lal Pathor,Andha Atit,Sudhu Ekti Bochhor,Mon Niye,Bilambita Loy,Bhola Maira,Sanyasi Raja,Bon Palashir Padabali,Sister,Jibon Mrityue,Bagh Bandir Khela.[151]
Kumar worked in many films with the actressSabitri Chatterjee. They first worked together in 1951 in the filmSahajatri.[citation needed] They worked in 39 films together which is highest that Kumar worked together, includingAbak Prithibi,Bhranti Bilash,Uttarayan,Nishipadma,Mouchak,Dhanyee Meye and others.[152][153]
Kumar was selected in 1976 to recite the Chandi Path in the All India Radio (AIR) studios. He was criticised by audience members for replacing the role normally served byBirendra Krishna Bhadra. Kumar apologised and Bhadra was reinstated.[154][155]
Kumar was active in theIndian independence movement. In 1945, he helpedSubhas Chandra Bose's Indian National army relief fund, arranging a performance of the playAnandamath and giving the profit of 1700 rupees toSatish Chandra Bose [bn].[156] He also engaged in releif works during communal riots of 1946 and fought with extortionists duringKolkata communal riots of 1946.[157]
Uttam Kumar helped poor artists and technicians.[158] In 1968, he left Abhinetri Sangha and founded his own foundation, Shilpi Sangshad, to help poor artists and technicians. He was president of this organisation until his death.[159] He worked in many films without any salary.[citation needed]
For the 1978 flood, he organised a charitycricket match between artists from the Bengali film industry and the Bombay film industry in 1979. He captained the Bengal team whileDilip Kumar captained the Bombay team.[160][161]
Kumar married Gauri Chatterjee (27 September 1929 – 21 April 1981) on 1 June 1948. They had a son named Gautam Chatterjee (7 September 1950 – 2 May 2005).[162] They had a troubled marriage.[163]
He engaged in a relationship with the legendary actress Supriya Devi, and in 1963 they got married. He didn't give divorce to his wife, Gauri.[9]
Many fans were inquisitive about the relationship between Uttam and Suchitra and thought they were together. Rumours arose that they were the reason Kumar had a divorce; however, there is no truth in that, they were both married and had families, and were respectful of each other as colleagues.[164]
His grandsonGourab Chatterjee and his brother's grandson Sourav Banerjee are both actors.[16]
Kumar started his autobiography in 1960–61 asHarano Dinguli Mor, which is incomplete. Later in 1979–80 he again began his autobiography asAamar Ami, but that was also incomplete due to his sudden death. Later Tarun Kumar finished it, but the original manuscript was stolen on the day Uttam died. Later, a member ofThe Times of India found it and published it in Kolkata Book Fair 2010.
On 23 July 1980, he fell ill on the set ofOgo Badhu Sundori. Later that night, while attending his friend's party, he fell severely ill at around midnight. This time, suspecting an attack, he drove himself toBelle Vue Clinic, which was a five-minute drive from his Moira Street residence. At 3:00 am, he was admitted and attended by a medical board composed of eminent cardiologists. He died at 9:35 in the evening of Thursday, 24 July 1980, aged 53.[165][147] The next day, on 25 July, millions of people gathered on the streets for his last rites and an entire forest became chopped down. Bengali daily newspaperAnandabazar Patrika carried two reports of Uttam's death. The headline of one was brief:Cholochitre Indrapatan, which translates toCinema Loses Its Titan.[166]
Kumar is regarded as one the greatest actors in Indian Cinema. He dominated Bengali film industry throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s.[6] He is known for his diverse roles and charm.[171] Although he is famously known as a romantic lead but he did various types of roles which proved his versatility.[172]Times Now referred Kumar "The First and Last Titan of Bengali Cinema".[173]Satyajit Ray called him "real star" and said, "There was no other actors at his time to match his popularity and most of his films became successful. There was high casting demand from producers because of the profit opportunities."[174][175][176] Shantanu Guha Ray ofNDTV said, "Uttam Kumar blazed like a meteor and vanished like one."[177]Zee News called him "one-man-institution" and highlighted his classic films.[178] Kumar's performance inNayak was listed in "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema" byForbes.[179]
Several notable actors and directors have expressed their admiration to Kumar likeElizabeth Taylor,Dilip Kumar,Vyjayanthimala,Dharmendra,Rajesh Khanna,Shammi Kapoor andAmitabh Bachchan.[180]
In 1973, the iconic Bengali filmBasanta Bilap actorChinmoy Ray said a dialogue which wasEkbar bolo Uttam Kumar (Say one time Uttam Kumar).[18] In 2009, Chinmoy Ray directed a film namedEkbar Bolo Uttam Kumar to tribute him. In 2010,Ogo Badhu Sundori (same name of 1981 film) made which directed by Sunanda Mitra also give tribute to Kumar.[86] In the same year, the iconic Bengali filmAutograph directed bySrijit Mukherjee there was a tribute to both Kumar andSatyajit Ray. Later in many films of Srijit, he give tribute to Kumar.[14]
In 2009, the Tollygunge Metro station inKolkata was renamed asMahanayak Uttam Kumar Metro Station in his honour.[185][186] A life-size statue of Kumar has been erected near the station.[citation needed]
The Department of Post released a postage stamp featuring the actor on 3 September 2009, celebrating the 83rd anniversary of his birth.[187][185] There is a statue of Uttam Kumar in Tollygunge established in 1993 by theGovernment of West Bengal.[26] In 2019 at Ahiritola street the birthplace of Kumar another statue was established which inaugurated by the mayor of KolkataFirhad Hakim. In 2020, on his 94th birth anniversary another statue was situated at Bardhaman town.[21]
In 2012, on his death anniversary, theGovernment of West Bengal created the Mahanayak Samman Award, named after Kumar, for lifetime achievement in films. This award was first distributed by Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee.[188] This program is held on Uttam Mancha every year on his death anniversary.[citation needed] InKalighat of Kolkata there is an auditorium named on Uttam Kumar asUttam Mancha.[3] On 25 November 2019, in London, there was a cultural festival held about Uttam Kumar at London auditorium by the Bengalis.[20]
The first film poster in the book is of the 1952 release Kar Pape, which came with a feminist catchline and an 'A' certification!
Shaymali was staged in Star Theatre in Kolkata as play and ran successfully for more than 4 years. Ajoy Kar came out victorious in the filmShyamali after Uttam Kumar played a cameo in the film.
Among the first of his production ventures, under the banner of Alo Chaya, were 'Harano Sur' (1957) and 'Saptpadi' (1961).
In between the double and triple roles lie the double sets of double roles seen in the Bengali superhit Bhranti Bilas (1963), inspired by William Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors.
"Jai Chole Jai", the immortal Hemanta Mukherjee number lipped by Uttam Kumar, still enthrals countless listeners. This song from the super hitKal Tumi Aleya was tuned by Uttam Kumar himself.
The camera captures a smile unfold and spread from Uttam Kumar's eyes to every bit of his handsome face. How can a human being have such a golden, time-defying smile? Now that's a mystery too. Mull on…
In Shakti Samanta'sAmar Prem, the brief to Rajesh Khanna was, "Just copy Uttam Kumar from the original film (Nishi Padma)", and he did it successfully.
Uttam Kumar was the darling of the masses in Bengal, who had christened him Mahanayak - superstar.
Is it because great imagination, and understanding human psychology, is required to make a bodyless 'Kayahin' appear real to grown-ups? Ajay Kar had filmed Nabendu Ghosh'sKayahiner Kahini (1973) with Uttam Kumar and Aparna Sen.
In 1968 the first novel of the PK Basu series,Nagchampa was published. The first film adaptation was in 1974 namedJodi Jantem (If Only I Knew) featuring Uttam Kumar as P. K. Basu.
The political drama is also a fascinating critique of its eventful era. Bengal's infamous Naxal activities which started an outright movement among the educated youths resulted in not only significant political unrest but also a social turmoil.
The songs for Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle… "Gum ki dawa to pyaar hai… Gum ki dawa sharaab nahi…" and "Na poocho koi humein jahar kyun pee liya…" helped a lot in revealing the emotions of the story.
Uttam was cast as an evil politician, expert in cross-border smuggling, money laundering, illegal property business and a man who loves prostitutes.
Shooting forPlot No. 5 commenced in 1978 and it was released in 1981, a year after the Bengali icon died.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The four-day extravaganza, Mahanayakke Nayaker Shraddhanjali, was kicked off at Star theatre on Thursday with the screening ofBon Palashir Padabali,Ogo Bodhu Shundori andAgnishwar. The exhibition revolving around the superstar and his works turned out to be a bigger draw on Friday and Saturday at Science City.
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