Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen.
By: CR Chatterji.
Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen are one of the most successful romantic pairs that Indian celluloid had ever produced. Although they had acted in mainly Bengali films, with Uttam Kumar addressing the national audience in films like Amanush, Anand Ashram, Choti Si Mulakat, Dooriyan, Kitaab, etc., and Suchitra Sen contributing in films like Devdas, Musafir, Bombai Ka Babu, Mamta, Aandhi, etc., they had become immortal personalities due to sheer brilliance of performances.
They had acted in films having dynamic stories like Harano Sur, where Uttam Kumar lost his memory in a train accident, then was treated by Suchitra Sen, and due to a second accident forgot his relationship with his wife. Suchitra Sen had to work in the house of Uttam Kumar as a governess of his nephew, and the memory came back at the end of the film. Ajoy Kar, an eminent director and legendary cameraman showed his excellence in presentation of the story.
The same director gave scope to the legendary pair to do their best in the film Saptapadi. In this film the story involved an affair between a Bengali Brahmin with a Christian girl, and the father of Uttam Kumar played by Chabi Biswas did not accept the relationship and asked Suchitra Sen to forget Uttam Kumar. Uttam Kumar converted into a Christian but never married Suchitra Sen, as she gave work to Chabi Biswas about forgetting his son. At the end of the film, Uttam Kumar treated Suchitra Sen, when she was badly hit by bombs hurled during second world war.
They also acted in films based on classic literature like Rajlakshi Srikanto and Kamallata, written by legendary writer Sarat Chandra Chatterji. Both the films were based on biographies of Sarat Chandra Chatterji and Uttam Kumar represented Sarat Chandra in these films. The misery of Bengali women in the early eighteenth century was depicted by strong performance of Suchitra Sen. Very significantly they complimented each other in glamour and strong performance.
They had acted in 30 films together, including Chawa Pawa (based on the story of Roman Holiday), Alo Amar Alo, Har Mana Har, Nabarag, Grihadaha. It is not possible to highlight their contribution in Indian films in a small article. Had the bollywood directors shown the courage of casting them in bollywood films, they would have shown their level of excellence in bollywood films also.
By: CR Chatterji.
Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen are one of the most successful romantic pairs that Indian celluloid had ever produced. Although they had acted in mainly Bengali films, with Uttam Kumar addressing the national audience in films like Amanush, Anand Ashram, Choti Si Mulakat, Dooriyan, Kitaab, etc., and Suchitra Sen contributing in films like Devdas, Musafir, Bombai Ka Babu, Mamta, Aandhi, etc., they had become immortal personalities due to sheer brilliance of performances.
They had acted in films having dynamic stories like Harano Sur, where Uttam Kumar lost his memory in a train accident, then was treated by Suchitra Sen, and due to a second accident forgot his relationship with his wife. Suchitra Sen had to work in the house of Uttam Kumar as a governess of his nephew, and the memory came back at the end of the film. Ajoy Kar, an eminent director and legendary cameraman showed his excellence in presentation of the story.
The same director gave scope to the legendary pair to do their best in the film Saptapadi. In this film the story involved an affair between a Bengali Brahmin with a Christian girl, and the father of Uttam Kumar played by Chabi Biswas did not accept the relationship and asked Suchitra Sen to forget Uttam Kumar. Uttam Kumar converted into a Christian but never married Suchitra Sen, as she gave work to Chabi Biswas about forgetting his son. At the end of the film, Uttam Kumar treated Suchitra Sen, when she was badly hit by bombs hurled during second world war.
They also acted in films based on classic literature like Rajlakshi Srikanto and Kamallata, written by legendary writer Sarat Chandra Chatterji. Both the films were based on biographies of Sarat Chandra Chatterji and Uttam Kumar represented Sarat Chandra in these films. The misery of Bengali women in the early eighteenth century was depicted by strong performance of Suchitra Sen. Very significantly they complimented each other in glamour and strong performance.
They had acted in 30 films together, including Chawa Pawa (based on the story of Roman Holiday), Alo Amar Alo, Har Mana Har, Nabarag, Grihadaha. It is not possible to highlight their contribution in Indian films in a small article. Had the bollywood directors shown the courage of casting them in bollywood films, they would have shown their level of excellence in bollywood films also.
Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen had made romantic films end up in artistic creations. There were melodious associated with them, strong stories, and yet the standard of acting was at par with any of the powerful actors of Satyajit's Ray's films. In fact, Ray acknowledged the charishma of Uttam Kumar in his film Nayak.
ReplyDeleteRumi Chatterji.
Personally i am a huge huge fan of them and especially i like to see them together in a same film.Their on screen chemistry was superb.Film industry would have uncompleted except them...They r the legends of Indian cinema.
ReplyDeleteuttam suchitra is unique...none will be like them ever in the history of cinema.... my first movie was "harano sur " before 25 years and still i love to watch the film again and again..i am madly in love with this pair..i pray for suchita sen's good health and peace for uttam's departed soul.
ReplyDeleteVery nice article. UK -SS combination is one of a kind - irreplaceable.
ReplyDelete