Uttam Kumar awards were given to Madhabi Mukherjee, Sandhya Roy, Tapas Pal and others.

50 actors had been awarded the Mahanayak Uttam Kumar award on his death anniversary on 24th July, 2013. Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee had started the awards in the memory of the greatest superstar of Bengal Mahanayak Uttam Kumar. Madhabi Mukherjee, Dipankar Dey, Ranjit Mullick and Sandhya Roy had been given lifetime achievement award. Incidentally Madhabi Mukherjee had acted in many super hit films of Uttam Kumar like Shankhabela, Choddobeshi, Agnisshar, etc. and Sandhya Roy had acted in many hit films of Uttam Kumar like Mayamrigo, Surjotapa. Director Goutam Ghosh had also been granted lifetime achievement award. Actors Partho Mukherjee, Chinmoy Roy, directors Sandip Ray, Raj Chakravarty, Sujit Saha, Koushik Ganguly and Srijit Mukherjee are given special awards. Actors Tapas Pal and Prasenjit Chatterjee are given Mahanayak Samman. Actors Saswata Chatterjee and Parambrata Chatterjee are given special awards. Film Producing companies are also awarded and felicitated including RD Bansal and Company, Arora Films, Shri Venkatesh films, New Theatres, to name a few.

Oscar winning director Satyajit Ray acknowledged the dynamic presence of the legendary superstar in Bengali films and made a film Nayak in 1966 based on the story of Uttam Kumar. His original name was Arun Kumar Chatterji, who was a clerk in Port Commission before joining Bengali films. When he joined films with Drishtidaan in 1948, he had to struggle to create his image as against he established heroes like Asit Boron, Bikash Roy and others. In 1952, his film Basu Paribar struck at the box-office and he overtook Bosonto Choudhury, Asit Boron and became the leading superstar of Bengali films. All the qualities of a romantic hero was possessed by him, including a standard height, good complexion, manly voice, romantic hairstyle and unique dialogue delivery. Any dress suited the legendary superstar including Punjabi, dhoti, coat, Bengali dresses, etc. He had acted in the films of all the legendary directors of the golden age including Satyajit Ray’s Nayak in 1966, Chiriakhana in 1967, Tapan Sinha’s Jhinder Bandi in 1961, Upahaar in 1955 and Jotugriha in 1964, Ajoy Kar’s Harano Sur in 1957, Saptapadi in 1961, Suno Bara Nari in 1960, Agradoot’s Bipasha in 1962, Surjo Toron in 1958, Agragami’s Sagarika in 1956, Shonkhobela in 1966, to name a few. Uttam Kumar acted opposite all the leading actresses of Bengali celluloid including Suchitra Sen, Arundhuti Debi, Manju Dey, Sabitri Chatterji, Supriya Choudhury, Mala Sinha, and others. His combination with Suchitra Sen had given everlasting classics and both of them still remains the most romantic pair in Indian silver screen. Uttam Kumar’s films were based on rich literature including Tagore’s Khokababur Protyaborton, Subodh Ghosh’s Suno Bara Nari, Samaresh Bose’s Kuhak, Sorodindu Bondhopadyay’s Chiriakhana, Shankar’s Chourangi. The films were related to different types of stories including comedy stories, tragic stories, soft romantic stories, etc. Uttam Kumar had acted in around 205 films (including bollywood films like Amanush, Anand Ashram, Choti Si Mulakat, Dooriyan, Kitaab etc., ) in a span of 35 years, and all his films had remained everlasting treasures. Out of his 205 films, around 37 of them ended up being blockbusters, around 50 were super hit films and around 50 were hit films. Actor Shatrughun Sinha in his interview before Bengali media had disclosed that when he was working in Pune Film and Television Institute, the graduates had unanimous view that Uttam Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar were the greatest superstars of celluloid and had Uttam Kumar acted in more number of bollywood films, he would have remained as great a legend as Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor. Even the singers who had sung for him including Manna Dey, Shyamal Mitra, Hemanta Mukherjee, Manobendra Mukherjee, etc., agreed that they did not find any actor who was parallel to Uttam Kumar in giving lips in songs. He made the viewers feel that he only sang the songs. Actor Shatrughun Sinha in his interview had said that during his student life in Pune Film and Television Institute, the upcoming actors used to debate about the charishma of Uttam Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. Although there was no unanimity about the finest actor among them, there was consensus about one fact had Uttam Kumar established himself in bollywood films by acting in more number of films, he would have been equally an international figure like Raj Kapoor or Dilip Kumar. Articles after articles can be devoted to Uttam Kumar who was one –man –industry in Bengali films. His films should be revisited to create motivation for making better quality films in future.

Ray used Anil and Madhabi to perfection in Mahanagar.

Ray used Anil and Madhabi to perfection in Mahanagar.

Oscar winning Director Satyajit Tay experimented with the classic story with which writer Narendra Nath Mitra wrote the transformation of middle class Bengali of Kolkata of the early 60s. Satyajit Ray’s film was released in 1965, when the view of the writer was a reality, considering the socio-economic condition of the metropolitan city.

The film did receive both positive reviews and international awards. In Mahanagar the central character who was the sole bread-earner of the joint Bengali family was played by Anil Chatterji . Anil Chatterji was a middle-class Bengali in Mahanagar, who was an employee in a private bank in Kolkata but struggled to fulfill the needs of his wife Madhabi Mukherjee, his father, mother, small child and younger sister played by Jaya Bacchan.

Anil Chatterji with his multi-dimentional talent succeeded to express the anxiety of the middle-class husband. At some stages he was harsh towards his wife played by Madabi Mukherjee. Anil Chatterji was very adjusting and considerate towards his wife at the beginning confronting the opposition by his father, who believed that a middle-class Bengali housewife should not go to the outer world to earn a living.

Madhabi Mukherjee had to look for employment and joined Haradhon Banerjee’s firm which promoted women’s domestic products. There was strong resistance from the family. Just like other conservative bengalies, Anil Chatterji’s father, a retired academician, never liked the housewife to do marketing and earn a living. He in fact stopped talking to Anil Chatterji after Madhabi Mukherjee joined office.

Additional characters were included in Mahanagar, like the character of an anglo-colleague who played the role of the friend of Madhabi Mukherjee who helped her to be professional. She was unethically sacked by Haradhon Banerjee, and for her cause Madhabi Mukherjee gave her resignation at the end of the film.

Jaya Bacchan did a decent job in her role of the sister of Anil Chatterji. In fact it was her debut, and she was fortunate to get a role in a film directed by Oscar Winning Maestro Satyajit Ray. When Madhabi Mukherjee went to give her resignation letter, Anil Chatterji asked her not to give it, as his company went for a lockout and he became jobless. But when Madhabi Mukherjee gave her resignation at the end of the film Anil Chatterji supported her and cooperated with her.

Both the husband and the wife had to earn to meet the requirements of the present day. That was the message given by the writer Naren Mitra. Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar won many national and international awards. Satyajit Ray’s was a master of casting and he used the acting skills of Anil Chatterji and Madhabi Mukherjee in such a way that the viewers could identify themselves in their respective roles. The film should be preserved for realistic story, brilliant script, outstanding story-telling and meaningful acting.

Humkadam was not as successful as Mahanagar

Humkadam was not as successful as Mahanagar.

Director Anil Ganguly experimented with the same story which Satyajit Ray made his film Mahanagar in his film Humkadam. Satyajit Ray’s film was released in 1965, while Anil Ganguly’s one was released in 1980.

But the film did not receive either positive reviews or commercial benefits. In Humkadam, Parikshit Sahani played the role played by Anil Chatterji in the Bengali film Mahanagar. Anil Chatterji was a middle-class Bengali in Mahanagar, who was the sole bread-earner but struggled to fulfill the needs of his wife Madhabi Mukherjee, his father, mother, small child and younger sister played by Jaya Bacchan.

Parikshit Sahani in the film Humkadam, could not express the anxiety of the middle-class husband. At some stages he was harsh towards his wife played by Rakhee. Anil Chatterji was very adjusting and considerate towards his wife Madhabi Mukherjee in Mahanagar.

Rakhee had to look for employment and joined Biswajeet Chatterji’s firm which promoted women’s domestic products. There was strong resistance from the family. Just like in Mahanagar, Anil Chatterji’s father, a retired academician, never liked the housewife to do marketing and earn a living, in Humkadam, A. K. Hangal, the father of Parikshit Sahani was never liked Rakhee’s employment at all.

Additional characters were included in Humkadam, like the character of Helen, who played the role of the friend of Rakhee who helped her to be professional. Helen was also earning for her handicapped husband. Parikshit Sahani and his family members never liked it.

Dina Pathak did a decent job in her role of the mother of Parikshit Sahani. Anil Ganguly kept the ending of the film same as Mahanagar. When Madhabi Mukherjee went to give her resignation letter, Anil Chatterji asked her not to give it, as his company went for a lockout and he became jobless. Parikshit Sahani did the same thing in Humkadam.

Both the husband and the wife had to earn to meet the requirements of the present day. That was the message given by the writer Naren Mitra. Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar won many national and international awards. Anil Ganguly’s Humkadam was a sincere project, but did not get the recognition as an innovative work.

Review of Uttam Kumar's Shankhabela.

Review of Uttam Kumar’s Shankhabela.

Uttam Kumar was the uncrowned monarch of Bengali classic films of the 50s, 60s and 70s. He had acted in around 205 films, so most of his films are landmarks in Bengali film industry. But some of the films created history due to some unique reasons. Shankhabela is one of that kind of film.

The film as released in 1966. Uttam Kumar was big corporate officer in the film who had married Madhabi Mukherjee and had a small son. Due to requirement of corporate world, he had to give parties distribute drinks to the business tycoons of the respective jurisdiction and get involved in drinking himself. All these activities were not like by Madhabi Mukherjee. She felt that all those activities could spoil her son.

After repeated requests when Madhabi saw that Uttam Kumar could not avoid parties, drinking, etc., she left the house and lived separately with her son. The son fell seriously in due period of time and was brought before Bosonto Choudhury, a specialist doctor in Kolkata. He asked her to get her son admitted in the hospital.

While treating the child he tried to reunite the family which was virtually separated. He called Uttam Kumar, the father of the child, and told him about his son’s sickness and rebuked him for failing to fulfill the responsibilities of a father. After curing the child he asked Uttam Kumar to take his wife and child back home thereby ending their mental differences.

The important fact in the film was that the composer Sudhin Dasgupta, used Manna Dey, the legendary singer of bollywood films to sing songs for Uttam Kumar, for the first time. He was associated with successful Hemant Kumar whose matched him the most. Manna Dey was previously used in the song “lag lag lag lag velki khela” in Uttam Kumar’s film Goli Theke Rajpoth in 1959, by Sudhin Dasgupta, but that was not a musical film, and the musical excellence of Manna Dey remained unnoticed.

Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar’s spirited performance in the songs “ke pratham kache asechi”, “ami agantuk ami barta dilam”, “aaj mon cheyeche ami hariye jabo” flabbergasted the Bengali audience. Due to the success of Shankhabela, Manna Dey dethroned Hemant Kumar from being the dominant singer in Bengali films, and created a magical combination with Uttam Kumar till his death. Manna Dey’s hit songs for Uttam Kumar stormed Bengali films like Anthony Firingi, Nishi Padda, Chowrangee, Jibon Mrityu, Stri, Chaddabeshi, Chiradiner, Sanyasi Raja, etc., to name a few.

Besides, Uttam Kumar gave the most romantic lips in a boat with Madhabi in Mython in the romantic song “ke prothom kache esechi”. The composition was totally westernized and the lyrics written by Pulak Banerjee was very romantic. Even legendary composer Naushad appreciated Sudhin Dasgupta for making the tune of “ke pratham kache esechi”, when Sudhin Dasgupta went to Bombay to place it before Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar.

The other aspect of the film directed by Saroj De ( the main director of Agragami), was the casting of Bosonto Choudhury in the role of the doctor. He was assisted by a panel of doctors including Mrinal who had his debue in the film, but his personality overshadowed the romantic personality of Uttam Kumar. Critics argue that Bosonto Choudhury gave his best performance in the film Shankhabela. The film addressed the intellectual viewers of Bengal and other parts of the country and could be very well categorsied as cine-classic. The film and the songs should be restored for those reasons.