The Immortal Mahanayak: Uttam Kumar

The boy who stole millions of hearts, particularly those of Bengalis, lived a life full of controversies but never failed to entertain his audience; it feels as if he was born to be onscreen and in the hearts of every Bengali. This is the story of a middle-class boy who aspired to reach the pinnacle of success, which he ultimately did. Today he is remembered as 'Uttam Kumar- the Mahanayak', one of Bengali cinema's most illustrious legends.

Uttam Kumar, the Mahanayak Source: https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fin.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F611152611926805182%2F&psig=AOvVaw2dlFTCxuY6sdHVL5SIVIZk&ust=1681848365220000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBEQjRxqFwoTCOD9-cPbsf4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

In Bollywood, we've seen Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan; in Tamil and Telugu cinema, we've seen Rajnikanth, N.T. Rama Rao, and others. However, there is only one name in Bengali cinema — Uttam Kumar. It has been nearly forty-two years since the Bengali cinema lost its Mahanayak who defined it for three decades. He is still remembered as the ultimate demigod of Bengali cinema whose aura never seems to fade. He was undoubtedly the ruler of the performing arts in his era, along with his other talents such as writing, directing, producing, singing, and social work. He gave life to fictional characters from books or dull movie scripts. Even Satyajit Ray, the great artist of Bengali Cinema once said, "Sometimes when the director's caliber from the film was questionable, Uttam tried his best to contribute to the overall success of the film; with the better ones, he simply excelled.” But how much do we know about Uttam Kumar after he shed his charismatic robe and fluid mask that simulated a wide range of emotions and moods? His on-screen persona oozed with confidence, but wasn't he plagued by nightmares of failure and defeat? Did he experience emotional upheavals like the rest of us?

The film Nayak which was directed by the great Satyajit Ray appears to be the closest to Uttam Kumar where he was depicted as a celebrated actor who meets a journalist on a train journey and ends up revealing the tragic side of his glamorous life, his mistakes, insecurities, and regrets. Sharmila Tagore, who played a young journalist in the film, soon realizes that behind his arrogant facade lies a deeply troubled man as his life is gradually revealed through flashbacks and dreams. Uttam Kumar was always grounded and planned to write a book someday. He used to jot down his thoughts, documenting his incredibly personal and professional journey, spilling his heart out about his life, his struggles, him as a celebrity, his loneliness, and much more.

"In my heart, I know - nothing, not this light, not this radiance - nothing will last, This light could go out at any time, plunging me deeper into darkness.”

These lines clearly depict the level of loneliness and insecurity that he experienced while writing, emotions that one would not expect from a phenomenally successful superstar who is adored and loved by millions and is not only adored as a brilliant actor but also a down-to-earth person. His goodness seeped into his persona. He was adored both on and off the screen.

Uttam Kumar (nee Arun Kumar Chatterjee) never forgot his humble beginnings. After finishing high school at South Suburban School, he enrolled in the Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration to pursue further education. However, due to financial constraints, he was unable to complete his studies and took a job as a clerk at Kolkata Port Trust. He was involved in amateur theatre groups during this time. Drishtidan (1948), directed by Nitin Bose, was Uttam's first film, though he had previously worked on an unreleased film called Mayador. Following that, he made an appearance in four to five films, which were big flops at the box office. After this, people used to tease him by calling him a "Flop master general".

During this time, whenever he entered the studio, people would mock him and say, ''Here comes the new Durgadas…", and 'Introducing the new Chabbi Biswas...'

He thought about leaving the film industry and starting over at the Calcutta Port Trust. During those difficult times, his wife, Gouri Chatterjee, supported him and encouraged him to work harder for a break in the film industry.

He was signed by M.P. Studios for three years. During this time he appeared in Basu Paribar and attracted attention as an actor. Sharey Chuattor was released in 1953. He was cast opposite Suchitra Sen in the film. The film ran for 65 weeks and helped Uttam establish himself in the industry. His breakthrough movie Agni Pariksha, which was released in 1954, ushered in a new era of romantic movies by having the all-time favorite romantic duo of Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen make cinematic history.

Despite his stardom, he never missed a single opportunity to express his gratitude to the film industry by doing something for the people who worked in it. In fact, he had two distinct personalities: the charismatic, flamboyant Mahanayak, a superhero, and the man whose empathy for those less fortunate shone through every time. His eagerness to help the needy earned him enormous respect in the industry from producers, directors, and other artists.

There was a time when he was giving back-to-back hits, but this stardom never came between him and his generosity. Uttam Kumar was sympathetic to all struggling and upcoming actors and always encouraged them.

He opened his organization, Shilpi used to arrange pensions for retired actors. Uttam Kumar was always there to support the cause when the film industry organized fund-raising roadshows to help victims of natural disasters. He'd be out on the streets of Calcutta, begging for money from people who were overjoyed to get a close look at their matinée idol. He was the subject of incredible folklore.

Uttam Kumar loved people deeply throughout his life, and he received the same love in return. It’s been forty-two years since we lost a gem like him but the passage of time has not dimmed his memories of public reminiscence, and tributes continue to pour in year after year. Isn't it strange that this man died feeling lost and alone?

Uttam Kumar, a Life in Cinema Source: https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloomsbury.com%2Fin%2Futtam-kumar-9789390358854%2F&psig=AOvVaw2dlFTCxuY6sdHVL5SIVIZk&ust=1681848365220000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBEQjRxqFwoTCOD9-cPbsf4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAZ