Bengal CM Announces Year-Long Centenary Fetes for Mahanayak Uttam Kumar

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has called for year-long celebrations to mark the birth centenary of legendary actor Uttam Kumar. The announcement came on Thursday at an event held at Kolkata's Nandan Film Centre, where the CM also inaugurated a film festival dedicated to the cinematic icon.

Speaking at the gathering, Adhikari said the evening was remarkable as it marked the centenary of the arrival of the 'Mahanayak' into the cultural world. He noted that actor Prosenjit Chatterjee had approached him with a wish to celebrate the legend's birth centenary in a grand manner. As part of the festivities, several iconic films featuring Uttam Kumar will be screened across cinema halls in the state.

The event drew a host of prominent figures from the Bengali film industry, including Jeet, Indrani Haldar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Jisshu Sengupta, Rituparna Sengupta, Mithun Chakraborty, Ranjit Mallick, and Saswata Chatterjee.

Actor Saswata Chatterjee described the occasion as a never-ending dream for Bengalis, while Jeet called it a matter of joy and emotion, noting that Uttam Kumar was not merely an actor but an emotion for Bengal. He also mentioned that the Uttam Kumar Institute is set to be inaugurated the following day.

Actress Indrani Haldar praised the efforts of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Adhikari, noting that the PM had celebrated the centenary of the Bengal icon magnificently despite not being from the state. She added that the new government, in office for only three months, had already begun commendable work.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid tributes to Uttam Kumar on his birth centenary, calling him a timeless icon whose work continues to resonate across generations. In a post on X, he shared his remarks from a recent 'Mann Ki Baat' episode.

Born Arun Kumar Chattopadhyay on September 3, 1926, Uttam Kumar's career spanned over three decades, encompassing roles as an actor, director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. His portrayal in 'Nayak' remains a defining performance, exploring the psychological pressures of fame. After a difficult start with 'Drishtidan' in 1948 and early box-office failures, he found success with 'Basu Paribar' in 1952. In 1967, he became the first recipient of the National Film Award for Best Actor for his work in 'Antony Firingee' and Satyajit Ray's 'Chiriyakhana'.