Mamata to present Uttam Kumar awards today

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will present Uttam Kumar award to artists, technicians and those related with the film industry at a function at Nazrul Mancha on Saturday. Uttam Kumar, the great cinema personality Bengal has ever produced, died on July 24, 1980 at the age of 54. After three decades of his death, his popularity has not gone down and present day youth are often found watching his movies.

In both Satyajit Roy Film Institute and Film and Television Institute, Pune the students are most interested to watch Uttam Kumar’s acting style, both as a romantic hero and also in character roles as well as his body language.

After coming to power in 2011, Mamata Banerjee had decided to give away awards to those connected with Tollygunge film industry as a mark of respect to Mahanayak. Besides acting, Uttam Kumar had directed and produced several films. He had acted in a Bengali drama Shyamali with Sabitri Chatterjee.

It may be recalled that former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who was the minister in 

charge of information and cultural affairs did not even send a floral wreath on behalf of the state government as a mark of respect. His body was not kept at Rabindra Sadan and no state funeral was held.

Thousands of people took part in his funeral procession from his house on Girish Mukherjee Road to Keoratala crematorium via the studios in Tollygunge. Shilpi Sansad which was established by him will organise a week-long festival of Uttam Kumar’s films at Nandan. Fourteen films will be screened in Nandan I and II.

Two films which paved the way to make him an uncrowned king of Bengali cinema, Sade Chuattor and Basu Parivar will be shown in the festival. The other films are Mouchak, Thana Theke Aschi, Nidhiram Sardar, Brojobuli, Jodi Jantem, Khokababur Protyabartan, Jibon Trishna, Lal pathor, Bonpalashir Podabali, Silpi and Andha Atit.