Birth Centenary of Mahanayak

Today marks the 100th birth anniversary of legendary Bengali film actor Uttam Kumar, the timeless “Mahanayak” whose charisma, artistry and screen presence continue to captivate generations of Bengali audiences.
Born in Kolkata on 3 September 1926, Uttam Kumar emerged as one of the greatest and most popular stars in the history of Bengali cinema. With an extraordinary career spanning decades, he built a devoted fan base not only in West Bengal but also in Bangladesh and among Bengali-speaking audiences around the world. Even decades after his death, Uttam Kumar remains synonymous with the golden era of Bengali cinema.
To mark his birth centenary, the West Bengal government has arranged a four-day celebration across Kolkata, beginning today, with a packed calendar of cultural programmes, film screenings, exhibitions and events highlighting his life and immense contribution to Bengali cinema.
The city itself is set to take on a Mahanayak-themed look as part of the celebrations. A 20-foot cutout of Uttam Kumar will be unveiled in front of Bijoli cinema, one of the landmarks associated with Bengal’s film culture.
Nandan will host a special exhibition featuring rare photographs, posters, memorabilia and other materials from the actor’s illustrious career. Filmmakers, researchers, artists and critics are also expected to take part in discussions exploring Uttam Kumar’s enduring influence on Bengali cinema and popular culture.
Meanwhile, technology is also playing a role in keeping Uttam Kumar’s cinematic legacy alive. National Award-winning Indian filmmaker Srijit Mukherji paid tribute to the legendary star through his innovative film “Oti Uttam”, which uses visual effects and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to recreate Uttam Kumar on screen from footage drawn from his earlier films.
The film features Anindya Sengupta, Roshni Bhattacharya and Gourab Chatterjee in prominent roles, alongside AI-generated recreations of Uttam Kumar. 
The centenary celebrations are also expected to extend into the 32nd Kolkata International Film Festival, scheduled for 16 to 23 December, ensuring that Uttam Kumar’s legacy remains at the heart of Kolkata’s cultural calendar for months to come.
Uttam Kumar’s first release was “Drishtidan”, directed by Nitin Bose. He also worked in an earlier unreleased film titled “Mayador”. Then he acted in about four to five flims, all of which were flops.  His breakthrough film was “Agni Pariksha” in 1954. The film began the success of the all-time romantic pair of Uttam Kumar-Suchitra Sen, though they had first paired in “Sarey Chuattor”. It ran for a record 15 weeks and established Uttam in the industry.  
Apart from Bengali, Uttam Kumar also acted in some Hindi films such as “Chhoti Si Mulaqat”, “Amanush”, “Anand Ashram”, “Dooriyaan”, “Bandie” and “Kitaab”. But his towering contribution was to Bengali cinema and the Bengali film industry on the whole.
The legendary artiste breathed his last in the Belleveue Clinic in Kolkata on 24 July 1980 at the age of 53.