Uttam Kumar is a brand, not just a name. A beloved icon, the Mahanayak (Great Actor), and a Guru, he is still incredibly well-liked and trusted even after a century. Bengalis and culture enthusiasts hold him in high regard.

To commemorate the centennial of Uttam Kumar’s birth, one of the greatest actors in Bengali and Indian cinema history, a special exhibition titled Uttam– The Mahanayak was held at the Jamini Roy Gallery of ICCR, Kolkata.

The event was presented by Shyam Sundar Co. Jewellers, with support from Khukumoni, and organized by Theism Events.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by noted actress Debashree Roy, Mahua Chatterjee (daughter-in-law of Uttam Kumar), Antara Chowdhury, Debojyoti Mishra, Saikat Mitra, Rupak Saha (Director, Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers), Partha Saha (Director, Theism Group), Sudipta Chanda.

On this occasion, Shyam Sundar Co Jewelers released picture postcards with pictures of Uttam Kumar movie posters. The company has released ten different postcards with ten different movie poster images.

Renowned film poster collector Sudipta Chanda gathered a sizable collection of Uttam Kumar-related film publicity memorabilia under one roof. Interestingly, this year is the twentieth anniversary of his collecting career.

Sudipta Chanda, a graduate of Bhowanipore Mitra Institution, became fascinated with movie posters while he was a student.

Sudipta Chanda said, “I have cultivated this passion with love for twenty years. My main reputation is as a movie poster collector. These artifacts will help future generations—those who study or are interested in movies—understand that time period. Combining collection, preservation, and promotion increases people’s awareness and interest in history. Occasionally, exhibitions such as this one serve to introduce the younger generation to our illustrious past”.

The collection of film posters includes two distinct designs for the Hindi film Chhoti Si Mulaqat (produced by Uttam Kumar), a large Mumbai-print poster for the Hindi version of Amanush, and large posters featuring two different designs for the Hindi film Dooriyaan.

Also featured were large two-sheet posters for the films Bandi and Banhisikha.

Rare items included calendar-style posters for films like Priya Bandhabi, Jatra Holo Shuru, Punar-milan, Putrabadhu, Bandi poster with Odia lettering; and posters for over a hundred films such as Bratacharini, Ora Thake Odhare, Chandranath, Trijama, and Annapurnar Mandir.

The collection also boasted nearly a hundred rare film booklets, notable among them being Mantrashakti, Sanjibani, Hrad, Bakul, Shankar Narayan Bank, Debatra, Basu Paribar, and Nabin Jatra.

Along with records and songbooks from several of the movies he starred in, there were records of songs sung by Uttam Kumar himself. Letterheads from the movie Nishan, newspaper and magazine ads, articles about his music and Suchitra Sen, rare photos from different occasions, film stills, lobby cards, ads for unreleased movies, and much more were included in the collection.

An excellent exhibition indeed!!

Priyanka Dutta