Uttam Kumar

Uttam Kumar (Bengali: উত্তম কুমার; born Arun Kumar Chattopadhyay; 3 September 1926 – 24 July 1980), popularly known as the Mahanayak,^[1] was an Indian actor, producer, director, script writer, composer, and singer who mostly worked in Bengali movies.^[2][3][4] Kumar was one of the most successful actors in Bengali movies history.^[5][6]

Uttam Kumar in 2009 stamp of India.

Kumar's career lasted for over thirty years, from the late 1940s until his death in 1980. He appeared in over 200 movies. Some of his best known movies are Agni Pariksha, Harano Sur, Bicharak, Saptapadi, Jhinder Bandi, Sesh Anka, Deya Neya, Lal Pathore, Jatu Griha, Thana Theke Aschi, Chowringhee, Nayak, Antony Firingee, Amanush, Bagh Bondi Khela and Chiriyakhana (1967).^[7][8][1]

Kumar also worked with Satyajit Ray in 1966 on the movie Nayak. After seeing Kumar in Nayak, actress Elizabeth Taylor was impressed with his performance and wanted to work and meet with him.^[9]

Kumar was active in the Indian independence movement. In 1945, he helped Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National army relief fund by arranging a performance of the play Anandamath and donated the profit of 1700 rupees to Bose's elder brother Satish Chandra Bose.^[10] He also got involved in the Kolkata communal riots of 1946.^[11]

Some of greatest actors and actresses such as Elizabeth Taylor, Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Shammi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan have expressed their strong feeling of pleasure and wonder to him.^[12][13]