‘There was only one Uttam Kumar’: Suchanda remembers the Mahanayak
For veteran actress Suchanda, Uttam Kumar was never simply a celebrated screen idol. He was the hero she eagerly waited to see on the big screen, the actor whose films she followed with the excitement of a devoted fan, and the star whose voice, mannerisms and personality stayed with her long after the lights came up in the cinema hall.
Today, September 3, marks Uttam Kumar’s birth centenary. Though the legendary actor passed away decades ago, his presence continues to live on through the films and songs that have travelled across generations. His popularity remains strong in Bangladesh as well, where audiences continue to revisit his films, discuss his performances and remember the songs that once filled cinema halls.
One of Dhallywood’s most celebrated actresses, Suchanda, has remained an unabashed admirer of the Mahanayak. On his 100th birth anniversary, she spoke to The Daily Star about the actor she has long considered her favourite hero, recalling her school days, her struggle to get permission to watch his films, and the lasting magic of the Uttam-Suchitra pairing.
"I am an ardent fan of Uttam Kumar. If I were asked to name my favourite or most beloved hero in one word, I would say Uttam Kumar. And if I were asked to name the greatest on-screen pair, I would say Uttam-Suchitra," she said.
Her admiration, she admits, is difficult to put into words.
"I cannot put into words just how much of a fan I am of this actor. I could not even finish talking about it — the story would simply go on and on," she said.
Yet Suchanda does not believe Uttam Kumar should be measured against anyone else.
"I do not want to compare anyone with Uttam Kumar. Everyone is different in their own way. But there was only one Uttam Kumar. He was unique and incomparable. Only I know how crazy I was about watching his films," she said.
That eagerness to watch Uttam Kumar on the big screen dates back to Suchanda’s school days. Going to the cinema was not something she could do whenever she pleased. Her father was strict and would carefully consider which films she was allowed to watch.
"My father would not agree. I could not easily get permission to leave home. My friends would go to the cinema to watch films. I would sometimes get permission from my father, but before that, he would enquire about the film and find out whether it was suitable for me to watch," she recalled.
"That was how strict he was. Even under such strict supervision, I managed to watch Uttam Kumar’s films during my school days," she added.
One of those memories remains particularly vivid. Suchanda’s family home was in Jashore, and while studying in Class Nine, she went to a cinema hall there to watch "Harano Sur", featuring the iconic Uttam Kumar-Suchitra Sen pair.
I remember when I was in Class Nine and living in Jashore, I went to a cinema hall to watch Uttam Kumar’s 'Harano Sur'. It starred the Uttam-Suchitra pair. I loved it so much. I felt such a strong attraction towards this hero. Even today, I have not forgotten that day," she recalled.
For Suchanda, the fascination was never limited to Uttam Kumar’s acting. She was captivated by the complete screen presence of the actor — from the way he spoke and walked to the personality he brought to his characters.
"I loved everything about him, not just his acting. The way he spoke, his style of walking, his personality — everything about him was captivating," she said.
Her devotion to his films was such that she remembered their stories and songs almost by heart.
"I had memorised the stories and songs from every film he acted in. He was an extraordinary actor. I watched every one of his films. If, for some reason, I could not watch one of his films, I would feel terrible and deeply disappointed," she said.
She also remembers the extraordinary popularity of Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen as a pair. At the height of their careers, their chemistry had become almost synonymous with Bengali cinema.
"There was no other pair in Bengali cinema as popular as Uttam-Suchitra at that time," Suchanda said.
For her, however, the enduring appeal of Uttam Kumar is not simply a matter of nostalgia. His films continue to find viewers among generations who were not even born during his lifetime.
"The appeal of Uttam Kumar’s films has still not faded. New generations are coming and watching those films. Songs from movies made so many years ago are still on people’s lips," she said.
Perhaps that is the greatest measure of Uttam Kumar’s legacy. Time has passed, generations have changed and the way audiences consume cinema has transformed, but the Mahanayak remains familiar — through a song, a scene, a familiar face on a television screen or the memories of those who once queued up to watch him in a cinema hall.
For Suchanda, who once watched his films with the excitement of a schoolgirl, the admiration remains as strong as ever.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
"That alone shows that Uttam Kumar will never disappear. On his birth centenary, I pay my deepest respect to Uttam Kumar," she said.
Comments