Utpal Dutt

Utpal Dutt began his career in films from Bengal cinema Bengal Cinema’s celebrated filmmaker Madhu Bose once happened to watch Utpal Dutt’s Shakespearean play Othello and was bowled by his dynamic performance. He immediately signed him to play the lead role Michael Madhusudan (1950), a biopic on the life of the revolutionary Indian poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt. After this he became a top actor in Bengali cinema and worked with great filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, Gautam Ghose and Basu Chatterjee. He appeared in many of Satyajit Ray’s films like Agantuk’(1991), Joi Baba Felunath (1979), Hirak Rajar Deshe; Gautam Ghosh’s Paar, Padma Nadir Majhi(1993), Ritwik Ghatak’s Jukti Takko Aar Gappo, In Mrinal Sen’s 1969 film Bhuvan Shome, regarded as a milestone in Indian New Wave Cinema, Utpal Dutt won a National Film Award for Best Actor for his powerhouse performance. His other film Mrinal Sen were Ek Adhuri Kahani(1972), Chorus, Agantuk, Jana Aranya. He even did few English films of James Ivory like The Guru, and Shakespeare Wallah. Utpal Dutt was a versatile actor who became famous as comedian in Bollywood Utpal Dutt was discovered by K.A. Abbas in his film Saat Hindustani, which also introduced Amitabh Bachchan. Later Utpal did Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Guddi that incidentally introduced Mrs. Jaya Bachchan. Despite these two films Utpal Dutt did not get recognition until he did Gol Maal with Amol Palker. The hilarious comedy of errors became super hit and Utpal Dutt became a famous comedian in Bollywood. His other hit films are Gol Maal, Naram Garam, Rang Birangi, Kissi Se Na Kehna, Shaukeen. He received Filmfare Best Comedian Award for Gol Maal, Naram Garam and Rang Birangi. Besides comedy Utpal Dutt did a variety of roles like villain in films like Kotwal Saab, Amanush, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, The Great Gambler, Inquilaab, Ram Balram, Kartavya etc. Utpal Dutt was also fantastic in emotion his role as the caring father Badri Prasad Sharma in Saaheeb won him a Filmfare nomination as supporting actor. His other sober roles were in films like Anand Ashram, Priyatama, Hamari Bahu Alka, Apne Paraye etc.