Remembering Utpal Dutt actor, director, writer-playwright, and theatre-activist on his 24th death anniversary.
Today marks the 24th death anniversary of Utpal Dutt (29 March 1929–19 August 1993) a successful actor, director, writer-playwright, and theatre-activist, who was a radical figure in Bengali theatre and cinema for more than 40 years.
As an actor Utpal Dutt often played the stern patriarch with a dash of comedy. His one-liners and exclamations were the highlights. Utpal’s famous comedy films include Guddi, Gol Maal, Naram Garam, Angoor, Pasand Apni Apni, Rang Birangi and Baat Ban Jaye.
Utpal Dutt acted in over 100 Bengali and Hindi films in his noteworthy career and gave many splendid award winning performances in classics like Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome (1969 — National Award for Best Actor), plus Gol Maal, Naram Garam, Rang Birangi, Angoor and Saheb (winning Filmfare Awards for Best Comic Actor and Supporting role). The Sangeet Natak Akademi awarded him the reputed Fellowship for Lifetime Contribution to Theatre in the year 1990 and apart from the plays, Utpal Dutt also directed more than 6 Bengali films and one Hindi project too in the mid-80s.
