Utpal Dutta () (29 March 1929 – 19 August 1993) was an Indian actor, director, and writer-playwright. He was primarily an actor in
Bengali theatre
Bengali theatre primarily refers to theatre performed in the Bengali language. Bengali theatre is produced mainly in West Bengal, and in Bangladesh. The term may also refer to some Hindi theatres which are accepted by the Bengali people.
Ben ...
, where he became a pioneering figure in Modern
Indian theatre
Theatre of India is one of the most ancient forms of theatre and it features a detailed textual, sculptural, and dramatic effects which emerged in mid first millennium BC. Like in the areas of music and dance, the Indian theatre is also defin ...
, when he founded the "Little Theatre Group" in 1949. This group enacted many English,
Shakespearean
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
and Brecht plays, in a period now known as the "Epic theatre" period, before it immersed itself completely in highly political and radical theatre. His plays became an apt vehicle for the expression of his Marxist ideologies, visible in socio-political plays such as ''Kallol'' (1965), ''Manusher Adhikar'', ''Louha Manob'' (1964), ''Tiner Toloar'' and ''Maha-Bidroha''. He also acted in over 100
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
and
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
films in a career spanning 40 years, and remains most known for his roles in films such as
Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen (''Beng.'' মৃণাল সেন; 14 May 1923 – 30 December 2018) was an Indian film director, and screenwriter known for his work primarily in Bengali, and few Hindi and Telugu language films. Regarded as one of the finest Ind ...
’s ''
Bhuvan Shome
''Bhuvan Shome'' is a 1969 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Mrinal Sen based on the story of Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay. The cast includes Utpal Dutt (Mr. Bhuvan Shome) and Suhasini Mulay (Gauri, a village belle). Sen based his film ...
'' (1969),
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and music composer. One of the greatest auteurs of fil ...
’s ''
Agantuk
''Agantuk'' () is a 1991 Bengali-language drama film written and directed by Satyajit Ray. Notable for being Ray's last film, it was based on one of his own short stories, ''Atithi''. A joint Indo-French production, it received financial backin ...
'' (1991),
Gautam Ghose
Goutam Ghose (also spelled Gautam Ghosh born 24 July 1950) is an Indian film director, Actor, music director and cinematographer, who works primarily in Bengali cinema. He is the only Indian to have received the "Vittorio Di Sica" Award, Italy ...
’s ''
Padma Nadir Majhi
''Padma Nadir Majhi'' is an Indo-Bangladesh joint production feature film directed by Goutom Ghosh from the novel of the same name, Manik Bandopadhyay's ''Padma Nadir Majhi'', shows life of fishermen of the Padma River.
Plot
Hossain Miya (Utpa ...
'' (1993) and
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee (30 September 1922 – 27 August 2006) was an Indian film director, editor and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. Popularly known as ''Hrishi-da'', he directed 42 films during his ca ...
's breezy Hindi comedies such as ''
Gol Maal
''Gol Maal'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and written by Rahi Masoom Raza and Sachin Bhowmick. It was produced by N. C. Sippy, with music by R. D. Burman. The film won several awards and was ...
'' (1979) and ''
Rang Birangi
Rang Birangi (colorful) is a 1983 Hindi film, based on a story by the Hindi writer Kamleshwar (writer), Kamleshwar, and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. This comedy classic is most remembered for the Utpal Dutt's role of ACP Dhurandhar Bhatawde ...
'' (1983).
[Inside the actor's mind]
Mint (newspaper), 3 July 2009.[Remembering Utpal Dutt]
Shoma A Chatterji, Screen (magazine)
''Screen'' was an Indian weekly film magazine published by Indian Express Limited. Established in 1951, it was owned by The Indian Express Group. The magazine was acquired by Star India in 2015 and subsequently ceased publication.
The magaz ...
, 20 August 2004.[Stage On & Off: Man in iron mask]
The Telegraph (Kolkata)
''The Telegraph'' is an Indian English daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Kolkata since 7 July 1982. It is published by the ABP Group and the newspaper competes with '' The Times of India''. The newspaper is the eighth most- ...
, 26 August 2006. He also did the role of a sculptor, Sir Digindra Narayan, in the episode ''Seemant Heera'' of
Byomkesh Bakshi (TV series)
''Byomkesh Bakshi'' is a Hindi language, Hindi television series based on the Byomkesh Bakshi character created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. The series stars Rajit Kapur and K.K. Raina as Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit Kumar Banerjee (writer), Ajit K ...
on
Doordarshan
Doordarshan (abbreviated as DD; Hindi: , ) is an Indian public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. One of India's largest bro ...
in 1993, shortly before his death.
He received
National Film Award for Best Actor
The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (), is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performanc ...
in 1970 and three
Filmfare Best Comedian Award
The Filmfare Best Comedian Award was given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a comic role.
Although the awards started in 1954, awards fo ...
s. In 1990, the
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.
History
It was set up by the Indian education ministry on 31 May 1952 and ...
, India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Theatre, awarded him its highest award, the
Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, also known as Akademi Ratna Sadasyata, is an Indian honour for the performing arts presented by Sangeet Natak Academy. It is "the most prestigious and rare honour" conferred by the Academy and is "restricte ...
for lifetime contribution to theatre.
Early life and education
Utpal Dutta was born on 29 March 1929 in
Barisal
Barisal ( or ; bn, বরিশাল, ), officially known as Barishal, is a major city that lies on the banks of the Kirtankhola river in south-central Bangladesh. It is the largest city and the administrative headquarter of both Barisal Di ...
. His father was Girijaranjan Dutta. He graduated with English Literature Honours from
St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
St. Xavier's College is a private, Catholic, autonomous higher education college under Calcutta University run by the Calcutta Province of the Society of Jesus in Kolkata, India. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1860 and named after St. Fra ...
,
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, ...
.
[Obituary: Utpal Dutt]
''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', 21 August 1993.
Career
Though he was active primarily in Bengali theatre, he started his career in English theatre. As a teenager in the 1940s, he developed his passion and craft in English theatre, which resulted in the establishment of "The Shakespeareans" in 1947. Its first performance was a powerful production of Shakespeare's
Richard III, with Dutt playing the king. This so impressed
Geoffrey Kendal
Geoffrey Kendal (7 September 1909 – 14 May 1998) was an English actor and theatre director who delivered Shakespeare performances throughout India in the 1940s and 1950s.
Early life and family
Born Richard Geoffrey Bragg in Kendal, Westmorla ...
and Laura Kendal (parents of the actress
Jennifer Kendal
Jennifer Kendal (28 February 1934 – 7 September 1984) was an English actress and the founder of the Prithvi Theatre. She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film ''36 Chowringhee Lane'' (1981). Her oth ...
), who led the itinerant "Shakespeareana Theatre Company", that they immediately hired him, and he did two year-long tours with them across India and Pakistan, enacting Shakespeare's plays, first 1947–49 and later 1953–54; and was acclaimed for his passionate portrayal of
Othello
''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
. After the Kendals left India for the first time in 1949, Utpal Dutt renamed his group the "Little Theatre Group" (LTG), and over the next three years, continued to perform and produce plays by Ibsen, Shaw, Tagore, Gorky and Konstantin Simonov. The group later decided to stage exclusively Bengali plays and to eventually evolve into a production company that would produce several Bengali movies. He also remained an active member of ''
Gananatya Sangha'', which performed through rural areas of West Bengal.
He was also a founding member of
Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) is the oldest association of theatre-artists in India. IPTA was formed in 1943 during the British rule in India, and promoted themes related to the Indian freedom struggle. Its goal was to bring cultur ...
(IPTA), an organisation known for its leftist leaning, but left it after a couple of years, when he started his theatre group. He wrote and directed what he called "Epic Theatre", a term he borrowed from
Bertolt Brecht, to bring about discussion and change in Bengal. His Brecht Society, formed in 1948, was presided by Satyajit Ray. He became one of the most influential personalities in the Group Theatre movement. While accepting Brecht's belief of the audience being "co-authors" of the theatre, he rejected orthodoxies of "Epic theatre" as being impractical in India.
[Utpal Dutt]
'Theatres of independence: drama, theory, and urban performance in India since 1947:Studies in theatre history and culture'' by Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker. University of Iowa Press, 2005. . ''Page 114'' He also remained a teacher of English at the
South Point School
South Point is a higher-secondary co-educational private school located in Kolkata, West Bengal and affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education, consisting of three organisations – South Point School (Nursery to Class V), South Poi ...
in Kolkata.
Soon he would turn to his native
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
, producing translations of several Shakespearean tragedies and the works of Russian classicists into Bengali. Starting in 1954, he wrote and directed controversial Bengali political plays, and also
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...
's ''Lower Depths'' in Bengali in 1957. In 1959, the LTG secured the lease of
Minerva Theatre, Kolkata
The Minerva Theatre is a theatre in Kolkata, built in 1893. It was erected at the site on Beadon Street where the Great National Theatre stood before. The maiden play held on this stage was 'Macbeth'. It was initially owned by Nagendra Bhusan Mu ...
, where most notably ''Angar'' (Coal) (1959), based on the exploitation of coal-miners was showcased. For the next decade the group staged several plays here, with him as an impresario, and he still is remembered as one of the last pioneering actor-managers of
Indian theatre
Theatre of India is one of the most ancient forms of theatre and it features a detailed textual, sculptural, and dramatic effects which emerged in mid first millennium BC. Like in the areas of music and dance, the Indian theatre is also defin ...
. He also formed groups like ''Arjo Opera'' and ''Bibek Yatra Samaj''.
[
Meanwhile, his transition to films happened while performing the role of ]Othello
''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
, when famous filmmaker Madhu Bose happened to be watching, and gave him the lead in his film ''Michael Madhusudan'' (1950), based on the life of the revolutionary Indian poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt
Michael Madhusudan Dutt ((Bengali: মাইকেল মধুসূদন দত্ত); (25 January 1824 – 29 June 1873) was a Bengali poet and playwright. He is considered one of the pioneers of Bengali literature.
Early life
Dutt ...
. Later, he himself wrote a play on the fragmented colonial psyche of Michael Madhusudan Dutt, and the ambivalence of swaying between "colonial" admiration and "anti-colonial" revolt. He went on to act in many Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
films, including many films by Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and music composer. One of the greatest auteurs of fil ...
.[
Dutt was also an extremely famous comic actor in Hindi cinema, though he acted in only a handful of Hindi films. He acted in comedy movies, the most notable ones being '' Guddi'', '']Gol Maal
''Gol Maal'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and written by Rahi Masoom Raza and Sachin Bhowmick. It was produced by N. C. Sippy, with music by R. D. Burman. The film won several awards and was ...
'', ''Naram Garam
''Naram Garam'' is a 1981 Bollywood comedy-drama film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film was produced by Subhash Gupta and Uday Narayan Singh and had music by R. D. Burman. It reprises many actors and actresses from the 1979 hit ''Gol M ...
'', ''Rang Birangi
Rang Birangi (colorful) is a 1983 Hindi film, based on a story by the Hindi writer Kamleshwar (writer), Kamleshwar, and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. This comedy classic is most remembered for the Utpal Dutt's role of ACP Dhurandhar Bhatawde ...
'' and ''Shaukeen
''Shaukeen'' () is a 1982 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Basu Chatterjee dealing with the psychological aspects of people reaching the dusk of their life. The movie stars Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt, A.K. Hangal, Rati Agnihotri and ...
''. He received Filmfare Best Comedian Award
The Filmfare Best Comedian Award was given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a comic role.
Although the awards started in 1954, awards fo ...
for ''Golmaal'', ''Naram Garam'' and ''Rang Birangi''. He appeared in ''Bhuvan Shome
''Bhuvan Shome'' is a 1969 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Mrinal Sen based on the story of Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay. The cast includes Utpal Dutt (Mr. Bhuvan Shome) and Suhasini Mulay (Gauri, a village belle). Sen based his film ...
'', (for which he was awarded the National Film Award
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directora ...
for Best Actor), ''Ek Adhuri Kahani'' and ''Chorus'', all by Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen (''Beng.'' মৃণাল সেন; 14 May 1923 – 30 December 2018) was an Indian film director, and screenwriter known for his work primarily in Bengali, and few Hindi and Telugu language films. Regarded as one of the finest Ind ...
; ''Agantuk
''Agantuk'' () is a 1991 Bengali-language drama film written and directed by Satyajit Ray. Notable for being Ray's last film, it was based on one of his own short stories, ''Atithi''. A joint Indo-French production, it received financial backin ...
'', ''Jana Aranya
''Jana Aranya'' is a 1976 Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray, based on the novel of the same name by Mani Shankar Mukherjee. It is the last among Ray's Calcutta trilogy series, the previous two being, ''Pratidwandi'' (''The Adversary'', 197 ...
'', '' Joi Baba Felunath'' and ''Hirak Rajar Deshe Hirak may refer to:
* King Hirak, a figure in Hirak Rajar Deshe
* 2019–2021 Algerian protests
* Hirak Rif, protest movement in Morocco
* Al-Hirak, Syria, town and sub-prefecture in Syria
* Popular Movement in Iraq
* Al-Hirak, Arabic name for the ...
'', by Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and music composer. One of the greatest auteurs of fil ...
; ''Paar'' and ''Padma Nadir Majhi
''Padma Nadir Majhi'' is an Indo-Bangladesh joint production feature film directed by Goutom Ghosh from the novel of the same name, Manik Bandopadhyay's ''Padma Nadir Majhi'', shows life of fishermen of the Padma River.
Plot
Hossain Miya (Utpa ...
'', by Gautam Ghose
Goutam Ghose (also spelled Gautam Ghosh born 24 July 1950) is an Indian film director, Actor, music director and cinematographer, who works primarily in Bengali cinema. He is the only Indian to have received the "Vittorio Di Sica" Award, Italy ...
; '' Bombay Talkie'', '' The Guru'', and ''Shakespeare Wallah
''Shakespeare Wallah'' is a 1965 Merchant Ivory Productions film. The story and screenplay are by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, about a travelling family theatre troupe of English actors in India, who perform Shakespeare plays in towns across India, amid ...
'', by James Ivory
James Francis Ivory (born June 7, 1928) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. For many years, he worked extensively with Indian-born film producer Ismail Merchant, his domestic as well as professional partner, and with screen ...
; ''Jukti Takko Aar Gappo
''Jukti Takko Aar Gappo'' (''Jukti tôkko aːr gôppo'', ''Reason, Debate and a Story'') is a 1974 Bengali film directed by auteur of Indian cinema Ritwik Ghatak. ''Jukti Takko Aar Gappo'' was Ritwik Ghatak's last film. The film was believed t ...
'', by Ritwik Ghatak
Ritwik Kumar Ghatak (; 4 November 19256 February 1976) was a noted Indian film director, screenwriter, and playwright. Along with prominent contemporary Bengali filmmakers Satyajit Ray, Tapan Sinha and Mrinal Sen, his cinema is primarily rememb ...
; '' Guddi'', ''Gol Maal
''Gol Maal'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and written by Rahi Masoom Raza and Sachin Bhowmick. It was produced by N. C. Sippy, with music by R. D. Burman. The film won several awards and was ...
'' and ''Kotwal Saab
''Kotwal Saab'' (Police Officer) is a 1977 Bollywood drama action film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. An Amiya Arts production, it was produced by Pawan Kumar and had story by Bimal Dutt, with dialogue by Rahi Masoom Reza. The music director ...
'' by Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee (30 September 1922 – 27 August 2006) was an Indian film director, editor and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. Popularly known as ''Hrishi-da'', he directed 42 films during his ca ...
; ''Shaukeen
''Shaukeen'' () is a 1982 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Basu Chatterjee dealing with the psychological aspects of people reaching the dusk of their life. The movie stars Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt, A.K. Hangal, Rati Agnihotri and ...
'', ''Priyatama
''Priyatama'' ( Sweetheart) is a 1977 Hindi-language musical film, produced by T.C. Dewan under the Modern Pictures banner and directed by Basu Chatterjee. It stars Jeetendra, Neetu Singh, Rakesh Roshan, Asha Sachdev in lead roles and music c ...
'' and ''Hamari Bahu Alka
''Hamari Bahu Alka'' (Our Daughter-in-Law Alka) is a 1982 Hindi movie, directed by Basu Chatterjee, based on the Bengali story ''Eto Tuku Basha'' by Manoj Basu. It stars Rakesh Roshan, Bindiya Goswami and Utpal Dutt. Music was by Rajesh Roshan, ...
'' directed by Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee ( bn, বাসু চ্যাটার্জ্জী; 10 January 1927 – 4 June 2020) was an Indian film director and screenwriter.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, Chatterjee became associated with what came to be known as mi ...
and '' Amanush'', ''Anand Ashram
''Anand Ashram'' () is a 1977 Indian drama film written and directed by Shakti Samanta, based on a story by film director and novelist, Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay. It starred Ashok Kumar, Uttam Kumar and Sharmila Tagore in lead roles. This film ...
'' and '' Barsaat Ki Ek Raat'' by Shakti Samanta
Shakti Samanta (13 January 1926 – 9 April 2009) was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films such as ''Anand Ashram'' (1977), Anusandhan /'' Barsaat Ki Ek Raat'' (1981), ''anay abhi ...
.
Utpal Dutt also played the main villain characters in some of the major successful Amitabh Bachchan starrers such as The Great Gambler
''The Great Gambler'' is a 1979 Indian crime action film directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Neetu Singh in lead roles. It was based on the Bengali novel ''Great Gambler'' by Vikramaditya.
The film's stor ...
, Inquilaab (film) and the bilingual Hindi/Bangla movie Barsaat Ki Ek Raat. In fact, Utpal Dutt was the Hero (main lead) in Amitabh Bachchan's maiden venture Saat Hindustani.
Dutt was also a lifelong Marxist and an active supporter of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated as CPI(M)/CPIM/CPM) is a Marxist–Leninist communist political party in India. It is the largest communist party of India in terms of membership and electoral seats and one of the na ...
, and his leftist "Revolutionary Theatre" was a phenomenon in the contemporary Bengali theatre. He staged many street dramas in favour of the Communist Party. He was jailed by the Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
government in West Bengal in 1965 and detained for several months, as the then state government feared that the subversive message of his play ''Kallol'' (Sound of the Waves), (based on the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny of 1946, which ran packed shows at Calcutta's Minerva Theatre), might provoke anti-government protests in West Bengal. The play turned out to be his longest-running play at the Minerva. ''Manusher Adhikare'' (Of People's Rights) in 1968, staged as a documentary drama, was a new genre in Bengali theatre
Bengali theatre primarily refers to theatre performed in the Bengali language. Bengali theatre is produced mainly in West Bengal, and in Bangladesh. The term may also refer to some Hindi theatres which are accepted by the Bengali people.
Ben ...
before, though it turned out to be his last production of the group at the Minerva, as they soon left the theatre. Thereafter, the group was given the name the "People's Little Theatre"; as it took on yet another new direction, his work came closer to the people, and this phase played an important role in popularising Indian street theatre, as he started performing at street-corners or "poster" plays, in open spaces, without any aid or embellishment, before enormous crowds. The year also marked his transition into '' Jatra'' or ''Yatra Pala'', a Bengali folk drama form, performed largely across rural West Bengal. He started writing Jatra scripts, produced and acted in them, even formed his own Jatra troupe. His jatra political dramas were often produced on open-air stages and symbolised his commitment to communist ideology, and today form his lasting legacy.
Through the 1970s three of his plays; ''Barricade'', ''Dusswapner Nagari'' (City of Nightmares) and ''Ebaar Rajar Pala'' (Now it is the King's turn), drew crowds despite being officially banned.[
He wrote ''Louha Manab'' (The Iron Man), in 1964 while still in jail, based on a real trial against a pro-Stalin, ex-Politburo member by supporters of ]Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and chairman of the country's Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. During his rule, Khrushchev s ...
in Moscow of 1963. It was first staged at Alipore Jail
The Alipore Jail or Alipore Central Jail, also known as Presidency Correctional Home, is a prison in Alipore, Kolkata, where political prisoners were kept under British rule, among them Subhas Chandra Bose. It also housed the Alipore Jail Press ...
in 1965, by the People's Little Theatre. His stay in jail unleashed a new period of rebellious and politically charged plays, including ''Tiner Toloar'' (The Tin Sword), partially based on ''Pygmalion
Pygmalion or Pigmalion may refer to:
Mythology
* Pygmalion (mythology), a sculptor who fell in love with his statue
Stage
* ''Pigmalion'' (opera), a 1745 opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau
* ''Pygmalion'' (Rousseau), a 1762 melodrama by Jean-Jacques ...
'', ''Dushapner Nagari'' (Nightmare City), ''Manusher Odhikare'' (Rights Of Man), based on the Scottsboro Boys case, protests against the racial discrimination and injustice of the Scottsborough trial of 1931, ''Surya-Shikar'' (Hunting the Sun) (1978), ''Maha-Bidroha'' (The Great Rebellion) (1989), and ''Laal Durgo'' (Red Fort) (1990) about the demise of Communism, set in a fictitious East European country, and ''Janatar Aphim'' (Opiate of the People), (1990) lamented on Indian political parties exploiting religion for gain.[ In all, he wrote twenty-two full-length plays, fifteen poster plays, nineteen Jatra scripts, acted in thousands of shows, and directed more than sixty productions, apart from writing serious studies of Shakespeare, Girish Ghosh, Stanislavsky, Brecht, and revolutionary theatre, and translating Shakespeare and Brecht.
He also directed a number of films such as ''Megh'' (1961), a psychological thriller, ''Ghoom Bhangar Gaan'' (1965), ''Jhar'' (Storm) (1979), based on the Young Bengal movement, ''Baisakhi Megh'' (1981), ''Maa'' (1983) and ''Inquilab Ke Baad'' (1984).
]
Legacy
Forty years after the staging of the classic play ''Kallol'' which entails the story of the mutiny of Indian sailors against the British on the Arabian Sea, for which he was even imprisoned, was revived in 2005, as ''Gangabokshe Kallol'', part of the state-funded "Utpal Dutt Natyotsav" (Utpal Dutt Theatre Festival), on an off-shore stage, by the Hooghly River in Kolkata.
''The Last Lear
''The Last Lear'' is a 2007 Indian drama film directed by Rituparno Ghosh. The film won the National Award of India for Best Feature Film in English in 2007. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal, Divya Dutta, Shefali Shah ...
'', the 2007 English film based on his play ''Aajker Shahjahan'', on an eccentric Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
an actor, and directed for the screen by Rituparno Ghosh
Rituparno Ghosh (31 August 1963 – 30 May 2013) was an Indian film director, actor, writer and lyricist. After pursuing a degree in economics, he started his career as a creative artist at an advertising agency. He received recognition for his ...
, later won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English
The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English is one of the National Film Awards of India presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It is one of seve ...
.
Personal life
In 1960, Dutt married theatre and film actress Shobha Sen
Shobha Sen (17 September 1923 – 13 August 2017) (also known as Sova Sen) was Bengali theatre and film actress.Anit Mukerjea (28 June 2004)"A Woman of Grit"Asia Africa Intelligence Wire (From The Statesman (India))
Career
After graduating from ...
. Their only daughter, ''Bishnupriya Dutt'' is a professor of 'Theatre & Performance studies' at the 'School of Arts & Aesthetics' at Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is a public major research university located in New Delhi, India. It was established in 1969 and named after Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. The university is known for leading faculties and r ...
, New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
.
Death
On 19 August 1993, Dutt died due to a heart attack right after he returned home from the S.S.K.M hospital, Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
, West Bengal where he had undergone dialysis.
Awards and recognition
* 1990 Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, also known as Akademi Ratna Sadasyata, is an Indian honour for the performing arts presented by Sangeet Natak Academy. It is "the most prestigious and rare honour" conferred by the Academy and is "restricte ...
for lifetime contribution to theatre
*
*
*
*
Filmography
This is an incomplete filmography of Utpal Dutt.
* '' Michael Madhusudhan'' (1950)
* '' Vidyasagar'' (1950)
* ''Vikram Urvashi
Vikram may refer to:
* Vikram (name), a male name in the Hindu community
* ''Vikram'' (1986 Tamil film)
* ''Vikram'' (1986 Telugu film)
* ''Vikram'' (2022 Tamil film)
* Vikram (actor) (born 1966), Indian actor
* Vikram (spacecraft), an Indian ...
'' (1954)
* '' Rani Rasmani'' (1955)
* '' Taka Ana Pay (1956)
* '' Subhalagna'' (1956)
* ''Harano Sur
''Harano Sur'' () is a 1957 Indian Bengali-language romantic drama film by Ajoy Kar, starring Suchitra Sen and Uttam Kumar, with music by Hemant Kumar, and sung by Geeta Dutt. This is the first film that Uttam had produced along with Ajoy Ka ...
'' (1957)
* ''Saptapadi
Saptapadi () is regarded to be the most important rite (Sanskrit: ) of a Hindu wedding ceremony. After tying the sacred knot known as the mangalasutra, the newly-wed couple takes seven steps together, during which the marriage is solemnised. Aft ...
'' (1961) (voice)
* ''Rakta Palash
Rakta Palash is a 1962 Indian Bengali language drama film directed by Pinaki Bhushan Mukherji. The film stars Anil Chatterjee and Sandhya Ray play in lead role.
Cast
* Anil Chatterjee
* Sandhya Ray
* Niranjan Ray
* Dipak Mukhopadhyay
* Kamal ...
'' (1962)
* ''Shesh Anka
''Sesh Anka'' () is a 1963 Indian Bengali language, Bengali-language thriller film directed by Haridas Bhattacharya and made by Kalpana Movies, Kolkata. This film was loosely inspired by the 1958 film ''Chase a Crooked Shadow''. The story and sc ...
'' (1963)
* ''Surya Sikha
''Surya Sikha'' () is a Bengali romance drama film directed by Salil Dutta. This film was released on 12 July 1963 in the banner of Chhayachhabi Pratisthan. The film starring Uttam Kumar Supriya Debi in lead role and Chabi Biswas, Utpal Dutta ...
'' (1963)
* ''Momer Alo
''Momer Alo'' is a 1964 Bengali film directed by Salil Dutta. The film stars Uttam Kumar and Sabitri Chatterjee in lead roles. It has music composed by Robin Chatterjee.
Synopsis
Deepa a schizophrenic patient loses her normalcy due to a misha ...
'' (1964)
* ''Shakespeare-Wallah
''Shakespeare Wallah'' is a 1965 Merchant Ivory Productions film. The story and screenplay are by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, about a travelling family theatre troupe of English actors in India, who perform Shakespeare plays in towns across India, ami ...
'' (1965)
* ''Chowringhee
Chowringhee (also Chourangi) is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Chowringhee Road (officially Jawaharlal Nehru Road) runs on its western side. A neighbourhood steeped in history, it is a ...
'' (1968)
* '' The Guru'' (1969)
* ''Bhuvan Shome
''Bhuvan Shome'' is a 1969 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Mrinal Sen based on the story of Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay. The cast includes Utpal Dutt (Mr. Bhuvan Shome) and Suhasini Mulay (Gauri, a village belle). Sen based his film ...
'' (1969)
* '' Saat Hindustani'' (1969)
* '' Bombay Talkie'' (1970)
* '' Kalankita Nayak'' (1970)
* '' Calcutta 71'' (1971)
* '' Guddi'' (1971)
* '' Khunjey Berai'' (1971)
* '' Ek Adhuri Kahani'' (1972)
* '' Mere Jeevan Saathi'' (1972)
* ''Sabse Bada Sukh
is a 1972 Bollywood drama film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
Plot
Village born Lalloo re-locates to Bombay, and returns a wealthy man. He goes to meet his friend, Shankar alias Bhompu, and together they meet and share tales, mostly about ...
'' (1972)
* '' Honeymoon'' (1973)
* ''Marjina Abdulla
''Marjina Abdulla'' is a 1973 Indian Bengali-language film based on Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves directed by Dinen Gupta. This film has been music directed by Salil Choudhury.The film starring Rabi Ghosh, Gita Dey, Utpal Dutt, Santosh Dutta, ...
'' (1973)
* ''Shriman Prithviraj
''Shriman Prithviraj'' ( bn, শ্রীমান পৃথ্বীরাজ; ) is a 1973 Indian Bengali romantic comedy film starring Ayan Banerjee and Mahua Roy Choudhury, and directed by Tarun Majumdar, featuring teenage love. It has a cul ...
'' (1973)
* ''Asati
Asati (असाटी in Hindi) is a merchant community in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.
It is said that the Asatis originally hailed from a village near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and later shifted to around Damoh in Madhya Pradesh. The ...
'' (1974)
* ''Chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
'' (1974)
* ''Mr. Romeo
''Mr. Romeo'' is a 1996 Indian Tamil-language action comedy film directed by K. S. Ravi and produced by R. B. Choudary. The film stars Prabhu Deva in a dual roles with Shilpa Shetty and Madhoo playing the female leading roles, with Surendra Pal ...
'' (1974)
* '' Jukti, Takko Aar Gappo'' (1974)
* ''Thagini
''Thagini'' (The Lady Thug) is a Bengali suspense drama film directed by Tarun Majumdar based on a short story of Subodh Ghosh. This film was released on 13 December 1974 in the banner of ''Chaya O Chabi'' Production. Music of the film was scor ...
'' (1974)
* '' Amanush'' (1975)
* ''Julie
Julie may refer to:
* Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name
Film and television
* ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day
* ''Julie'' (1975 film), a Hindi film by K. S. Sethumadhava ...
'' (1975)
* ''Anari Anari may refer to:
Films
* ''Anari'' (1959 film), a Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee
* ''Anari'' (1975 film), a Bollywood film directed by Asit Sen, starring Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore and Moushumi Chatterjee
* ''Anari'' (1 ...
'' (1975)
* '' Palanka'' (1975)
* ''Jana Aranya
''Jana Aranya'' is a 1976 Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray, based on the novel of the same name by Mani Shankar Mukherjee. It is the last among Ray's Calcutta trilogy series, the previous two being, ''Pratidwandi'' (''The Adversary'', 197 ...
'' (1976)
* '' Datta'' (1976)
* '' Do Anjaane'' (1976)
* '' Santan'' (1976)
* ''Sei Chokh
''Sei Chokh'' is a Bengali romantic drama film directed by Salil Dutta based on a story on Bengali novelist Bimal Mitra. The film was released 30 July 1976 under the banner of Gitali Pictures. Nachiketa Ghosh was the music director of Sei Ch ...
'' (1976)
* ''Shaque
''Shaque'' ( en, italic=yes, Suspicion) is a 1976 Bollywood drama film directed by Aruna-Vikas. The film stars Vinod Khanna, Shabana Azmi and Utpal Dutt.
Plot
Vinod Joshi lives a middle-class existence with his wife, Meena, and a young son. H ...
'' (1976)
* ''Kotwal Saab
''Kotwal Saab'' (Police Officer) is a 1977 Bollywood drama action film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. An Amiya Arts production, it was produced by Pawan Kumar and had story by Bimal Dutt, with dialogue by Rahi Masoom Reza. The music director ...
'' (1977)
* ''Yehi Hai Zindagi
''Yehi Hai Zindagi'' () is a 1977 Hindi-language film. Produced by B. Nagi Reddy, it is directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan. The film stars Sanjeev Kumar, Seema Deo, Utpal Dutt, Lucky Ali, Ramesh Deo and Neeta Mehta. The film's music was composed ...
'' (1977)
* ''Immaan Dharam
''Immaan Dharam'' () is a 1977 Bollywood action drama film, written by Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar), directed by Desh Mukherjee and produced by Premji. The film stars Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Aparna ...
'' (1977) as Balbir Singh, Military Man
* ''Anand Ashram
''Anand Ashram'' () is a 1977 Indian drama film written and directed by Shakti Samanta, based on a story by film director and novelist, Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay. It starred Ashok Kumar, Uttam Kumar and Sharmila Tagore in lead roles. This film ...
'' (1977)
* ''Anurodh
''Anurodh'' (English: ''Request'') is a 1977 Hindi musical drama film, based on the 1963 Bengali film ''Deya Neya'', produced by Girija Samanta and directed by Shakti Samanta.
The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra, Simple Kapadia who ma ...
'' (1977)
* '' Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye'' (1977)
* ''Farishta Ya Qatil
''Farishta Ya Qatil'' is a 1977 Bollywood action film directed by S.M. Abbas. The film stars Shashi Kapoor and Rekha.
Cast
* Shashi Kapoor
*Rekha
*Jayshree T.
*Yunus Parvez
*Utpal Dutt
* Bindu
*Sujit Kumar
*Mac Mohan
*P ...
'' (1977)
* ''Kissa Kursi Ka
''Kissa Kursi Ka'' () is a 1977 Indian Hindi-language political satire film directed by Amrit Nahata, who was a member of Indian parliament and produced by Badri Prasad Joshi. The film was a satire on the politics of Indira Gandhi and her son ...
'' (1977)
* ''Priyatama
''Priyatama'' ( Sweetheart) is a 1977 Hindi-language musical film, produced by T.C. Dewan under the Modern Pictures banner and directed by Basu Chatterjee. It stars Jeetendra, Neetu Singh, Rakesh Roshan, Asha Sachdev in lead roles and music c ...
'' (1977)
* ''Swami
Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used eit ...
'' (1977)
* '' Atithee'' (1978)
* '' Striker'' (1978)
* '' Safed Haathi'' (1978)
* ''Dhanraj Tamang
''Dhanraj Tamang'' is a Bengali language action drama film directed by Pijush Bose. This film was released on 29 September 1978 in the banner of Usha Films. The story was written by Jorasandha. The film starring Uttam Kumar in name lead with ...
'' (1978)
* '' Joi Baba Felunath'' (1978)
* ''Toote Khilone
''Toote Khilone'' () is a 1978 Indian Hindi-language film produced by Prem Sawhney and Mahendra Shah. The film is directed by Ketan Anand. The film stars Ketan's cousin Shekhar Kapur, Shabana Azmi and Utpal Dutt. The film's music is by Bappi L ...
'' (1978)
* '' Kartavya'' (1979) as Dewan Dhanpati Rai
* ''Gol Maal
''Gol Maal'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and written by Rahi Masoom Raza and Sachin Bhowmick. It was produced by N. C. Sippy, with music by R. D. Burman. The film won several awards and was ...
'' (1979)
* ''The Great Gambler
''The Great Gambler'' is a 1979 Indian crime action film directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Neetu Singh in lead roles. It was based on the Bengali novel ''Great Gambler'' by Vikramaditya.
The film's stor ...
'' (1979)
* '' Jhor'' (1979)
* '' Prem Vivah'' (1979)
* ''Agreement Agreement may refer to:
Agreements between people and organizations
* Gentlemen's agreement, not enforceable by law
* Trade agreement, between countries
* Consensus, a decision-making process
* Contract, enforceable in a court of law
** Meeting o ...
'' (1980)
* ''Hirak Rajar Deshe Hirak may refer to:
* King Hirak, a figure in Hirak Rajar Deshe
* 2019–2021 Algerian protests
* Hirak Rif, protest movement in Morocco
* Al-Hirak, Syria, town and sub-prefecture in Syria
* Popular Movement in Iraq
* Al-Hirak, Arabic name for the ...
'' (1980)
* ''Paka Dekha
''Paka Dekha'' is a Bengali comedy drama film directed by Arabinda Mukhopadhyay and produced by Mohan Mallick based on a story of Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay in the same name. This film was released in 1980 in the banner of Reba Films. Hemanta M ...
'' (1980)
* '' Apne Paraye'' (1980)
* ''Ram Balram
''Ram Balram'' is a 1980 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Vijay Anand, which starred Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan in pivotal roles along with the supporting cast including Zeenat Aman and Rekha. The film marked the third time ...
'' (1980)
* '' Agni Pareeksha'' (1981)
* ''Naram Garam
''Naram Garam'' is a 1981 Bollywood comedy-drama film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film was produced by Subhash Gupta and Uday Narayan Singh and had music by R. D. Burman. It reprises many actors and actresses from the 1979 hit ''Gol M ...
'' (1981)
* '' Barsaat Ki Ek Raat'' (1981) aka Anusandhan (India: Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
title)
* '' Chaalchitra'' (1981)
* '' Meghmukti'' (1981)
* '' Subarna Golak'' (1981)
* ''Shaukeen
''Shaukeen'' () is a 1982 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Basu Chatterjee dealing with the psychological aspects of people reaching the dusk of their life. The movie stars Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt, A.K. Hangal, Rati Agnihotri and ...
'' (1981)
* '' Baisakhi Megh'' (1981) as Colonel Manningham
* '' Rajbadhu'' (1982)
* '' Raaste Pyar Ke'' (1982)
* ''Hamari Bahu Alka
''Hamari Bahu Alka'' (Our Daughter-in-Law Alka) is a 1982 Hindi movie, directed by Basu Chatterjee, based on the Bengali story ''Eto Tuku Basha'' by Manoj Basu. It stars Rakesh Roshan, Bindiya Goswami and Utpal Dutt. Music was by Rajesh Roshan, ...
'' (1982)
* '' Angoor'' (1982)
* ''Achha Bura
''Achha Bura'' () is a 1983 Indian Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and produced by Deepak Parashar. The film was a remake of '' Memdidi'', directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee again. Lead cast were Raj Babbar and Anita Raj. It also ...
'' (1983)
* ''Rang Birangi
Rang Birangi (colorful) is a 1983 Hindi film, based on a story by the Hindi writer Kamleshwar (writer), Kamleshwar, and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. This comedy classic is most remembered for the Utpal Dutt's role of ACP Dhurandhar Bhatawde ...
'' (1983)
* ''Duti Pata Duti is a given name and surname. It may refer to:
*Cosimo Duti
Cosimo Duti (active 1588 - died 1630) was an Italian painter active in his native Florence. He was a pupil of Battista Naldini. He is also referred to as ''Cosimo Dati''. He is said ...
'' (1983)
* ''Kissi Se Na Kehna
''Kissi Se Na Kehna'' () 1983 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. It stars Farooq Shaikh, Deepti Naval and Utpal Dutt.
Synopsis
Kailash Pati, a very devotional widower, lives a retired life spending tim ...
'' (1983)
* ''Pasand Apni Apni
''Pasand Apni Apni'' is a 1983 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Basu Chatterjee, starring Ashok Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Rati Agnihotri, Utpal Dutt. The concept of this movie is based on the 1951 British film ''Happy Go Lovely'', which ...
'' (1983)
* ''Shubh Kaamna
''Shubh Kaamna'' () is a 1983 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by K. Vishwanath and produced by V. V. Shastri. It stars Rakesh Roshan, Rati Agnihotri, Vinod Mehra, Sujit Kumar, Utpal Dutt, Om Prakash and music for the film was sc ...
'' (1983)
* ''Love Marriage
A love marriage is one which is driven solely by the couple, with or without consent of their parents, as opposed to arranged marriage. While there is no clear definition of love marriage, the term was in common use globally during the Victorian ...
'' (1984)
* '' John Jani Janardhan'' (1984)
* '' Lakhon Ki Baat'' (1984)
* '' Inquilaab'' (1984)
* ''Paar
The Paar is a river of Bavaria, Germany, a right tributary of the Danube. For several tens of kilometers it flows parallel to the Lech, at only a few km distance. Near Augsburg, the Paar leaves the Lech valley and turns north-east towards Ingols ...
'' (1984)
* '' Yeh Desh'' (1984)
* ''Saaheb
''Saaheb'' () is a 1985 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Anil Ganguly. It is a remake of the 1981 Bengali film ''Saheb'' directed by Bijoy Bose. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Amrita Singh, Raakhee, Deven Verma, Utpal Dutt, Biswajit, V ...
'' (1985)
* ''Harishchandra Shaibya
''Harishchandra Shaibya'' is a Bengali religious drama film directed by Ardhendu Chatterjee based on Hindu mythological story of legendary King Harishchandra. This film was released on 30 August 1985 under the banner of B. B. M. Group Of Produc ...
'' (1985)
* '' Mera Damad'' (1985)
* ''Aar Paar
''Aar Paar'' () is a 1954 Indian Hindi-language noir comedy film. Directed by Guru Dutt, it has music by O.P. Nayyar and lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. ''Aar-Paar'' stars Johnny Walker, Shyama, Shakila, Jagdeep, Jagdish Sethi. Raj Khosla a ...
'' (1985)
* ''Anyay Abichar'' (1985)
* ''Ulta Seedha
''Ulta Seedha'' (transl. ''Upside down right side up'') is a 1985 Indian Bollywood comedy drama film directed and produced by Subodh Mukherji. It stars Raj Babbar, Rati Agnihotri in pivotal roles.
Cast
* Raj Babbar as Ramesh Saxena
* Rati Ag ...
'' (1985)
* '' Aap Ke Saath'' (1986)
* ''Baat Ban Jaye
''Baat Ban Jaye'' is a 1986 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Bharat Rangachary, starring Sanjeev Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Utpal Dutt, Raj Babbar, Zeenat Aman, Amol Palekar, Aruna Irani and Shakti Kapoor. This film is Inspired from the ...
'' (1986)
* ''Kirayadar'' (1986)
* ''Main Balwan
Main may refer to:
Geography
*Main River (disambiguation)
**Most commonly the Main (river) in Germany
*Main, Iran, a village in Fars Province
*"Spanish Main", the Caribbean coasts of mainland Spanish territories in the 16th and 17th centuries
*' ...
'' (1986)
* ''Pathbhola
''Pathbhola'' is a 1986 Bengali drama action film directed by Tarun Majumdar.
Cast
* Prosenjit Chatterjee
* Tapas Paul
* Utpal Dutta
* Abhishek Chatterjee
* Sandhya Roy
* Nayna Das
* Shakti Thakur
* Tuhin Bandyopadhyay
* Manju Dey
* Nirmal ...
'' (1986)
* ''Sadaa Suhagan
''Sadaa Suhagan'' () is a 1986 Hindi-language drama film, produced by Vijay Soorma, Rajeev Kumar for Vidya Shree Films and directed by T. Rama Rao. It stars Jeetendra and Rekha. The music was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal. It is remake of the ...
'' (1986)
* '' Kissa Kathmandu Ka'' (1986–1987, TV series)
* '' Pyar Ke Kabil'' (1987)
* '' Aaj Ka Robin Hood'' (1987)
* ''Asha o Bhalobasha'' (1988)
* '' Mahaveera'' (1988)
* '' La Nuit Bengali'' (1988)
* '' Bahurani'' (1989)
* ''Jawani Zindabad
''Jawani Zindabad'' () is an Indian romance film directed by Arun Bhatt. This film was released in 1990, starring by Aamir Khan and Farha Naaz. It was released on 17 August 1990 and turned out to be Below Average at the box office. It was a r ...
'' (1990)
* ''Mera Pati Sirf Mera Hai
''Mera Pati Sirf Mera Hai'' () is a 1990 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by Nitin Kapoor and directed by Manobala. The film stars Jeetendra, Rekha and Raadhika, with music composed by Anand–Milind. It is a remake of Manobala's Ta ...
'' (1990)
* ''Agantuk
''Agantuk'' () is a 1991 Bengali-language drama film written and directed by Satyajit Ray. Notable for being Ray's last film, it was based on one of his own short stories, ''Atithi''. A joint Indo-French production, it received financial backin ...
'' (1991)
* '' Jaan Pechaan'' (1991)
* '' Path-o-Prasad'' (1991)
* ''Byomkesh Bakshi
Byomkesh Bakshi is an Indian-Bengali fictional detective created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Referring to himself as a "truth-seeker" or Satyanweshi in the stories, Bakshi is known for his proficiency with observation, logical reasoning, and ...
(1993)
* ''Padma Nadir Majhi
''Padma Nadir Majhi'' is an Indo-Bangladesh joint production feature film directed by Goutom Ghosh from the novel of the same name, Manik Bandopadhyay's ''Padma Nadir Majhi'', shows life of fishermen of the Padma River.
Plot
Hossain Miya (Utpa ...
'' (1993)
* '' Misti Madhur'' (1993)
* '' Ajana Path'' (1994)
Plays
*''Mirkassim''
*''Tiner Talowar''
*'' Ferari Fauj''
*''Boniker Rajdando''
*'' Barricade''
*''Chayanat''
*''Kangor Karagare''
*''Kallol''
*''Ongaar''
*''Aajker Shahjahan''
*''Lohaar Bheem''
*''Mahusher Adhikarey''
*''Ebar Rajar Pala''
*''Danrao Pathikbar''
Works
* ''Girish Chandra Ghosh''. Sahitya Akademi Publications. 1992.
Excerpts
* The Great Rebellion, 1857 (''Mahabidroha''), Seagull Books, 1986. .
* ''On Theatre'', Seagull Books. 2009. .
* ''Towards A Revolutionary Theatre''. Seagull Books, 2009. .
* ''On Cinema''. Seagull Books, 2009. .
* Acted in Byomkesh Bakshi Episode 3: Seemant Heera
* ''Rights Of Man'' (''Manusher Adhikare''). Seagull Books, 2009. .
* ''3 Plays''. Seagull Books, 2009. .
Further reading
* Himani Bannerji, ''Representation and class politics in the theatre of Utpal Dutt''. Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, 1988.
* Arup Mukhopadhay, ''"Utpal Dutta: Jeevan O Sristhi"'' (in Bengali), National Book Trust, New Delhi, 2010 (Reprinted in 2011).
* Joel Schechter, ''Popular theatre: a sourcebook, Worlds of performance''. Routledge, 2003
Theatre As Weapon: Utpal Dutt
.
References
External links
*
*
Profile at Calcuttaweb.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dutta, Utpal
1929 births
1993 deaths
People from Barisal
People from Barisal District
Writers from Kolkata
St. Xavier's College, Kolkata alumni
University of Calcutta alumni
Indian male film actors
Male actors in Hindi cinema
Male actors in Bengali cinema
20th-century Indian film directors
Bengali film directors
Bengali male actors
Indian male stage actors
Male Shakespearean actors
Indian theatre directors
Indian male dramatists and playwrights
Indian People's Theatre Association people
Filmfare Awards winners
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award winners
Best Actor National Film Award winners
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
Indian theatre managers and producers
Indian male comedians
Bengali theatre personalities
20th-century Indian male actors
20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights
Male actors from Kolkata
Film directors from Kolkata
Dramatists and playwrights from West Bengal
20th-century comedians
People associated with Shillong