UTTAM KUMAR AS RAY!

Great filmmaker Satyajit Ray & Mahanayak Uttam Kumar in one function!

I think Uttam Kumar was right choice for an autobiographical film on Satyajit Ray! This is because of the similarity in their personalities!

 

Uttam Kumar and Sharmila Tagore in Ray's film 'Nayak' (1966).

Their association was unique, because of the different genre of cinema they belongs to! Uttam Kumar was an actor of the main - stream cinema and Ray was a filmmaker of parallel meaningful cinema. And both - were genius!

Actually long before 'Nayak' (1966) Ray planned to start - 'Ghare Baire' with.. Uttam Kumar. But being a big romantic hero, he could not accept such a negative role! After some years they came together for 'Nayak' which was suitable for his image!

Mahanayak Uttam Kumar & great filmmaker Satyajit Ray in conversation!

Then Uttam Kumar also acted in Ray's.. 'Chiriakhana' (1967). He played detective Byomkesh in that. But was that Ray's compromise to make such thriller for - popular star?

Any way, they were different; but I found similarity in their persona!

- Manoj Kulkarni