Born Arun Kumar Chatterjee on September 3, 1926, mahanayak Uttam Kumar grew into Bengali cinema’s most enduring icon, acting in more than 200 films, including Satyajit Ray’s celebrated Nayak, before he died in 1980 at age 53.
A hundred years after his birth, West Bengal is marking the occasion not with a single day of tribute, but with a four-day programme and a year-long commitment to preserving his legacy for a generation that never saw him on screen.
Statue Garlandings and a Giant Cutout Kick Things Off
The centenary programme, titled Satabarshe Mahanayak: A Century of Stardom, opened on September 3 with the garlanding of Uttam Kumar’s statues at Tollygunge and Ahiritola, two neighbourhoods deeply tied to his life and career in the Bengali film industry.
Alongside the garlandings, a 20-foot cutout of the actor was unveiled at Bijoli, one of Kolkata’s most iconic cinema halls, giving fans an immediate, larger-than-life symbol of the celebrations to come.
An Exhibition of Rare Memorabilia at Nandan
Nandan, Kolkata’s cultural hub, is hosting an exhibition featuring rare photographs, film posters, and memorabilia drawn from across Uttam Kumar’s career.
Film scholars, researchers, artists, and critics are also coming together for discussions on his life and body of work, offering both casual fans and serious cinephiles a deeper look at what shaped his decades-long dominance of Bengali screens.
Heritage Walks Through the Kolkata He Once Called Home
Organisers have planned nostalgic heritage walks through different parts of Kolkata associated with Uttam Kumar, letting participants retrace the city as he lived, worked, and rose to stardom in it.
The programme also includes a midnight cake-cutting ceremony on his birthday and open-air screenings of selected films, turning the celebration into something participatory rather than purely ceremonial.
A New Film Centre and a Modernised Uttam Mancha
Beyond the four-day programme, the state government has committed to longer-term tributes. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced plans for a new Uttam Kumar Birth Centenary Film Centre in New Town.
This project will be built with modern facilities for film production and education, alongside the renovation and modernisation of Uttam Mancha in Kalighat, a venue already run by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Financial provisions for both projects have reportedly already been included in the state budget.
Discover More Stories Worth Your Time
Explore Why Dengue Cases Rising?
Discover what is driving Bangladesh’s latest dengue surge and the health concerns emerging nationwide.
Check How Sylhet Border Watch Improves?
Explore how the new facility strengthens Bangladesh’s border surveillance and drone capabilities.
See Why Rising Seas Threaten Dhaka?
Discover why the UN warns millions across Mumbai, Kolkata, and Dhaka face immediate coastal risks.
Find Why Trump Praised Tarique?
Explore what the US president’s letter says about the Boeing aircraft deal.
Learn How Adani Supply Returns?
Discover how Bangladesh’s payment settlement helped restore full electricity supply from the Godda plant.
A Star-Studded Committee Overseeing the Year Ahead
The scale of the celebrations reflects serious institutional backing. A 20-member advisory committee has been formed with Adhikari as chief patron, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty and Minister of State Purnima Chakraborty as co-patrons, filmmaker Sandip Ray as chairman, and actor Prosenjit Chatterjee as executive chairman.
Other prominent figures from Bengali cinema, including Rudranil Ghosh, Arindam Sil, Shantilal Mukherjee, Kanchan Mallick, Srijit Mukherji, and Shankar Chakraborty, have also joined planning discussions, signalling that this centenary is meant to run well beyond a single September week.
FAQ
When was Uttam Kumar born, and when is his centenary being celebrated?
He was born on September 3, 1926, and West Bengal’s main centenary programme runs from September 3 to 6, 2026.
What is being built in Uttam Kumar’s honour?
The state government has announced plans for a new Uttam Kumar Birth Centenary Film Centre in New Town, along with the renovation of Uttam Mancha in Kalighat.
Who is leading the centenary celebrations?
A 20-member advisory committee chaired by filmmaker Sandip Ray, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari as chief patron and actor Prosenjit Chatterjee as executive chairman, is overseeing the year-long programme.
Summary: West Bengal has launched a four-day, government-backed celebration marking Uttam Kumar’s 100th birth anniversary, with tributes ranging from statue garlandings to a planned film centre in his honour.
