Mahanayak Uttam Kumar Set to Grace Bengali Film Screens Again
Beloved Bengali actor Uttam Kumar is making a return to the big screen over 40 years after his passing! Director Srijit Mukherji is using VFX and AI to bring Kumar back to life in his new film Oti Uttam. The movie will feature AI-generated images of Kumar alongside actors Anindya Sengupta, Roshni Bhattacharya, and Gourab Chatterjee.
Over four decades after his death, national award-winning director Srijit Mukherji will bring Bengal's evergreen matinee idol, Uttam Kumar, to life through VFX and Artificial Intelligence. Oti Uttam casts Anindya Sengupta, Roshni Bhattacharya, and Gourab Chatterjee, apart from the AI-generated images of Uttam Kumar from existing footage of his films, conversing with other characters. It is a tribute by the ‘Autograph' director to Uttam Kumar, called Mahanayak by millions of fans. Describing Oti Uttam as his ‘labour of love,' Mukherjee recently said on social media it took six years for him to make the movie. "A film which took six years to make. A journey which saw a global pandemic and the evolution of Artificial Intelligence. Our labour of love. Our dream project. Our audacious ambition. The first of its kind in history. Oti Uttam," he said on X recently. Mukherjee had undertaken research for years, watched over 60 films repeatedly, and talked to VFX experts to perfect each shot, a production house spokesperson said. Director Srijit Mukherji Talks About Box Office Success, Says ‘Every Films Has Its Own Audience, Not Necessarily Found in Theatres’.
The story of the film, the trailer of which was released recently, revolves around two characters Krishnendu and Sohini, which have gone viral already. Krishnendu, essayed by Anindya, is doing a Ph.D. on Uttam Kumar, and the ghost of Uttam Kumar, invoked by Planchette in the film, has an interesting positive contribution to developing the romantic relationship between Krishnendu and his lady love Sohini, portrayed by Roshni Bhattacharya. Young actor Gourab Chatterjee, the real-life grandson of Uttam Kumar, will enact the role of the matinee idol's grandson in the film, which will be released on March 22. After watching the trailer, Megastar Amitabh Bachchan said on his handle, "The first-ever film to have a principal character made out of existing footage. A tribute to Uttam Kumar... Oti Uttam." Srijit Mukherji on Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke, Says ‘This Movie Is Based on Experiences of IPS Officers’.
Mahanayak Uttam Kumar Set to Make Comeback in Bengali Movie
Uttam Kumar, widely considered one of the biggest actors in the country, had acted in over 250 films, including Nayak, Jatugriha, Chiriyakhana, Khokababur Pratyabartan, Chowrongee, Thana Theke Aschii, to name a few, having portrayed characters of different shades even in commercial hits. He died on July 24, 1980, at the age of 53, after suffering a massive stroke on the set of the Bengali film Ogo Bodhu Sundari, which became a hit after his demise.