Kolkata: A new film centre, named after Uttam Kumar, will be launched, CM Suvendu Adikhari said on Friday. The Uttam Mancha in Bhowanipore will also be renovated and modernised, the CM said.
The CM made this announcement at an event to pay tribute to the actor on his 47th death anniversary at Keoratala crematorium, where the icon’s last rites were performed on July 25, 1980. Suvendu inaugurated a bust of Uttam Kumar near the crematorium.
The CM said the state would commemorate and celebrate the iconic actor’s birth centenary on Sept 3. “Mahanayak’s birth centenary will be celebrated from Sept 3 to Sept 6. We will hold a preparatory meeting at Nandan or Rabindra Sadan, where a committee will be formed for the centenary celebration. We will move forward following that panel’s suggestions. We will work after taking permission from UttamKumar’s family,” the CM said on the occasion.
The chief minister unveiled a fibre glass bust of Uttam Kumar in the presence of several dignitaries, including actor Rituparna Sengupta, actor-turned legislators Rupa Ganguly, Rudranil Ghosh, Papiya Adhikari and ministers Swapan Dasgupta, Tapas Roy and minister of state, Purnima Chakraborty.
The CM said necessary financial provisions have been made in the state budget to take up the projects to modernise Uttam Mancha and setting up the new film centre, which is to be named after him. “We have taken a decision to renovate and modernise the Uttam Mancha and a film centre will also be set up,” the chief minister said. Many from the film and cultural fraternity have already met the chief minister at Nabanna and four MLAs associated with the cultural fraternity have also placed their views and suggestions on commemoration of the centenary celebrations.
The CM also said the state govt wants to involve a wider fraternity, involving personalities from the film and cultural fraternity for the centenary celebrations on Uttam Kumar. “We have fallen much behind. We have made many mistakes. We have to come out from this and rebuild things in a beautiful manner,” he added.