Reminiscing Bengali Cinema’s Star Couple: Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen

8 Oct 15 @ 8:46 PM

When it comes to pairing of star couples in films the pair of Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen win hands down. There has been no couple more popular than this pair who has graced the silver screen with their charisma. Like fragrance is synonymous with flowers, romance in Bengali cinema is synonymous with Uttam and Suchitra. The pairing of these actors on screen ushered in a new age of star-power and romance which went on to become one of the most accomplished star pairs of Indian cinema. The pair came together for the first time on screen in 1953 with ‘Sharey Chuattor’ which was directed by Nirmal Dey. Their chemistry mystified for an entire generation till both were last seen in ‘Priyo Bandhabi’ which released in 1975 ending an association of 32 years. Below are listed some of the best links that pay tribute to one of the greatest screen pairs of all time.

Uttam Kumar (1926 - 1980)

Born as Arun Kumar Chatterjee on 3rd September 1926, Uttam Kumar was an actor, director, producer, singer and music composer, playback singer who predominantly worked in Bengali and Hindi cinema and had a huge fan following. A recipient of many popular awards, he paired with actress Suchitra Sen in over 30 films spreading over two decades. He bid adieu to the world in 1980 and as a mark of respect a Metro Station in Kolkata was renamed in his honour.

Sources: en.wikipedia
Suchitra Sen (1931 - 2014)

Suchitra Sen was born as Roma Dasgupta in Pabna district in Bangladesh on 6 April 1931. She primarily worked in Bengali and Hindi cinema. She made her acting debut in 1952 with the film ‘Shesh Kothaay’ which unfortunately never got released. The following year she got a break opposite Uttam Kumar in ‘Sharey Chuattor’ that set the tone for many more similar pairings which went on to become classics in the history of Bengali cinema. She was the first Bengali actress to receive an international film festival award at Moscow in 1963. Since then on she went on to win a gamut of national and international awards. She received the Padma Shri in 1972 and was conferred the West Bengal Government's highest honour – ‘Banga Bibhushan’ in 2012. She refused the Dadasaheb Phalke Award to stay away from the public eye. She breathed her last in 2014.

Sources: en.wikipedia
List of Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen movies together

The pair of Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen came together on screen for the first time with ‘Sharey Chuattor’ in 1953 which was directed by Nirmal Dey. Their chemistry struck gold at the box-office which went on for 22 long years till they last appeared together in ‘Priyo Bandhabi’ in 1975. Together they acted in over 30 films and had an association of 32 nearly years.

Sources: gomolo
Superhits of Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen - Video Jukebox

Watch some of the evergreen classic songs of the hit pair who created magic with their acting as well as songs on screen. This video jukebox consists of solos and duets which climbed the popularity charts those days and continued to generate goose flesh among cine goers.

Sources: youtube
The Real Life Couple

Director Shoojit Sircar recalls his experience of watching the films of Uttam-Suchitra in his childhood days. He tells why Indian cinema will be in debt to them and why the pair would be 1 to 10 and then the other pairs will come into play. He also fondly remembers why he believed that Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen were a couple in real lives for a long time. It was only later his mother explained to him that they were just two actors in their act.

Sources: telegraphindia
Two Legends and Their Lives

Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury takes a journey down memory lane and reminisces the past of the ‘Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen’ magic era which made history in Bengali cinema. She talks about their personalities, backgrounds, talent, films and aura where they gave hits after hits.

Sources: learningandcreativity
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Enduring the Magic of the Iconic Romantic Pair

Bangalore-based author Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury in a tete-a-tete talks about her book “Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen- Bengali Cinema’s First Couple” and on the most iconic star screen couple and delves into the reasons of the success of this enigmatic pair. She further tells us why Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen were given the title of ‘Bengali Cinema’s First Couple’ and what made them such an iconic pair which till date.

Sources: learningandcreativity
Romance In Cinema

Bengali cinema is incomplete without mentioning the names of stalwarts Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen whose names spelt magic at the box-office. Their presence kicked up a storm whenever a film of theirs would release together. The craze that their pairing created among fans was nothing close to the ones of Raj Kapoor-Nargis, Dharmendra- Hema, Amitabh –Jaya or even Shahrukh- Kajol. Uttam and Suchitra were icons in themselves and legends in their own rights who churned out hits after hits. Their romantic pairing exuded power, charisma and chemistry on celluloid. Fans always felt that they were romantically involved in real life too and a perfect combination just made for each other.

Sources: learningandcreativity
Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen – Bengali Cinema’s First Couple

This Facebook page of 'Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen- Bengali Cinema's First Couple' is a book complied in English on Bengali cinema's evergreen couple. The book tells you everything that you didn’t know about the couple – when they met, how their chemistry worked on screen and what was the secret of their long success and association and much more.

Sources: facebook