PAIRINGS

Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen

Fave movie: Saptapadi by Ajoy Kar

Plot: Krishnendu (Uttam Kumar) and Anglo-Indian Rina Brown (Suchitra Sen) are medical students. Rina, who is arrogant, is in constant competition with Krishnendu, until the two meet midway during a fateful college performance and fall in love. Saptapadi shows how love can survive in a society divided along the lines of religion and race.

Why we like this pair: Uttam Kumar’s spontaneous acting contrasts sharply with Suchitra Sen’s theatrical acting. Our parents have loved the pair and like them, we, too, hum along when the song Ei path jodi na shesh hoye, featuring Uttam-Suchitra on a motorcycle, comes on the screen. 

Uttam Kumar & Sabitri Chatterjee

Fave movie: Mouchak by Arabinda Mukhopadhyay

Plot: Sitesh (Ranjit Mullick) goes to work in a jute mill, and ends up being pursued by the fathers of unmarried girls in the area. Sitesh’s sister-in-law (Sabitri Chatterjee) misses Sitesh, whom she practically reared from childhood. Her husband, Nitish (Uttam Kumar), has to swoop in and rescue his younger brother. Hilarity ensues.

Why we like this pair: Uttam-Sabitri have made several wonderful comedies, such as Bhrantibilas (an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors). Mouchak is our favourite because of their relationship dynamics.

Uttam Kumar & Tanuja

Fave movie: Antony Firingee by Sunil Bandyopadhyay 

Plot: This biopic is based on Hensman Anthony, a poet of Portuguese origin who became a Kabiyal in Bengali. He meets the courtesan Nirupama (Tanuja) but their love is doomed. 

Why we like this pair: It’s one of the most unusual pairings in Bengali cinema, given that Tanuja is not even a native speaker of Bengali. Yet, they managed to create a tender chemistry. The movie is a complex exploration of race and gender issues and we think it brought out the best of the two actors. We love the songs, especially the two renditions of Ami je jalsa gharey and Ami jamini.

Uttam Kumar & Sharmila Tagore 

Fave movie: Nayak by Satyajit Ray 

Plot: Bengali film star Arindam Mukherjee (Uttam Kumar) is on his way to Delhi to receive an award. On the train, he meets Aditi Sengupta (Sharmila Tagore), a journalist working for a women’s magazine, who wants to interview him. 

Why we like this pair: This is an iconic film and we admire how skillfully Ray has dealt with adult sexuality in it. We love that neither of the characters, especially Arindam, are shown to cross any professional lines at any point and yet manage to create a kind of sensuality hardly seen on screen. We also absolutely love the intelligence of the characters and the intuitive understanding they have between them.

Uttam Kumar & Madhabi Mukherjee

Fave movie: Chhadmabeshi by Agradoot

Plot: Abanish Sen (Uttam Kumar), a newly-married professor of botany, decides to play a prank on his new in-laws with the help of his wife, Sulekha (Madhabi) and his friend.

Why we like this pair: This feel-good romcom features some of our fave songs like Ami kon pathey je choli and Aro dure chalo jai. Sulekha’s gentle amusement at the predicament her husband found himself in after his prank goes wrong is so endearing and we would love to have a relationship as easy and fun as theirs. 

Uttam Kumar &  Supriya Devi

Fave movie: Mon Niye by Salil Sen

Plot: Supriya has plays twin sisters — Suparna and Aparna. Author Amitava Chowdhury (Uttam Kumar) marries Suparna, who dies in an accident. Amitava tries to find out how. 

Why we like this pair: This iconic pairing has produced dozens of blockbusters. In Mon Niye, repression and jealous attachment is explored in depth. We love the tender relationship between Aparna and Amitava after they both lose the people they love. 

Uttam Kumar & Aparna Sen 

Fave movie: Joyjayanti by Sunil Basu Mullik

Plot: Jayanti (Aparna Sen) has to look after the five nieces and nephews of Sanjoy (Uttam Kumar), a very rich and a strict man. Will she be able to win over the naughty children and their hard-hearted uncle, while keeping them safe from their uncle’s mean fiance? If the story sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a remake of The Sound of Music. 

Why we like this pair: The vibe between Aparna Sen and Uttam Kumar is very different. We like the simmering romance and the joy brought that Jayanti brings in Sanjoy’s life. 

MOVIES

Ekti Raat by Chitta Bose

Even though Uttam-Suchitra are not each other’s love interest in this movie, we love it. The scene where Sushobhan (Uttam Kumar) chases Swantana (Suchitra Sen)’s dog, Jhunu Shona, never fails to crack us up. 

Sanyasi Raja by Pijush Bose

This movie captures the subtleties of human nature and shows how destiny ultimately intervenes to give back zamindar Surya Kishor (Uttam Kumar) what is rightfully his. It’s a story of self-discovery.

Harano Sur by Ajoy Kar 

A bittersweet story of love and loss, Harano Sur reaffirms our faith in true love. The way the song, Tumi je amar, is woven into the story makes us love it even more.

Chiriakhana by Satyajit Ray

Uttam Kumar as the super sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi is such a treat! Ray gave the characters a new look and feel, while staying true to Sharadindu Bandopadhyay’s work. 

Bhrantibilas by Manu Sen

How can we not love Uttam Kumar in a dual role? He plays twins — Chiranjib Chowdhury and Chiranjit Chowdhury — whose domestic helps are twins too. Confusion arises when each of them is mistaken for the other. This fun film is our go-to on a gloomy day.