Filmmaker Srijit Mukherji’s 2024 film Oti Uttam has made it to the Limca Book of Records for the “longest use of reused archival footage” in a movie, he said on Friday.
Oti Uttam featured the late actor Uttam Kumar in a central role, utilising archival footage and visual effects to integrate scenes from 56 of his previous films.
“During my adolescence as a quizzing enthusiast, I had both the Guinness Book of World Records and the Limca Book of Indian Records handy. Never did I imagine that one day I’d find an entry in the latter. But #OtiUttam has made it possible. Congrats to the team,” Mukherji wrote on Instagram.
Released on March 22, 2024, Oti Uttam is a Bengali-language fantasy romantic comedy starring Anindya Sengupta as Krishnendu, a Ph.D. scholar conducting research on Uttam Kumar’s iconic smile. Roshni Bhattacharya plays Sohini, who Krishnendu is in love with.
The plot follows Krishnendu's attempt to win over Sohini with the help of Uttam Kumar's spirit, summoned through a planchette session. Complications arise when Sohini becomes enamoured with the spirit of the legendary actor. Gourab Chatterjee, Uttam Kumar's real-life grandson, also plays a significant role in the film.
Creating Oti Uttam involved extensive use of visual effects to incorporate Uttam Kumar's presence in scenes. Mukherji reviewed numerous films to select appropriate scenes, ensuring seamless integration into the narrative.
The film’s music was composed by Saptak Sanai Das, with cinematography by Soumik Haldar and editing by Pronoy Dasgupta.
