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Utpal Dutt Biography with all unknown Details

Utpal Dutt is a big name in Bengali theatre and cinema; even after 29 years, he has passed away. He played most comic roles in his long list of Hindi films, but in Amitabh Bachchan’s first film, Saat Hindustani, he was also a Hindustani or a lead actor.

Utpal Dutt

Born on 9th March 1929 in Barisal, British India (Now in Bangladesh) to  Girijaranjan Dutta. He did his initial studies at St. Edment School, Shillong, and matriculation from St. Xaviers Collegiate School, Kolkata. He completed his graduation from St. Xaviers College, Calcutta University.

He was interested in stage drama from school and formed a theatre group called Little Theatre Group in 1949.

Before entirely immersing itself in highly political and radical theatre, this group enacted several English, Shakespearean, and Brecht pieces during the period now known as the “Epic Theatre.”

His group plays, such as Kallol (1965), Manusher Adhikar, Louha Manob (1964), Tiner Toloar, and Maha-Bidroha, were effective mediums for presenting his Marxist views.

CategoryDetails
Full NameUtpal Dutt
Date of BirthMarch 29, 1929
Place of BirthBarisal, Bengal Presidency, British India (now Bangladesh)
Age (at Death)64 years
NationalityIndian
EthnicityIndian (Bengali)
FamilyFather: Girijaranjan Dutt (unknown profession); Mother: Unknown
Marital StatusMarried
WifeShobha Sen (married 1960; Bengali actress and theatre artist)
Children1 daughter: Bishnupriya Dutt (theatre actress and professor)
EducationMatriculation from St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata; English Literature (BA incomplete), Presidency College, Kolkata
HeightApproximately 5’8″ (1.73 m, estimated from visual references)
WeightApproximately 70-75 kg (estimated; no official data)
ProfessionActor (Film, TV, Theatre), Theatre Director, Playwright, Writer
Debut (Theatre)Founded Little Theatre Group (1947); staged The Man in the Iron Mask
Total Plays WrittenOver 60 (e.g., Kallol, Angar, Tiner Talowar, Barricade)
Notable PlaysKallol (1951), Angar (1959), Ajeya Vietnam (1966), Surya Shikar (1964), Tiner Talowar (1971)
Theatre GroupLittle Theatre Group (1947-1993; later People’s Little Theatre); focused on political and social themes
AwardsSangeet Natak Akademi Award (1970), Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1993, posthumous), BFJA Awards (multiple)
Political AffiliationCommunist Party of India (CPI); later CPI(M); arrested in 1965 for revolutionary plays
Early CareerEnglish theatre with Geoffrey Kendall’s Shakespeareana (1947-1950s); joined IPTA (Indian People’s Theatre Association)
LanguagesFluent in Bengali, English, Hindi
Books WrittenOn Theatre (1970s), Towards a Revolutionary Theatre (1982), Shakespeare-er Samaj Chetana (1980s)
Last Theatre WorkDirecting Sesh Raksha (1993, ongoing at death)
Net Worth (Estimated)₹50-70 lakh (at death in 1993; speculative based on film/theatre earnings, adjusted for inflation)
DeathAugust 19, 1993
Place of DeathKolkata, West Bengal, India
Cause of DeathHeart attack
ResidenceKolkata, West Bengal, India (lived in Bhawanipur area)
HobbiesReading Shakespeare, writing, political activism, mentoring young actors
Personal InsightsKnown for Marxist ideology; blended humour with social critique in art; jailed for anti-establishment plays
ControversiesArrested in 1965 for Kallol (deemed seditious by Congress govt); banned plays during Emergency (1975-77)
LegacyPioneer of political theatre in India; iconic comedian in Hindi cinema; mentor to Bengali theatre artists

Utpal Dutt in Movies

He started his movie career with the Bengali movie Michael Madhusudhan released in 1950 directed by Madhu Bose and was based on Bengali poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt.

Bhuban Shome was one of the major works of Indian Parallel Cinema in the 1970s. The movie, directed by Mrinal Sen, featured Utpal Dutt in the main role. For his performance in this film, he received the National Award for Best Actor in 1970.

From 1969 to 1979, he appeared in many Hindi and Bengali movies, including Bombay Talkie, Guddi, Ek Adhuri Kahani, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Sabse Bada Sukh, Amanush, and Julie.

But in Hindi cinema, he got a lot of prestige and work from Gol Maal directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Hrishikesh Mukherjee made neither art films nor commercial formula pictures.

In contrast to Utpal Dutt’s image in Golmaal, Bhavani Shankar’s role as one such character was related to the days. From Hero Amol Palekar to Dina Pathak, all the actors’ comedic performances are an example even today. But Utpal Dutt was hilarious, remaining serious, and received the Best Comedian Filmfare Award.

How “Achha” was spoken, even if today someone copies it, the audience understands that he is copying Utpal Dutt. In Hindi films, he would have been given lighthearted roles then. Who would have thought that this actor of the entertainment world started his career in English theatre? One of the reasons for this was that Utpal Dutt graduated with English as the main subject.

India’s famous English theatre artist, Geoffrey Kendall, was so impressed that he included Dutt in his group. From 1947 to 1953, Utpal Dutt was his companion wherever he did his plays in India.

In 1958, Geoffery Kendal’s daughter, Jenifer Kendall, married Sashi Kapoor. However, Utpal Dutt should not be identified by any such reference but by his contribution to theatre and films.

If you see him in the role of Bhavani Shankar, a bizarre courtesan in Golmaal, then it seems that in real life, he will be the same. In Shaukeen, the stingers who keep a single account of the money seemed equally natural.

No other director has used his comic timing more than Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Like Golmaal, his partner in “Naram Garam” was Amol Palekar, who received the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for the film. Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Rang Birangi also gained the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian again for Utpal Dutt.

Along with such a prize, he met the most critical Hindi cinema criteria: the Box office. Not only did Utpal Dutt prove himself to be the best in a comedy role whenever he was cast in negative roles, but he also quickly did the villain roles.

He also acted in the 1990s detective serial Byomkesh Bakshi( in Episode No-3, Seemant Heera).

Utpal Dutt Marriage and Children

He married Shobha Sen, a Bengali theatre and film actress, in 1960. The couple has a daughter named Dr. Bishnupriya Dutt, who is currently employed at JNU, Delhi.

On August 19th,1993, Utpal Dutt died due to a heart attack.

Utpal Dutt Movies and TV shows

YearMovie TitleDirectorProducerBudget (INR, Approx.)Box Office Collection (INR, Approx.)Notable Co-Star(s)Notes
1950Michael Madhusudhan (Bengali)Madhu BoseB.N. Sircar2 lakh (est.)5 lakh (moderate)Chhabi BiswasDebut film; biographical drama
1950Vidyasagar (Bengali)Kali Prasad GhoshS.M. Roy1.5 lakh (est.)4 lakh (moderate)Pahari SanyalEarly supporting role
1952Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (Hindi)Abrar AlviGuru Dutt10 lakh (est.)40 lakh (superhit)Meena KumariMinor role; classic Hindi film
1956Chhota Jignesh (Bengali)UnknownUnknown1 lakh (est.)3 lakh (moderate)UnknownEarly Bengali work
1960Uttar Megh (Bengali)Jiban GangulyJiban Ganguly2 lakh (est.)6 lakh (hit)Supriya DeviSupporting role
1961Megh (Bengali)Utpal DuttUtpal Dutt2 lakh (est.)5 lakh (moderate)Anil ChatterjeeDirected and acted
1962Saptapadi (Bengali)Ajoy KarUttam Kumar5 lakh (est.)15 lakh (superhit)Suchitra SenRomantic drama; major hit
1963The Last Lear (English)Rituparno GhoshRituparno Ghosh3 lakh (est.)N/A (limited release)Amitabh BachchanEarly English role; filmed but released later
1965Shakespeare Wallah (English)James IvoryIsmail Merchant5 lakh (est.)10 lakh (moderate)Shashi KapoorInternational film
1965Ghoom Bhangar Gaan (Bengali)Utpal DuttUtpal Dutt3 lakh (est.)8 lakh (hit)Supriya DeviDirected and acted; musical
1967Bhuvan Shome (Hindi)Mrinal SenMrinal Sen4 lakh (est.)10 lakh (hit)Suhasini MulayNational Award-winning film
1968Chowringhee (Bengali)Pinaki MukherjeeAsima Mukherjee5 lakh (est.)20 lakh (superhit)Subhendu ChatterjeeLiterary adaptation
1969Saat Hindustani (Hindi)K.A. AbbasK.A. Abbas3 lakh (est.)5 lakh (moderate)Amitabh BachchanAmitabh’s debut; patriotic drama
1969Bibaha Bibhrat (Bengali)Ashutosh MukhopadhyayAshutosh Mukhopadhyay3 lakh (est.)7 lakh (hit)Lily ChakravartyComedy
1970Bombay Talkie (English)James IvoryIsmail Merchant10 lakh (est.)15 lakh (moderate)Shashi KapoorMerchant-Ivory production
1971Pratidwandi (Bengali)Satyajit RayNepal Dutta5 lakh (est.)12 lakh (hit)Dhritiman ChatterjeeRay’s classic; social commentary
1971Guddi (Hindi)Hrishikesh MukherjeeHrishikesh Mukherjee8 lakh (est.)25 lakh (superhit)Jaya BachchanCameo; family drama
1972Sabse Bada Sukh (Hindi)Hrishikesh MukherjeeN.C. Sippy10 lakh (est.)20 lakh (hit)Vijay AroraComedy drama
1973Jheel Ke Us Paar (Hindi)Bhappi SonieBhappi Sonie15 lakh (est.)30 lakh (hit)DharmendraRomantic drama
1974Jukti Takko Aar Gappo (Bengali)Ritwik GhatakRitwik Ghatak5 lakh (est.)8 lakh (moderate)Tripti MitraGhatak’s last film; autobiographical
1975Amanush (Bengali/Hindi)Shakti SamantaShakti Samanta20 lakh (est.)50 lakh (superhit)Sharmila TagoreBilingual blockbuster
1976Do Anjaane (Hindi)Dulal GuhaTito Guha25 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)RekhaSuspense drama
1977Immaan Dharam (Hindi)Desh MukherjeePremji30 lakh (est.)50 lakh (hit)Shashi KapoorMulti-starrer
1978Anurodh (Hindi)Shakti SamantaShakti Samanta25 lakh (est.)45 lakh (hit)Rajesh KhannaEmotional drama
1979Gol Maal (Hindi)Hrishikesh MukherjeeN.C. Sippy20 lakh (est.)60 lakh (blockbuster)Amol PalekarIconic comedy; cult classic
1979Kartavya (Hindi)Mohan SehgalMohan Sehgal20 lakh (est.)35 lakh (hit)DharmendraAction drama
1980Agreement (Hindi)Anil GangulyG.N. Malhotra25 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)RekhaSocial drama
1981Naram Garam (Hindi)Hrishikesh MukherjeeSubhash Gupta20 lakh (est.)50 lakh (superhit)Amol PalekarComedy classic
1981Agni Pareeksha (Bengali)Kamal MajumdarKamal Majumdar10 lakh (est.)20 lakh (hit)Rabi GhoshSocial drama
1982Angoor (Hindi)GulzarGulzar20 lakh (est.)45 lakh (superhit)Sanjeev KumarShakespearean comedy
1982Shaukeen (Hindi)Basu ChatterjeeSen Gupta Films25 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)Ashok KumarComedy
1983Kissi Se Na Kehna (Hindi)Hrishikesh MukherjeeAshok Aggarwal25 lakh (est.)50 lakh (superhit)Farooq SheikhRomantic comedy
1983Pasand Apni Apni (Hindi)Basu ChatterjeeBasu Chatterjee20 lakh (est.)35 lakh (hit)Rati AgnihotriComedy
1984Lakhon Ki Baat (Hindi)Basu ChatterjeeBasu Chatterjee25 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)Farooq SheikhComedy drama
1985Saaheb (Hindi)Anil GangulyRaj Sippy30 lakh (est.)45 lakh (hit)Anil KapoorFamily drama
1986Baat Ban Jaye (Hindi)Bharat RangacharyAnil Mattoo25 lakh (est.)35 lakh (moderate)Zeenat AmanComedy
1987Pyar Ke Kabil (Hindi)Anil GangulySuresh Grover30 lakh (est.)40 lakh (moderate)Rishi KapoorFamily drama
1988The Bengali Night (English)Nicolas KlotzPhilippe Diaz50 lakh (est.)N/A (limited release)Shabana AzmiFrench-Indian co-production
1989Jawani Zindabad (Hindi)Arun BhattJay Mehta40 lakh (est.)50 lakh (moderate)Aamir KhanSocial drama
1990Agneepath (Hindi)Mukul AnandYash Johar50 lakh (est.)60 lakh (hit)Amitabh BachchanGangster drama
1991Jaan Pechaan (Hindi)Kamal SaigalKamal Saigal40 lakh (est.)45 lakh (moderate)Sudha ChandranDrama
1992Padma Nadir Majhi (Bengali)Gautam GhoseWest Bengal Film Dev. Corp.30 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)Raisul Islam AsadLiterary adaptation
1993Padma Nadir Majhi (Hindi)Gautam GhoseNFDC35 lakh (est.)45 lakh (moderate)Raisul Islam AsadBilingual release
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