- Dutt, Utpal
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▪ 1994Indian actor, director, and writer (b. March 29, 1929, Barisal, Bengal [now in Bangladesh]—d. Aug. 19, 1993, Calcutta, India), was a key figure in Bengali theatre and cinema for over 40 years. He was perhaps best known for his commitment to communist ideology and for the contemporary political dramas he produced on open-air stages in rural Bengal. Dutt was educated in Calcutta, where he founded (1947) the Calcutta Little Theatre Group. He twice toured with the Shakespearean International Theatre Company (1947-49; 1953-54) and was acclaimed for his passionate portrayal of Othello. From 1954 he wrote and directed controversial Bengali political plays, notably Angar (1959). He was arrested in 1965 and detained for several months because the ruling Congress Party feared that Kallol was provoking antigovernment protests in West Bengal. During the 1970s three of his plays drew crowds despite being officially banned. Dutt appeared in some 200 films, beginning with Michael Madhusudan (1950), and had considerable success as a director, particularly for Megh (1961), Jhar (1978), and Mother (1984). An intense, dramatic actor, he did some of his best work with the directors Satyajit Ray (Jana Aranya; Agantuk), Mrinal Sen (Bhuban Som; Chorus), and James Ivory (Shakespeare Wallah; The Guru). In 1970 Dutt won the Padma Bhusan award for best actor for Bhuban Som. He also published books on Shakespeare and the revolutionary theatre.
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▪ Indian directorborn March 29, 1929, Barisal, Bengal [now in Bangladesh]died August 19, 1993, Calcutta [now Kolkata], IndiaIndian actor, director, and writer who was a radical figure in Bengali theatre and cinema for more than 40 years.Dutt was educated in Calcutta, where he founded the Calcutta Little Theatre Group in 1947. He twice toured with the Shakespearean International Theatre Company (1947–49; 1953–54) and was acclaimed for his passionate portrayal of Othello. From 1954 he wrote and directed controversial Bengali political plays, notably Angar (1959). He was perhaps best known for such political dramas, which he often produced on open-air stages in rural Bengal, as well as for his commitment to communist ideology. He was arrested in 1965 and detained for several months because the ruling Congress Party feared that his play Kallol was provoking antigovernment protests in West Bengal. During the 1970s three of his plays drew crowds despite being officially banned.Dutt appeared in some 200 films, beginning with Michael Madhusudan (1950), and had considerable success as a director, particularly for Megh (1961), Jhar (1978), and Mother (1984). An intense, dramatic actor, he did some of his best work with the directors Satyajit Ray (Jana Aranya; Agantuk), Mrinal Sen (Bhuban Som; Chorus), and James Ivory (Shakespeare Wallah; The Guru). He also published books on Shakespeare and the revolutionary theatre.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
