To mark the birth centenary of the legendary actor Uttam Kumar picture postcards released by Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers
Uttam Kumar—more than just a name, he is a brand. Even after a century, he remains immensely popular and trusted—a figure deeply cherished by Bengalis and culture enthusiasts alike; a beloved icon, the ‘Mahanayak’ (Great Actor), and a ‘Guru’.
A special exhibition titled “Uttam – The Mahanayak” was organized at the Jamini Roy Gallery of ICCR, Kolkata, from August 20 to August 24, 2026, to celebrate the birth centenary of Uttam Kumar, one of the greatest actors in the history of Bengali and Indian cinema. The event was presented by Shyam Sundar Co. Jewellers, with support from Khukumoni, and organized by Theism Events. The inaugural ceremony was graced by the august presence of noted actress Debashree Roy, Mahua Chatterjee ( daughter in law of Uttam Kumar, Antara Chowdhury, Debojyoti Mishra, Saikat Mitra, Rupak Saha ( Director, Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers ), Partha Saha ( Director, Theism Group ), Sudipta Chanda. Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers released picture Postcards on this occasion featuring images of film posters of Uttam Kumar films. Ten different postcards featuring ten different film poster images have been released by the company.
A vast collection of film publiity memorabilia related to Uttam Kumar was brought together under one roof by renowned film poster collector Sudipta Chanda. Notably, this year marks the twentieth anniversary of his journey as a collector.
An alumnus of Bhowanipore Mitra Institution, Sudipta Chanda developed a fascination for film posters during his student days.
Turning to the exhibitions, the collection of film posters includes two distinct designs for the Hindi film *Chhoti Si Mulaqat* (produced by Uttam Kumar), a large Mumbai-print poster for the Hindi version of *Amanush*, and large posters featuring two different designs for the Hindi film *Dooriyaan*. Also featured were large two-sheet posters for the films *Bandi* and *Banhisikha*. Rare items included calendar-style posters for films like Priya Bandhabi, others like *Jatra Holo Shuru*, *Punar-milan*, *Putrabadhu*,Bandi* poster with Odia lettering; and posters for over a hundred films such as *Bratacharini*, *Ora Thake Odhare*, *Chandranath*, *Trijama*, and *Annapurnar Mandir*. The collection also boasted nearly a hundred rare film booklets, notable among them being *Mantrashakti*, *Sanjibani*, *Hrad*, *Bakul*, *Shankar Narayan Bank*, *Debatra*, *Basu Paribar*, and *Nabin Jatra*. There were records of songs sung by Uttam Kumar himself, alongside records and songbooks from many of the films he starred in. The collection included letterheads from the film *Nishan*, advertisements published in newspapers and magazines, articles about his music and about Suchitra Sen, rare photographs from various events, film stills, lobby cards, advertisements for unreleased films, and much more.
Sudipta Chanda said, “For two decades, I have lovingly nurtured this passion. I am primarily known as a collector of film posters. When future generations—those studying or interested in cinema—see these items, they will gain an understanding of that era. Combining collection with preservation and promotion makes people far more aware of and interested in history. Exhibitions like this, held from time to time, help acquaint the younger generation with our glorious past.”
