Meet India's OG superstar: Rejected Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, 'shunned' Bollywood, eclipsed Amitabh Bachchan at his peak

Before the superstars, there was ‘Mahanayak’, an actor and a star who ruled the industry for over 20 years.

Updated on: Sep 4, 2026, 13:45:20 IST

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The word superstar has a Western origin, dating back to its use for cinema icons in the 1950s and 60s. In India, the term was first used in the mainstream media for Rajesh Khanna in the early 70s, during his manic five-year reign. But before that, a variant of the term had already been used for a screen legend, albeit only in part of the country. This is the story of the country’s original superstar, or as the fans called him, Mahanayak.

Indian cinema’s Mahanayak

Uttam Kumar, arguably the biggest and most loved actor ever to emerge from Bengali cinema, was born a hundred years ago this week. On September 3, the man revered as the Mahanayak (Great actor) celebrated his birth centenary. Born Arun Kumar Chattopadhyay in Calcutta, Uttam Kumar’s film journey began in 1947 as an extra in the Hindi film Maya Dore. His first acting role in a film was the younger version of the central character, played by Asit Baran, in Drishtidan (1948). He was credited as Arup Kumar or Uttam Chatterjee in his first few films and only took on the moniker Uttam Kumar for the 1951 film Sahajatri. The following year, he had his breakthrough with Basu Paribar, in which he worked opposite Supriya Devi, one of his later frequent co-stars, for the first time.

In the 50s, Uttam Kumar established himself as one of the most prominent young actors in Bengali cinema, delivering back-to-back blockbusters several times. But it was in 1960 that the term Mahanayak began to be used to refer to him. He appeared in nine films that year, all of which succeeded at the box office.

The hit-and-miss with Bollywood

Bengali cinema was a force in its own right in the 1950s and 60s, but many stars in the industry often used it as a stepping stone to Hindi films, which had a wider audience appeal. But Uttam Kumar seldom did that. Throughout the 60s, at the peak of his career, Uttam Kumar turned down several Hindi films, including notable big-budget ventures like Bees Saal Baad. In 1964, he famously turned down Raj Kapoor for Sangam. The role eventually went to Rajendra Kumar. In 1968, Uttam Kumar made his Bollywood debut opposite Vyjayanthimala in Chhoti Si Mulaqat. He himself produced the film. Over the next few years, he appeared in a handful of Hindi films, notably Amanush. But his heart was always in Calcutta, where he reigned supreme in Bengali films.

But even there, the Mahanayak was selective. In 1956, a young Satyajit Ray had offered him Ghare Baire. But the star politely turned him down, saying a negative role wouldn’t suit an established star. The two would eventually collaborate a decade later with the seminal hit, Nayak.

Bigger than Bachchan

Uttam Kumar’s popularity continued into the 1970s, when Rajesh Khanna gave way to Amitabh Bachchan as the top superstar in Hindi cinema. Bachchan’s popularity made him the top draw across India. Many of his films would take precedence over regional stars’ films even in their territories. But in Bengal, Uttam Kumar was still the Mahanayak. His films often pushed Amitabh Bachchan’s Hindi films lower in the pecking order for screens in Bengali-speaking territories.

The final years

After 1976, despite frequent successes, Uttam Kumar’s star began to wane. He was in his 50s by now, and his films had begun to fail at the box office. He earned acclaim for films like Kitaab and Anand Ashram, but the box-office returns were mixed. In 1980, Dui Prithibi was released, and became successful and critically acclaimed after a long time. This was the last film released during his lifetime. The Mahanayak fell ill on the sets of Ogo Badhu Sundori on July 23, 1980. The next day, he succumbed to a heart attack. He was 53.

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