Uttam Kumar's Bikele Bhorer Phool propagated the tourist spot Digha.

Uttam Kumar’s Bikele Bhorer Phool propagated the tourist spot Digha.

Uttam Kumar’s Bikele Bhorer Phool propagated the tourist spot Digha. Digha became an important tourist spot with allied spots like Talsari, Shankarpur, Jhargram, etc., in the recent times. Lot of films are shot in the romantic place. But in the early 70s, the tourist spot was on the making. Uttam Kumar’s film gave it a great launching pad. Uttam Kumar became a living God in the 70s in Bengali cinema. Bikele Phorer Phool was released in the early 70s, at a time when producers used to consider that the moment Uttam Kumar appeared in any film the film became hit automatically. He was one man industry. The film was directed by Pijush Basu.

The film was entirely shot at West Bengal’s biggest tourist attraction Digha. It was released in 1974, and director Pijush Bose in one way discovered the place. Uttam Kumar was a renowned novelist in the film. He was old aged and came to Digha to pass his leisure time. Sumitra Mukherjee with her friends were college girls who were brought by the college teacher from Kolkata on a trip to Digha.

When the college teachers knew about the presence of Uttam Kumar, they called him in the guest house to address the college students. Sumitra Mukherjee sang a rabindra sangeet, “ki gabol ami”. Uttam Kumar then told them a horror story. Most of the girls became fan of Uttam Kumar.

Sumitra Mukherjee got especially attached with him, as she had a bad parentage and her parents quarreled against each other daily. She went to Kapal Kundala Mandir near Digha with Uttam Kumar. That was the place where Novelist Bankim Chandra Chatterji got the plot of the novel Kapal Kundala.

Sumitra Mukherjee wanted to marry Uttam Kumar. But Uttam Kumar explained to her that his days were over, he was old like twilight and Sumitra Mukherjee was a young flower, so marriage between unequal age groups could not blossom. He advised Sumitra Mukherjee to forget her past, concentrate on singing and live a better life.

Utpal Dutt did a great job in role of District Magistrate. He showed his comedy instincts as his speeches and song made the young girls laugh. Kalyan Chatterji played the role of a loafer who wanted to seduce Sumitra Mukherjee and got a slap from Uttam Kumar for that.

Hemant Kumar’s music was super hit, with Arati Mukherjee’s song “ei jhaupata” becoming very popular in the early 70s. In the song “ei jhaupata” the entire forests (jhaubon) fringing the Bay of Bengal in Digha was shown. Uttam Kumar’s mere presence in a film used to create storms in the Bengali arena during that time.

So the film of Pijush Bose ended up being a super hit project. The film and the music should be preserved.

Shiulibari was a noble venture.

Shiulibari was a noble venture.

Shiulibari was a noble venture by director Pijush Bose. Pijush Bose learned work from eminent director Tapan Sinha. The story of the film was written by Subodh Ghosh.

Tapan Sinha wrote the script of the film on behalf of his assistant director Pijush Bose. Uttam Kumar and Arundhuti Debi was given the main roles or the lead casts. Uttam Kumar was the illegitimate son of the zamindar named Rudrababu. Uttam Kumar came to know about this fact after he grew up.

He left the place and went to Palamou in Bihar. Everyone came to know Uttam Kumar with the name Matibabu. He came in association with Arundhuti Debi whom he loved from childhood. Both married each other. They lived in a house which was named Shiulibari.

Uttam Kumar created his own name and fame in Palamou. But when the question came as to the marriage of his daughter Suchanda, again his illegitimacy of birth created controversy. Director Pijush Bose addressed this issue in style.

Uttam Kumar and Arundhuti Debi were excellent in respect of their performance. Pijush Bose later developed as one of the most outstanding assistants of Tapan Sinha who flourished with the same art of story-telling like Tapan Sinha. His films Sanyasi Raja, Bikele Bhorer Phool did excellent business in the mid-70s.

Shiulibari should be preserved and restored for his innovative story, strong direction, powerful casting and brilliant performance of Uttam Kumar and Arundhuti Debi.

Utpal Dutt was unparallel in Bikele Bhorer Phool.

Utpal Dutt was unparallel in Bikele Bhorer Phool.

Utpal Dutt was unparallel in the film Bikele Bhorer Phool. Eminent director Pijush Bose directed the film in 1973 and it was a very successful film of Uttam Kumar.

The story of writer Samaresh Bose in the film was related to the love story of a young girl played by Sumitra Mukherjee with an old novelist Uttam Kumar. Uttam Kumar at the end of the film convinced Sumitra Mukherjee that he was too old and the difference of age stood in the way of their romance, so the relationship could not go in any other direction.

Utpal Dutt played the role of a District Magistrate in the film who met Uttam Kumar, the novelist in Digha when he went for a holiday. Utpal Dutt did not have any children and he loved children a lot.

When he was called by the female group of students in their hotel for giving a lecture, he addressed all of them as mothers. The girls laughed a lot. Then he sang a song with the lyrics “ma howa ki mukher kotha” in the most hilarious way that was possible. He wanted to prove that it was not easy to be a mother.

He being a DM, had other official duties. But when he spent time to write poems then the poems were all dedicated towards children. Uttam Kumar was moved by his performance.

Utpal Dutt, having a grand experience of acting in theatre, especially in Minerva Theatre in Kolkata, used to create a great impression even in films where his roles were short. His voice modulation and use of the eyes created a separate identity for which the legendary directors like Satyajit Ray, Ajoy Kar, Tarun Majumdar reposed confidence on him.

His performance in Bikele Bhorer Phool created added attraction for the viewers for which the film should be restored.

Review of Uttam Kumar's Bikele Bhorer Phool.

Review of Uttam Kumar’s Bikele Bhorer Phool.

Uttam Kumar became a living God in the 70s in Bengali cinema. Bikele Phorer Phool wa released in the earlier 70s, at a time when producers used to consider that the moment Uttam Kumar appeared in any film the film became hit automatically. He was one man industry. The film was directed by Pijush Basu.

The film was entirely shot at West Bengal’s tourist attraction Digha. It was released in 1974, when Digha did not become a romantic beach resort. Uttam Kumar was a renowned novelist in the film. He was old aged and came to Digha to pass his leisure time. Sumitra Mukherjee with her friends were college girls who were brought by the college teacher from Kolkata on a trip to Digha.

When the college teachers knew about the presence of Uttam Kumar, they called him in the guest house to address the college students. Sumitra Mukherjee sang a rabindra sangeet, “ki gabol ami”. Uttam Kumar then told them a horror story. Most of the girls became fan of Uttam Kumar.

Sumitra Mukherjee got especially attached with him, as she had a bad parentage and her parents quarreled against each other daily. She went to Kapal Kundala Mandir near Digha with Uttam Kumar. That was the place where Novelist Bankim Chandra Chatterji got the plot of the novel Kapal Kundala.

Sumitra Mukherjee wanted to marry Uttam Kumar. But Uttam Kumar explained to her that his days were over, he was old like twilight and Sumitra Mukherjee was a young flower, so marriage between unequal age groups could not blossom. He advised Sumitra Mukherjee to forget her past, concentrate on singing and live a better life.

Utpal Dutt did a great job in role of District Magistrate. He showed his comedy instincts as his speeches and song made the young girls laugh. Kalyan Chatterji played the role of a loafer who wanted to seduce Sumitra Mukherjee and got a slap from Uttam Kumar for that.

Hemant Kumar’s music was super hit, with Arati Mukherjee’s song “ei jahaupata” becoming very popular in the early 70s. Uttam Kumar’s mere presence in a film used to create storms in the Bengali arena during that time.

So the film of Pijush Bose ended up being a super hit project. The film and the music should be preserved.