'Kishore to Sanjeev - all liked Bengali delicacies'

Kolkata: As he savoured fish delicacies, Kishore Kumar used to frequent Uttam Kumar's residence during his Kolkata trips and even when the Uttam-Supriya Devi duo were in Mumbai for any visit.

"I remember how Kishoreda liked my cookings of golden prawn malaikari and bhetki jhal and would ask for these dishes whenever we met. He was the second one who used to say 'khub bhalo hoyechhe' (it tastes amazing) whenever I would cook something for him," the yesteryear heroine told PTI at the Uttam food festival here on Sunday night.

Besides Kishore Kumar, who would demand Supriya cook fish delicacies for him during the 'Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein' shooting, where both Kishore-Supriya were in the leads, popular Hindi actor Sanjeev Kumar was another admirer of Supriya Devi's culinary skill when he went to Uttam Kumar's Bhawanipore residence.

"I had never tasted anything like this earlier," Sanjeev Kumar had once told Supriya while sampling 'kaju chicken' at an 'adda' session at Uttam Kumar's south Kolkata residence, the veteran actor recalled as the festival at Six Ballygunje Place came to an end on Sunday.

Supriya, who recalled how Uttam Kumar, who had paired opposite her in many golden hits of the 60s, savoured her 'kantachachhari' preparations (made of chopped vegetables and fish bones), gave recipes about all the favourite dishes of the matinee idol like Chingri macher Paturi, Palang Panir Kofta, Mangsher Do Piyaza and Sager dal in the food festival which had began from September 5, on different days as chef Sushanta Sengupta and his team rustled up the delicacies.

"Happy that 33 years after his death, a food festival named after him and his favourite items is being organised at long last," Supriya who had starred opposite Uttam Kumar in hits like Uttarayan, Suno Baranari, Lal Pathor, Sudhu Ekti Bochhor, Bilambita Loy, Sanyasi Raja and Bon Palashir Padabali, said.