Uttam Mohanty was more than an actor, but...: Director Sabyasachi Mohapatra reveals different side of the superstar

Legendry Uttam Mohanty was more than an actor and at times he had a persona larger than life, said eminent Odia movie director Sabyasachi Mohapatra on Friday.

According to Mohapatra, Uttam Mohanyy was in the Ollywood industry during a very tough and struggling period. However, he didn’t have to struggle much as he was very talented and handsome.

'A Superstar, Uttam's Persona Is Larger Than Life' 

“After Uttam got the first break, he got so many movie offers on a platter and he didn’t have to struggle much as he was very talented, versatile, handsome and charming. He had a great and kind heart," revealed the director.

Though there was demand for Odia movies those days, it was a very tough and struggling time. Hardly an Odia movie could have been conceptualised excluding Uttam during that period. At that time, producers used to struggle to arrange finance for Odia movies. Whenever, they told about their problems to Uttam, the genius actor would show great heart and assure them not to give him payment anymore, Mohapatra said while giving a glimpse of the veteran actor's great persona.

Must Read: Ollywood actor Uttam Mohanty no more; Odisha mourns the veteran actor's death

"However, due to this kind of sympathetic nature of Uttam, many directors started exploiting him,” revealed Mohapatra.

'Hard to Find a Great Human Being Like Uttam Mohanty'

“I was the assistant director of Uttam’s first film Abhiman. I was also the associate director in Uttam’s second movie-Pati Patni. I have worked as the assistant director in all the important films of Uttam like Bhakta Salabega, Danda Balunga and Janani. I had a great relationship with him for the last 40 years. Later, he married Aparajita Mohanty and we developed a family relationship. I was also the director in Aparajita’s first film Astaraga. Apart from a great actor, Uttam was also a great human being. We had last met in legendry Basant Nayak’s birth anniversary,” the eminent director further said.

“At that time, persons working in the movie industry used to treat each other like family members. At times, he used to come to our home and he would have no hesitation in his mind to open our fridge and eat something," he said.

"Uttam is considered as the first superstar of Odia movie industry. Apart from that, it is very hard to find a great human being like him. He has helped a lot of people in his life. I couldn’t sleep last night after hearing the news that Uttam is no more with us. It was very disturbing and I am feeling as if I have lost a family member. Uttam was a versatile genius and a director’s actor. He had an acting inflow as he had come from the theatre. He was also a very good singer and dancer. He had a sense of rhythm as an actor. He was very disciplined, cooperative and dedicated throughout his career. As a human being, he was also very loving and affectionate. Though, Uttam has acted in many movies, I feel his best movies are- Bhakta Salabega and Danda Balunga,” he added.