Mamata to felicitate film stars today

Many of the actors have been associated with the All India Trinamool Congress.

July 24, 2014 09:29 am | Updated 09:29 am IST - KOLKATA:

The Mamata Banerjee-led State government will be giving away the annual Mahanayak (legendary actor) Uttam Kumar Samman awards to felicitate film personalities on Thursday, the party announced on its website on Wednesday. Uttam Kumar, a legendary Bengali film star passed away in 1980.

Constituted in 2012 in the memory of Uttam Kumar, the award ceremony is an annual feature which was started by the Chief Minister. Known for her fondness for the Bengali film industry, several film actors and film personalities have been associated with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).

Ms. Banerjee has also successfully fielded several actors on an AITC ticket in the general assembly poll in May. Daughter of late legendary actor Suchitra Sen contested as an AITC candidate from Left Front’s stronghold Bankura constituency, overthrowing nine-time winner Basudeb Acharia.

Riding on the wave of his tremendous popularity among the masses, Ms. Banerjee fielded matinee idol Dev, alias Deepak Adhikary, from Ghatal constituency, pitting him against his own family members. Mr. Adhikary’s uncle and staunch CPI(M) leader Shaktipada Adhikary is the zonal committee member of Keshpur in Ghatal.

A film city was recently set up in Chandrakona in Ghatal, which was inaugurated by actor Shah Rukh Khan who also happens to be West Bengal tourism department’s brand ambassador.

This year, while Mr. Deepak Adhikary (Dev) will be receiving the Mahanayak Samman award, Ms. Moon Moon Sen will be receiving the Mahanayika Samman. Interestingly, Ms. Suchitra Sen has been referred to as the Bengali film industry’s mahanayika [legendary actor] while her daughter was mostly known for her glamorous avatar than for her acting chops.

Veteran actor Mousumi Chatterjee will also be feted with the Mahanayak Samman award.

According to the AITC website, a host of upcoming actors would be the recipient of Special Film Awards, many of whom had shared the stage with Ms. Banerjee at the AITC’s martyr’s day event in the city on Monday and the felicitation event of the IPL team Kolkata Knights Rider in June.

The awards also seem to have extended to family members of persons close to Ms. Banerjee. Nispal Singh of Surinder Films is set to receive the Special Film Award for the best producer. Mr. Singh is also the son-in-law of actor Ranjit Mallick, the sheriff of Kolkata. Mr. Mallick had been appointed as the sheriff in January this year.

However, Ms. Banerjee has not entirely favoured AITC sympathisers. Left sympathiser and actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty will be felicitated with a lifetime achievement award. Fellow Left supporter, actor and producer Arindam Sil will also be felicitated with a special award in acting.

During the 34-year Left rule in the State, the film fraternity had not been associated with politics.

Although film personalities had their own personal political affiliations, the film industry had functioned sans any political connections.

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