Santosh Dutta Explained

Santosh Dutta
Native Name:সন্তোষ দত্ত
Native Name Lang:bn
Birth Date:1925 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
(present-day Kolkata, West Bengal)
Death Place:Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Nationality:Indian
Occupation:Actor, Criminal lawyer[1]
Children:1

Santosh Dutta (Bengali: সন্তোষ দত্ত; 2 December 1925 – 5 March 1988) was a Bengali actor, best known for playing the character of Jatayu[2] in Satyajit Ray's Feluda movie series Sonar Kella and Joi Baba Felunath.

Early life

Dutta was a lawyer by profession. Essentially a comedian, he elevated comedy acting to the levels of character roles. Satyajit Ray gave him the first break with a small role in his immortal film Parash Pathar. After Sonar Kella, he became so associated with the role of "Jatayu" that Satyajit Ray later reframed the appearance of Jatayu and started making the sketches of Jatayu resembling Dutta in Feluda novels. After the death of this actor, Ray once remarked that there will be no further movies in the Feluda series as Jatayu cannot be thought of without Santosh Dutta. Though after the death of Ray, the role of Jatayu was later played by artists such as Anup Kumar, Bibhu Bhattacharya, and even Rabi Ghosh. These actors agreed that it was impossible to play the character without the influence of Santosh Dutta in mind.

Career

Apart from playing Jatayu, Dutta played crucial roles in Satyajit Ray's masterpieces for children like Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and Hirak Rajar Deshe. In Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen, Dutta played dual roles of the kings of "Halla" and "Shundi". In Hirak Rajar Deshe, which is a sequel to Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen, Dutta played the role of a mysterious scientist (known as Gobeshok Gobuchondro Gyanotirtho Gyanorotno Gyanambudhi Gyanochuramoni), in addition to a small appearance for the same 'King of Shundi'.[3]

Another milestone in Dutta's career was playing Gopal Bhar in the film of the same name. Gopal Bhar being a humorous character known for centuries in India, particularly the state of West Bengal.

The role of Abalakanto in Ogo Bodhu Sundari has also become legendary.

Dutta played important roles in films like Teen Kanya, Paras Pathar, Kapurush O Mahapurush, Streer Patra, Marjina Abdallah, Jana Aranya, Char Murti and Gana Devata. He played the roles of comedians in some commercial theaters. Kone Bibhrat was one of the plays in his later years which was a mega hit. He worked in a TV serial called Goenda Bhagabandas with Rabi Ghosh, another famous actor of his time.

Filmography

YearTitle DirectorGenreRoleNotes
1958Parash Pathar Atanu (The announcer) Uncredited
1958Headmaster Agragami Actor
1961Teen Kanya Kishori (segment "Samapti")
1965Mahapurush Satyajit Ray Professor Nandi / Nani
1968Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne Satyajit Ray King of Shundi & Halla
1972Streer Patra Purnendu PattreaDoctor
1973Shriman Prithviraj Nobin Master
1973Marjina Abdulla Dinen Gupta Ali Baba
1974Sonar Kella Satyajit Ray Lalmohan Ganguly / Jatayu
1974Jadu Bansha Partha Prathim Choudhury Actor
1976Jana Aranya Satyajit Ray Hiralal Saha
1976Asadharan Salil Sen Actor
1977Sister Pijush Bose Actor
1977Ek Je Chhilo Desh Tapan SinhaActor
1977Ei Prithibir Panthanibas Aravind Mukherjee Actor
1977Shesh Raksha Shankar Bhattacharya Actor
1978Charmurti Umanath Bhattacharya Meshomoshai
1979Joi Baba Felunath Satyajit Ray Lalmohan Ganguly / Jatayu
1979Ghatkali Bimal Roy Jr. Actor
1979Ganadevata Tarun Majumdar Surveyor
1979Brajabuli Pijush Bose Actor
1980Paka Dekha Aravind Mukherjee Actor
1980Hirak Rajar Deshe Satyajit Ray King of Shundi / Scientist in Hirak Raj
1980Sandhi Amal Dutta Actor
1980Abhi Apurba Kumar Mitra Actor
1980Gopal Bhanar Amal Sur
1981Subarnalata Bijoy Bose Actor
1981Ogo Bodhu Shundori Salil Dutta Abolakanta
1982Khelar Putul Tarun Majumdar Actor
1982Malancha Purnendu Pattrea Actor
1982Rasamoyeer Rasikata Amal Sur Actor
1983Rajeswari Salil Dutta Actor
1983Kauke Bolo Na Vishwanath Mukherjee Actor
1983Duti Pata Bimal Roy Jr. Actor
1983Srinkhal Abir Basu Actor
1984Pujarini Partha Prathim Choudhury Actor
1984Shilalipi Palash Bannerjee Actor
1984Sorgol Biswajit Actor
1984Lolita Tapan Choudhury Actor
1984Amar Geeti Tarun Majumdar Actor
1984Joy Parajoy Chandan Mukherjee Actor
1985Baikunther Will Sushil Mukherjee Actor
1985Nishantay Narayan Chakraborty Actor
1985Aamar Prithibi Bimal Bhowmick Actor
1985Nishante Narayan Chakraborty Actor
1985Hulusthul Aravind Mukherjee Actor
1986Dui Adhyay Goutam Mukhopadhyay Actor
1986Urbashe Salil Dutta Actor
1986Subho Kamon Aachho? Partha Pratim Chowdhury Actor
1987Abir Kamal Majumdar Actor
1987Samrat-O-Sundari Bimal Roy Jr. Actor
1988Agni Sanket Swarup Dutta Actor
1989Gili Gili Gay Ishwar Chakraborty Actor
1991Palataka Saran Dey Actor

Notes and References

  1. News: Baba never got his due: Santosh Dutta. https://web.archive.org/web/20130501114218/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-22/news-interviews/28219416_1_baba-shooting-criminal-lawyer. dead. 1 May 2013. 11 January 2017. TNN. The Times of India. 14 March 2018.
  2. Book: Andrew Robinson. Satyajit Ray: The Inner Eye. registration. 21 July 2012. 1989. University of California Press. 978-0-520-06946-6. 360–.
  3. Book: Satyajit Ray. Bert Cardullo. Satyajit Ray: Interviews. 21 July 2012. 1 March 2007 . Univ. Press of Mississippi. 978-1-57806-937-8. 36–.