Uttam Kumar (3 September 1926– 24 July 1980) (born as Arun Kumar Chatterjee) was an Indian film actor, director, producer, singer, composer and playback singer who predominantly worked in Indian Cinema. Kumar is widely regarded as one of the most popular and beloved actors ever in India. Through his career, he earned commercial as well as critical success, and he remains as an Indian cultural icon.

Considered as the most popular film star of Bengali cinema, Kumar managed to have a huge fan following, that mainly concentrated in the regions of West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh. He was a recipient of many awards over his lifetime, including National Film Award for Best Actor. A Metro Station in Kolkata was renamed in his honor.

Apart from Bengali, Uttam Kumar also acted in 15 Hindi films such as Chhoti Si Mulaqat (along with Vyjayanthimala), Amanush, Anand Ashram, Dooriyaan (with Sharmila Tagore), Bandie with Sulakshana Pandit and Kitaab with Vidya Sinha etc. He was also offered the role of Rajendra Kumar in the Raj Kapoor starrer film Sangam but for some reason, he refused the role.

When the Indian government instituted the National Film Awards for National Film Award for Best Actor and National Film Award for Best Actress in 1967, Uttam Kumar was the first-ever recipient of the Best Actor Award for his performances in Antony Firingee and Chiriyakhana in 1967.

There was a time when at the heights of his popularity Uttam Kumar was approached to recite the Chandi Path in the AIR studios. Traditionally this had always been done by Birendra Krishna Bhadra. but there was a huge uproar amongst the audience about why Uttam Kumar had been chosen instead of Birendra Krishna. Uttam personally met Mr. Bhadra and apologized and from the next year, Mahalaya on AIR was again done by Bhadra

Reruns of his films on television decades after his death are still eagerly watched. Uttam Kumar’s time is considered by most as the golden era of Bengali cinema