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Updated – August 08, 2026 02:37 am IST – Kolkata
Statue of Bengali cinema icon Uttam Kumar. Photo: X/@KunalGhoshAgain
Artists in West Bengal have expressed outrage over a statue of Bengali cinema icon Uttam Kumar, which was recently unveiled at Keoratala Crematorium in Kolkata by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. “Neither does the statue have any resemblance to the yesteryear superstar, nor is it a work of art,” said critics.
Uttam Kumar, who is known as the “Mahanayak“ (superstar) of Bengali cinema, is held in high regard in the cultural circles of Bengal. However, this recently unveiled statue of the artist has left artists in the State unsettled.
“This is very ugly; the people who do this work are incompetent, and the people who commission it are equally incompetent. They do not understand art. People who are close to politicians are becoming artists now. This work is done through tenders; but artwork through tenders is absurd, and this is the result. Artists are low-paid. They work on short deadlines; how will they deliver?“ celebrated senior artist and sculptor Sanatan Dinda told The Hindu.