Utpal Dutt: A Theatrical Titan, A Revolutionary Spirit

 

Some artists entertain, some enlighten, but a rare few ignite revolutions. Utpal Dutt was one such force—an actor, a playwright, a philosopher of the stage, and a warrior of words. He did not merely perform; he provoked, he challenged, he awakened. His was a voice that echoed across decades, a presence that loomed over the landscapes of theatre and cinema like an unshakeable colossus. He was the artist who refused to be confined by the walls of entertainment, for he believed in art as an instrument of change. 

Seamlessly weaving between commercial Bollywood and politically charged theatre, he was a maestro who orchestrated performances that could leave one aching with laughter as well as light a revolutionary fire in their heart.

Dutt discovered his love for literature and his interest in theatre as a student of St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, where he immersed himself in the works of Shakespeare, some of which he would later bring to life with rare brilliance with his theatre group, formed in 1947. Renamed the Little Theatre Group (LTG) in 1949 he continued to stage performances that shimmered with the power of Shakespeare and Bertolt Brecht, the German playwright from whom he would borrow the expression Epic Theatre although he would later differ in his interpretation.

 

The Revolutionary Thespian

 

But theatre was not just an art form for Dutt—it was a revolution waiting to happen. Post-independence India was still shackled by colonial legacies, including in the arts. Theatre, in many circles, remained an elitist endeavour, confined to English productions and Western dramatic traditions. This realisation propelled him to abandon the gilded stages of English drama—where he was celebrated for his commanding performances in English, bringing to life Hamlet, Othello, and Richard III—and immerse himself in Bengali theatre where he could craft narratives that resonated with the soil, the sweat, and the spirit of his people. His transition was not just linguistic but philosophical, as he sought to create theatre that was not an indulgence of the privileged but a tool of awakening for the masses. His transition to Bengali theatre marked the beginning of a new era—one that brought political consciousness to the center of the stage. 

 

It was his move towards politically engaged theatre that made him a cultural force. In the 1950s and 1960s, he transitioned to writing and directing plays that reflected contemporary social and political issues. The struggles of the working class, the iron grip of oppression, the ceaseless march of revolution—these were the themes that bled into his plays. Tiner Talowar (The Tin Sword), Manusher Adhikar (Human Rights), and Kallol (The Sound of the Waves), were not just dramatic works; they were rallying cries that challenged the status quo and exposed the injustices of the ruling elite. Kallol and Teer burned with anti-imperialist fury, Bohurupi explored the soul of an actor, while his essays compiled in two collections—On Theatre and On Cinema—dissected theatre, cinema, and politics with razor-sharp intellect. 

His association with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led him to develop what became known as the ‘Third Theatre’ movement—a form of street theatre aimed at engaging the working class with themes of revolution, oppression, and justice, carrying theatre to the streets, to the factories, to the people who needed it most. He performed not on gilded stages but amidst those who fought for survival, ensuring that theatre remained what it was always meant to be—a mirror to society, a weapon of resistance. The state tried to silence him, censors tried to suppress him, but Dutt never bowed. Arrested in 1965 under the Preventive Detention Act for his revolutionary plays, he stood undeterred.

 

Magician of the silver screen

 

If the theatre was his temple, the cinema was his kingdom. Dutt strode across genres like a colossus—breathing fire into serious political dramas and dazzling audiences with his comic genius in mainstream films. His presence was magnetic, his craft impeccable.

With Satyajit Ray, he created masterpieces. In Jana Aranya (The Middleman, 1976), he embodied the corruption of the corporate world with chilling subtlety. In Joy Baba Felunath he created an unforgettable representation of evil in the nefarious Maganlal Meghraj. As the despotic ruler in Hirak Rajar Deshe (The Kingdom of Diamonds, 1980), he stood as a symbol of unchecked power, his performance a sharp indictment of authoritarianism. With each role, he reaffirmed his place as a thinking actor, a performer who could wield his art like a blade.

Yet, he was not just the face of revolution—he was also the soul of joy. Who can forget Bhavani Shankar in Gol Maal (1979), the moustache-loving, staunch traditionalist hilariously undone by deception? Or his unforgettable turns in Shaukeen (1982) and Rang Birangi (1983)? His comic timing was impeccable, his expressions a delight, proving that even a man of resistance could be a maestro of mirth. To make people think is an art, but to make them laugh while doing so is a rare genius—one that Dutt possessed in abundance.

 

A legacy that lives on

 

Dutt embodied the spirit of Calcutta—its streets alive with protests and poetry, its theatre halls echoing with revolution, its cafés brimming with impassioned debates. He was the city's conscience, its voice of dissent, its laughter in times of despair. Whether it was in the pulsating energy of the Star Theatre, the defiance of his street plays, or the timeless celluloid frames capturing his brilliance, Dutt was both a poet and a prophet of a city that thrives on intellect and resistance, a figure whose influence refuses to fade with time.

His voice, his fire, his fearless artistry continue to burn brightly in the hearts of those who dare to dream of a world beyond oppression and mediocrity. His theatre roared against injustice, his cinema broke barriers, and his presence inspired generations. His ability to straddle both high art and mass entertainment made him a rare artist who could appeal to diverse audiences. Whether making audiences laugh with his comedic brilliance or making them reflect with his political theatre, Dutt’s work remains as relevant today as it was during his lifetime.

Theatres may dim their lights, films may fade, but legends like Utpal Dutt do not vanish. They remain in the echoes of defiant dialogue, in the poetic ardour of tempestuous genius (Michael Madhusudan), in the tremors of laughter, in the ink of fearless words. As long as art continues to challenge, as long as theatre refuses to kneel, as long as cinema dares to dream—Utpal Dutt will live on.

 हंसता हुआ क्रांतिकारी

बंगाली रंगमंच में उनकी कला शोषण और दमन के विरुद्ध बिगुल थी तो वहीं हिंदी सिनेमा में अद्भुत रूप से हास्य का संचार करती थी उनकीभाव-भंगिमा। कला के इन दो विपरीत ध्रुवों को एक साथ साधने वाले उत्पल दत्त (जन्म-29 मार्च, 1939) पर संदीप भूतोड़िया का आलेख...

 

छ कलाकार मनोरंजन करते हैं, कुछ जागरूक करते हैं, लेकिन कुछ विरले ऐसे भी होते हैं जो क्रांति लाते हैं। उत्पल दत्त इसी श्रेणी में आते थे- अभिनेता, नाटककार, रंगमंच के दार्शनिक और शब्दों के योद्धा। बालीवुड की कामर्शियल मांग और राजनीतिक जुड़ाव वाले बंगाली रंगमंच के बीचनिर्बाध रूप से आवागमन करते हुए उत्पल दत्त ने मनोरंजन की दीवारों में सीमित होना स्वीकार नहीं किया, क्योंकि उनका मानना था कि कला परिवर्तनका उपकरण है।

 

कोलकाता के सेंट जेवियर्स कालेज में अध्ययन करते समय उत्पल दत्त में साहित्य के प्रति प्रेम और रंगमंच में रुचि विकसित हुई। उन्होंने 1947 में एकरंगमंच समूह बनाया, जिसे 1949 में ‘लिटिल थिएटर ग्रुप’ नाम दिया गया। इसके द्वारा उन्होंने ऐसे नाटक मंचित किए जो अंग्रेजी नाटककारशेक्सपियर और जर्मन नाटककार बर्टोल्ट ब्रेख्त से प्रभावित थे। स्वतंत्रता के बाद के भारत में रंगमंच अंग्रेजी शो और पश्चिमी नाटकीय परंपराओं तकसीमित था, इस अनुभूमि ने उन्हें बंगाली रंगमंच में डुबो दिया। उन्होंने सोचा कि वह ऐसी कहानियां लाएंगे-बनाएंगे, जिनमें अपनी मिट्टी-पसीने औरलोकजीवन की सुगंध हो। यह केवल भाषागत नहीं बल्कि समग्र विचारधारा का परिवर्तन था। अब उनके लिए रंगमंच भद्रलोक की विलासिता नहीं, बल्कि जनसाधारण के लिए जागरूकता का उपकरण था!

 

वे राजनीतिक चेतना को बंगाली रंगमंच के केंद्र में ले आए और इस प्रकार उत्पल दत्त एक सांस्कृतिक शक्ति बन गए। 20वीं शताब्दी के पांचवें औरछठे दशक में, उन्होंने ऐसे नाटकों को लिखने और निर्देशित करने की दिशा में बढ़ना शुरू किया जो समकालीन सामाजिक और राजनीतिक मुद्दों कोदर्शाते थे। श्रमिक वर्ग के संघर्ष,  दमन, क्रांति की निरंतरता-आदि विषय उनके नाटकों में प्रवाहित हुए। ‘टिनेर तलवार’ (टीन की तलवार),  ‘मानुषेरअधिकार’ (मानव अधिकार) और ‘कल्लोल’ जैसे नाटकों के रूप में उन्होंने स्थापित व्यवस्था को चुनौती दी और शासकों के अन्याय को उजागर किया।उनके राजनीतिक संबंधों ने उन्हें ‘थर्ड थिएटर’ के रूप में नुक्कड़ नाटक आंदोलन की प्रेरणा दी। उन्होंने सुनहरे मंच के बजाय उनके बीच कला का प्रदर्शनकिया, जो जीवन के लिए संघर्ष कर रहे थे, यह सुनिश्चित करते हुए कि रंगमंच समाज का दर्पण, प्रतिरोध का एक हथियार बने। सत्ता ने उन्हें चुप करानेकी कोशिश की, सेंसर ने उन्हें दबाने की कोशिश की, लेकिन उत्पल दत्त कभी झुके नहीं। क्रांतिकारी नाटकों के लिए वर्ष 1965 में उन्हें प्रिवेंटिवडिटेंशन एक्ट के अंतर्गत गिरफ्तार किया गया, मगर उन्होंने धैर्य से खड़ा रहना नहीं छोड़ा।

 

अगर रंगमंच उनका मंदिर था, तो सिनेमा उनका साम्राज्य था। उनकी उपस्थिति चुंबकीय थी और कला अनुपम। हिंदी के पाठक इस तथ्य से कम हीअवगत होंगे कि सत्यजीत रे के साथ उन्होंने उत्कृष्ट बंगाली सिने कृतियां भी बनाईं। ‘जनअरण्य’ में उन्होंने कार्पोरेट दुनिया के भ्रष्टाचार को व्यक्त किया।‘जोय बाबा फेलूनाथ’ में उन्होंने अविस्मरणीय नकारात्मक किरदार को रचा। ‘हिरक राजार देशे’ में तानाशाह शासक के रूप में उन्होंने अनियंत्रित शक्तिको सजीव किया। बंगाली रंगमंच और सिनेमा में उनकी कला तलवार की तरह तेज धार वाली थी तो वहीं कामर्शियल हिंदी सिनेमा में वह गुदगुदातेठहाके लेकर आए। उनकी कामिक टाइमिंग बेजोड़ थी, उनके हाव-भाव दर्शकों के चेहरे पर खुशी की लहर दौड़ा देते थे। कौन भूल सकता है ‘गोलमाल’ में मूंछों के शौकीन भवानी शंकर को? क्या ‘शौकीन’ और ‘रंग-बिरंगी’ में उनके अद्भुत किरदारों को भुलाया जा सकता है? लोगों को सोचने परमजबूर करना कला है, लेकिन ऐसा करते हुए उन्हें हंसाना एक दुर्लभ प्रतिभा है-वह विरला गुण जो उत्पल दत्त में प्रचुर मात्रा में विद्यमान था। चाहेउन्होंने सिनेमा में दर्शकों को हंसाया या अपने राजनीतिक मंचन से उन्हें सोचने पर मजबूर किया, उनका कार्य आज भी उतना ही प्रासंगिक है जितनाउनके जीवनकाल के दौरान था। जब तक कला चुनौती देती है, जब तक रंगमंच झुकता नहीं, जब तक सिनेमा सपने देखने की हिम्मत करता है- उत्पलदत्त जीवित रहेंगे!

 

(लेखक संस्कृतिकर्मी हैं)

This article was published in Dainik Jagran