{
  "id": 5679151,
  "title": "Uttam Kumar centenary: Suvendu Adhikari lays foundation of film centre named after legendary actor",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/uttam-kumar-centenary-suvendu-adhikari-lays-foundation-of-film-centre",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-05T00:39:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/uttam-kumar-centenary-suvendu-adhikari-lays-foundation-of-film-centre-named-after-legendary-actor-10863885/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari inaugurated the foundation stone for the Uttam Kumar Film Centre in Kolkata's New Town. The centenary celebration of legendary Bengali actor Uttam Kumar marked a significant event for the state's film industry. The government has allocated a budget of Rs 25 crore for the project, which will feature two theatres with a seating capacity of 750 each, and another with a capacity of 1,000 seats. Additionally, the centre will house laboratories and studios for animation and visual effects, as well as facilities for film post-production.\n\nOther notable attendees at the event included actors Ranjit Mallick, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and Jisshu Sengupta, director Harnath Chakraborty, and BJP MLAs Rupa Ganguly, Rudranil Ghosh, and veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty. After laying the foundation stone, they paid tribute to the late actor Uttam Kumar.\n\nAdhikari expressed his vision for the film industry, stating that Tollywood should outshine Bollywood and that the government would stand by the industry in any way possible. He also announced plans to build a state-of-the-art theatre complex bigger than the present Rabindra Sadan to honour Uttam Kumar. Till September 6, various events such as film screenings, exhibitions, and guided heritage walks would be held, showcasing the actor's life and legacy.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Suvendu Adhikari lays foundation stone for Uttam Kumar Film Centre in Kolkata.",
    "Rs 25 crore allocated for the project with two theatres and animation studios.",
    "Events from September 6 to showcase actor's life and legacy."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The film centre solidifies West Bengal's commitment to its cinematic heritage, positioning the state to bolster its film industry and compete with larger industries like Bollywood.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Press Journal",
        "title": "West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari Lays Foundation Stone For ₹25-Crore Uttam Kumar Film Centre In Kolkata's New Town | Watch",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/west-bengal-cm-suvendu-adhikari-lays-foundation-stone-for-25-crore",
        "published": "2026-09-05T03:23:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}