Nirmal Kumar (; born 14 December 1928, in Kolkata, India) is an Indian actor who is known for his work in Bengali cinema, radio and theatre. Often regarded as one of the greatest voice-over artists during 1960s and 1970s, Kumar lent his voice to numerous Bengali radio dramas. Winner of a BFJA Award, he made his big screen debut as Amit Roy in Madhu Bose's Bengali drama film Shesher Kabita (1953) based on Rabindranath Tagore's novel of the same name. He is also known for his roles in Bengali films such as Drishti (1955), Godhuli (1955), Kalindi (1955), Paresh (1955), Chalachal (1956), Louhakapat (1958), Janmantar (1959), Thakur Haridas (1959), Kshaniker Atithi (1959), Kono Ekdin (1960) and Kamallata (1969).
Nirmal Kumar collaborated with Ajoy Kar in Paresh (1955). His collaboration with Tapan Sinha includes Upahar (1955), Louhakapat (1958), Kshaniker Atithi (1959), Apanjan (1968), Ekhoni (1971), Aandhar Periye (1973), Raja (1975), Sabuj Dwiper Raja (1979), Banchharamer Bagan (1980), Adalat o Ekti Meye (1982), Baidurya Rahasya (1985), Atanka (1986), Antardhan (1992) and Ajab Gayer Ajab Katha (1998). His collaboration with Partha Pratim Chowdhury includes Chayasurya (1963) and Dolna (1965). He also teamed up with eminent Indian filmmakers such as Chidananda Dasgupta in Bilet Ferat (1972), Arundhati Devi in Padi Pishir Barmi Baksha (1972) and Rituparno Ghosh in Dahan (1998). He featured opposite Sumitra Devi in Gobinda Ray's Thakur Haridas (1959) and Suchitra Sen in Harisadhan Dasgupta's Kamallata (1969).
Career In 1949, Nirmal Kumar was an LDC at Calcutta High Court when he joined Gananatya on Sabitabrata Dutta's insistence. Several days later, he became a part of Bohurupee, which offered him the golden opportunity to observe Sombhu Mitra's acting style and voice modulation. Rabi Basu in his Satrang stated that Kumar excelled in all his radio dramas as he learned a substantial part of voice modulation from Mitra. The plays Kumar collaborated with Bohurupee were Pathik and Chera Tar, both penned by Tulsi Lahiri. Pathik was based on Rober Emmet Sherwood's The Petrified Forest. He, alongside Sabitabrata Dutta and Santosh Dutta formed a theatre group named Anandam.
In 1952, Sabitabrata Dutta advised Kumar to audition for Amit Ray in Madhu Bose's directorial venture Shesher Kabita (1953), based on Tagore's Shesher Kabita (1929). Kumar successfully auditioned for this role in Calcutta Movietone Studio. He was cast alongside Dipti Roy portraying the role of Labanya. The screenplay of the film was written by Nripendra Krishna Chatteejee. Though the film was a moderate success at the box office, it catapulted Kumar to stardom.
Following the success of Shesher Kabita, Kumar appeared in a string of Bengali films including Sushil Majumdar's Bhangagara (1954), Bikash Roy's Ardhangini (1955), Chitta Basu's Drishti (1955), Kartik Chattopadhyaay's Godhuli (1955), Naresh Mitra's Kalindi (1955), Ajoy Kar's Paresh (1955) and Tapan Sinha's Upahar (1955). He would continue to collaborate with Tapan Sinha in thirteen more films including Louhakapat (1958), Kshaniker Atithi (1959), Apanjan (1968), Ekhoni (1971), Aandhar Periye (1973), Raja (1975), Sabuj Dwiper Raja (1979), Banchharamer Bagan (1980), Adalat o Ekti Meye (1982), Baidurya Rahasya (1985), Atanka (1986), Antardhan (1992) and Ajab Gayer Ajab Katha (1998). He collaborated with Rituparno Ghosh in Dahan (1998).
Nirmal collaborated with Pahari Sanyal in Ajoy Kar's Paresh (1955) based on the short story of the same name by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee.
Nirmal collaborated with Kaberi Bose in Chitta Basu's Drishti (1955) and Madhu Bose's Paradhin (1956).
In Gobinda Ray's biographical drama Thakur Haridas (1959), he played Haridas Thakur alongside Sumitra Devi portraying the role of Lakshaheera who is sent by the landlord Ramchandra Khan to seduce the mendicant Haridas. Haridas appears to be generous and free of amorous desire. Impressed with Haridas' dissociation with worldly desire, Lakshaheera falls in love with him and becomes his devotee. The film delineates the platonic love between Haridas and Lakshaheera. Gobinda Roy wanted Asim Kumar play the role of Mahaprabhu alongside Nirmal. Asim Kumar who never wanted the film to be as iconic as Nilachaley Mahaprabhu (1957), refused the role and Malay Kumar was signed to portray Mahaprabhu. The marketing of the film being heavily propelled on Sumitra Devi's stardom, it became a financial success. Nirmal Kumar received positive review.
He starred as Gahar Gosai opposite Suchitra Sen playing the titular role in Harisadhan Dasgupta's Kamallata (1969).
He also featured opposite Arundhati Devi in Godhuli (1955), Chalachal (1956) and Janmantar (1959), Sabitri Chatterjee in Paresh (1955) and Upahar (1955), Supriya Devi in Kono Ekdin (1960), Bishkanya (1961), Abhisarika (1962), Dui Nari (1963) and Harano Prem (1966), Tanuja in Dolna (1965), Sumita Sanyal in Apanjan (1968), Sohag Sen in Bilet Ferat (1972) and Madhabi Mukherjee in Bindur Chhele (1973), Bon Palashir Padabali (1973) and Subarnalata (1981).
Accolades 1970BFJA Award Best Supporting ActorKamallata
Filmography YearTitleRoleNote1953Shesher KabitaAmit Ray1954Bhangagara1955ArdhanginiDrishtiKalyanDujanayGodhuliChinmayKalindiPareshPareshUpahar1956Bhaduri MashaiChalachalKirtigarhManrakshaParadhinShubholagna1958LouhakapatMalayShikar1959Agni sambhabaBhrantiJanmantarAshishKshaniker AtithiThakur HaridasHaridas ThakurShared screen with Sumitra Devi1960Kono Ekdin1961BishkanyaMadhya Rater TaraSandhyarag1962AbhisarikaAgun1963ChhayasuryaDui NariNikhilesh1964Lal Pathar1965DolnaSiddhartha1966Harano PremTarunMayabini Lane1968Apanjan1969KamallataGahar GoshaiShared screen with Suchitra Sen1970Bilambito Loy1971EkhoniKahi Aar Kahi PaarSansar1972Padi Pisir Barmi Baksa1973Aandhar PeriyeBanpalashir PadabaliBilet PheratBindur ChheleMadhabDuranta JoySonar Khancha1975Raja1977Chhotto NayakNayanPhulshajyaRamer Sumati1978Nishkriti1979Sabuj Dwiper Raja1980Banchharamer BaganDarpachurnaGopal Bhanrh1981Subarnalata1982Adalat o Ekti Meye1983Samapti1985AntaraleBaidurya RahasyaTil Theke Tal1986Amar bandhanAtankaJiban SathiKenaram Becharam1987Arpan1988Tumi Koto SundarSurer Sathi1989Aghatan Ajo GhateAparanher AloAakroshAngarAsha-o-BhalobashaBalidanMone MoneMandanda1990Apan Amar Apan Byabadhan1991 BouraniPrem PujariRajnartakiSadharan Meye1992AntardhanAnutapKrodhi Mani KanchanNabarupa1993Kanyadan Mayer Ashirbad Prithibir Shesh StationSrimati1994AtikramBidrohini Kalpurush Raktanadir Dhara1995 Pratidhwani Rangin Basanta1996 Biyer Phul Lathi Sinthir Sindoor Tarini Tarama1997 Dabidar Nirjan DwipPratirodh Jiban Sandhan Sriman Bhootnath1998Ajab Gayer Ajab KathaAtmajaDahanSagar Banya1999KhelagharDadabhaiDabidar Shasti Holo2000 Kalankini Badhu2001 Pratibad2002Bar-Kane2003Rakta Bandhan2004 Annaye Atyachar Iti Srikanta2006Faltu2008 Ek Nadir Galpo: Tale of a River2009 Jekhane AshroyDelayed release
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External links
Nirmal Kumar in Gomolo