Odia icon, veteran actor Uttam Mohanty breathed his last on Thursday at a private Gurugram Hospital. The 66-year-old actor had fallen ill during the shooting of his Odia film Bou Butu Bhoota early this month. Following which, he was admitted to a hospital in Bhubaneshwar on February 5, with a liver cirrhosis.

Mohanty was then airlifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on February 8 for the advanced treatment of the liver ailments. After 20 days, he succumbed to the multiple complications arising from liver cirrhosis. Mohanty is survived by his actor wife Aparajita Mohanty whom he married in 1987 after acting together. The celebrated pair of Odia cinema had a son Babushaan Mohanty, also a leading actor now.

Informing about his death, actor Rabi Mishra said, “Odisha has lost a diamond. He had a cardiac arrest around 10:41 pm and breathed his last. Doctors tried their best, but it was Lord Jagannath’s wish.”

Chief Minister of Odisha Mohan Charan Manjhi has expressed his condolences on the demise of the veteran actor. He said, “I am deeply saddened by the demise of Odisha’s popular actor Uttam Mohanty. His departure has created a huge void in the Odia Art field. The impression he left on Odia Cinema will always keep him alive in the hearts of the audience. I pray for the eternal peace of his soul and offer my condolences to his family.”

The Chief Minister declared that the last rites of Uttam Mohanty will be conducted with all state honors. His body was brought to Bhubaneshwar today, and is kept here for four hours. It will be taken to Satyanagar crematorium in the city for the final rites.

Uttam Mohanty: An icon of Odia Cinema

Uttam Mohanty was born on December 23, 1958 in Baripada town of Mayurbhanj district. While pursuing his Chartered Accountancy in Ludhiana, Mohanty made his debut with the film Abhimaan in 1976. The film became a hit, prompting him to leave his studies and pursue a career in Cinema. He soon went on to give one hit after another, which includes Nijhum Ratira Sathi (1979), Phula Chandana (1982) and Danda Balunga (1984).

Mohanty is the only Odia actor who has won the Odisha State Film Award for Best Actor for a successive three years, from 1982-1984. In the year 1999, Mohanty received the Jaydev Puraskar which is the highest film award in Odisha. In 2012, he was also honored with the Odisha living legend award.  

In his illustrious career, Mohanty featured in over 100 Odia and 30 Bengali movies. He has even acted in a Hindi film titled ‘Naya Zeher’, India’s first feature film based on HIV.

The Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also mourned the death of the Odia actor, calling it a “big loss for Odia cinema.”

Film critic Surya Deo said, “Uttam Mohanty ruled the 1980s and 1990s, an era when Ollywood thrived on his shoulders. He was the superstar who didn’t need gloss- just a story, a song and an audience to enchant. Directors leaned on his versatility, crafting tales of heartbroken lovers, defiant sons and jovial everyman.”