On Tuesday,11, 2023 we lost another veteran TV & film personality at the age of 79. Uttara Baokar. She was suffering from a prolonged illness. She had gained immense fame with Mrinal Sen’s ‘Ek Din Achanak’ where she played the wife of a professor who doesn’t return home. The role won her a National award for Best Supporting actress.
Trained under Ebrahim Alkazi at NSD she was also an AIR drama artist. She won hearts with her performance in the play ‘Umrao Jaan’. She had been part of Tv shows ‘Udaan, ‘Antaral’, ‘X zone, Rishtay Kora Kagaz, ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’ the TV show that catapulted Mona Singh to the top slot.
Mona Singh mourned her death saying, meri pyari bebe rest in peace’. In her loving memory she dug out a priceless picture from the setttttts of the show. Mona giving a tight hug to Baokar. With Apurva Agnihotri standing behind them both. Manoj Joshi said, Deeply pained by her demise’.
Veteran Neena Kulkarni recalls working in various projects with her. ‘While working with her on films ‘Uttarayan’ & ‘Shevri’ have added value to my life.
Marathi films including ‘Doghi’ 1995, ‘Uttarayan’ 2005 & ‘Restaurant’ 2006 among others show her versatility.
Padmavati in Mukhyamantri, Mena in Mena Gurjari, Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello, the mother in playwright Girish Karnad’s Tughlaq, the nautch girl in Chhote Saiyad Bade Saiyad.
In 1978 she directed Jaywant Dalvi’s Sandhya Chhaya, translated to Hindi by Kusum Kumar. In 1984, she won the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for acing ( Hindi Theatre) She worked extensively in both the languages. Merging in the roles effortlessly.
A gem in Marathi & Hindi industry. A great loss.
Asian Entertainment 