COVID-19 claims another stalwart, Odia veteran actor ‘Hakim Babu’ Ajit Das passes away
BHUBANESWAR: The ‘Hakim Babu’ is no more. The soft-spoken Ajit Das, whose endearing screen persona charmed millions of fans over four decades, departed for the heavenly abode on Sunday. He was 71. Ajit had tested Covid-19 positive and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar where he breathed his last.
Ajit made his foray into Odia film industry with ‘Sindura Bindu’ in 1976 in the role of a villain but as his career took off, he went on to be one of the most adorable character actors of Odia cinema. In four decades of his career, the actor-turned-dramatist not only gave Odia film industry meaningful cinema but also shaped classical theatre in Odisha.
After the initial roles with grey shades, he played the lead in ‘Punar Milana’, a remake of Hindi film ‘Choti Behen’ releasing in 1977. Ajit went to play hero in films of 80s like ‘Megha Mukti’, ‘Devajani’, ‘Bata Abata’ and ‘Ashara Akasha’.
What fetched him critical acclaim was the 1985 film based on eminent writer Bibhuti Pattnaik’s novel ‘Hakim Babu’, directed by Pranab Das. His performance fetched him the State Film Award for Best Actor and the moniker of ‘Hakim Babu’. The film also won the National Award for Best Regional Cinema.
Pranab fondly calls how Ajit was initially reluctant to play the role of the protagonist Kanhu Majhi in ‘Hakim Babu’. “The film was on based on Juang tribals of Keonjhar and Kanhu’s character was that of a tribal boy who becomes a Collector and returns to help his people. Bijay Mohanty and Ajit were good friends and worked together. When Ajit refused the role which he thought would not fit into the character, Bijay evinced interest. But I was confident that no one could play Kanhu’s character better than Ajit and I forced him to do it”, he says.In fact, Pranab’s directorial debut ‘Sesha Pratikhya’ in 1979 also had Ajit in the lead.
It was an experimental cinema in black and white and Ajit’s character ‘Uday’ was well appreciated. “With his death, the State has lost a brilliant and humble actor”, Pranab said. Gadadhar Putty, who directed him in ‘Ashara Akasha’, said Ajit was a director’s actor.
The veteran, who acted in over 60 films, took to character roles in the early 90s to focus on drama. An alumnus of National School of Drama (NSD), Ajit’s real love was theatre and he popularised classical theatre in Odisha.
After passing out from NSD in 1975, Das joined as the HoD of drama department in Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in 1976. He directed over 100 plays in over 40 years. To patronise theatre, Ajit formed Abhinaya Jagruti Institute of Theatre (AJIT) and AJIT Theatre Group in 2001 and the group staged its first show ‘Anuprasa’ the same year. He often adapted Odia classics into drama and some of his popular plays included ‘Rebati’, ‘Cha Mana Atha Gunth’, ‘Buddha Sankhari’ and ‘Nakata Chitrakar’.
“When youth is moving away from the glorious past of Odisha, Ajit sir focussed on the State’s great literature and heritage through his plays”, recalls actor Aman who was a part of his troupe. Besides directing, the veteran trained theatre actors at his institute. He was last seen in Odia film ‘Ishq Puni Thare’ in 2018.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi, BJP National VP Baijayant Panda, among others, condoled his death. Describing late Ajit Das as a great genius, the Chief Minister said that he had left an indelible mark in Odia film industry as a versatile actor and director.“Ajit Das’ demise has created a great void in the Odila film industry which will take years to fill. Das will continue to live in the hearts of innumerable cine lovers of Odisha,” he added.