The underrated, unspoken genius of the gifted actor called Uttara Baokar

When we lost Rishi Kapoor and Irffan Khan in quick succession, Ronit Roy said we write poems and eulogies for people who are no longer with us, and fail to appreciate their presence when they are with us. The same could hold true for veteran star Uttara Baokar. The veteran actress passed away at the age of 79. She acted on stage, in films in multiple languages, and always brought warmth and dignity to her characters and performances. In 1984, she was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution to Hindi theatre. Her first Hindi film is said to be Yatra in 1986 but it was the explosive Tamas in 1988 that made people stand up to the performer she was. It was not just her films but when her performances on television that were equally dominating and compelling. She played Mona Singh’s grandmother in the immensely affectionate Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin. And throughout the show, she never struck a false note, staying as gentle and heartwarming as ever. She even won the National Award for Best Supporting Actress for Ek Din Achanak in 1988. Even in the lesser known films, she stood her ground. She acted in two films with Akshay Kumar- Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006) and 8x10 Tasveer (2009). In the former, there was a scene when she gives him a tight hug and despite the fact she can’t look at his face, she senses her grandson has broken down. In the latter, a thriller, when a faceless man approaches her doorsteps, her reaction gives away the fact she’s about to be killed. A good performer can bring so much to the table that the director doesn’t really have to spoonfeed the audience after a point. That’s what Baokar did. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram