PUNE: Noted theatre and film actress Uttara Baokar passed away in a Pune hospital late on Tuesday. She was 79. She was suffering from cancer and left behind a brother and sister. The last rites were performed on Wednesday.
A consummate performer, Baokar excelled in Mrinal Sen's 'Ek Din Achanak' as the wife of a professor who does not return home. It fetched her the National Award for best supporting actress. She was also lauded for her work in Govind Nihalani's 'Tamas' and 'Rukmavati Ki Haveli'.
Baokar was known for her versatility in Marathi and Hindi films. Her powerhouse performance in plays such as Umrao Jaan were talked about. She was also an AIR drama artist. She translated Jayant Dalvi's Marathi play 'Sandhyachhaya' to Kusum Kumar in Hindi which she also directed.
She was a Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee in 1984 and a student of National School of Drama, where she later became a professor. Marathi film director Sunil Sukhtankar, who has worked with Baokar, paid rich tribute.
"She trained with theatre director Ibrahim Alkazi and her immense talent was on display in her roles in films like 'Sanwad', 'Doghi' and 'Vastupurush'," he said. She reigned supreme on National School of Drama stage in memorable plays, veteran actress Neena Kulkarni said.
She added, "I had the good fortune of sharing screen space with her as my mother in Sumitra Bhave's series 'Bhains Barabar' and in Bipin Nadkarni's 'Uttarayan'. I had requested her to play my mother once again in my home production 'Shevri' directed by Gajendra Ahire. She added much value to the film. Baokar was a remarkable, versatile artist, a sensitive and private person in real life."
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