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The group theatre of Kolkata refers to a tradition in theatres in the
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n city
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
, which developed in the 1940s as an alternative to entertainment-oriented theatres. As opposed to commercial theatres, group theatre is "a theatre that is not professional or commercial", characterized by its tendency for experimentation in theme, content and production, and its aim of using the
proscenium A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...
stage to highlight social messages, rather than having primarily making-money objectives.


Indian People's Theatre Association and ''Nabanna''

The play ''Nabanna'' in 1944 is said to be the birth of group theatres in Kolkata. ''Nabanna'' was written by
Bijon Bhattacharya Bijon Bhattacharya ( bn, বিজন ভট্টাচার্য; 17 July 1906 – 19 January 1978) was an Indian theatre and film actor from West Bengal. He was an eminent playwright and dramatist. Bhattacharya was born in 1906 at Farid ...
, who also co-directed it with
Sambhu Mitra Sombhu Mitra (22 August 1915 – 19 May 1997) was an Indian film and stage actor, director, playwright, reciter and an Indian theatre personality, known especially for his involvement in Bengali theatre, where he is considered a pioneer. H ...
. They were both active members of the
Indian People's Theatre Association Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) is the oldest association of theatre-artists in India. IPTA was formed in 1943 during the British rule in India, and promoted themes related to the Indian freedom struggle. Its goal was to bring cultur ...
, the association of
leftist Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
theatre-artists. In the commercial theatres at that time, entertainment was the sole purpose. However, the time was tumultuous—the
Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
was strengthening on the backdrop of the World War 2, and the plight of Bengal province was further worsened by the
Bengal famine of 1943 The Bengal famine of 1943 was a famine in the Bengal province of British India (present-day Bangladesh, West Bengal and eastern India) during World War II. An estimated 0.8 to 3.8 million Bengalis perished, out of a population of 60.3 millio ...
. Activists and thinkers attempted to use the media of theatre to highlight the plight of the people, and to stage a form of artistic protest. In this backdrop, the drama ''Nabanna'' portrayed a group of peasants as victim of the famine. The peasants had to leave their village due to famine, and they traveled to Kolkata with the hope for survival in the big city. However, they faced a series of crises and eventually got "...reduced to the most abject acknowledge poverty in Kolkata, where they develop a political awareness of their suffering". Another production of the Indian People's Theatre Association was ''Jobanbondi''.


Notion of group

Prior to the start of group theatre movement, the commercial theatre of Kolkata strived to attract audiences based on star-power. Popular actors such as Sisir Bhaduri, Ahindra Chowdhury and others were considered consistent crowd-pullers. The group theatre tried to depart from this paradigm. Instead of superstars, the emphasis in group theatre was on the group—which was commonly an amalgamation of non-professional participants who identified themselves with the social motives of the movement and participated in the production out of passion for the art. The attempt was to make ''gononatyo'' (people's theatre).


Groups after Indian People's Theatre Association

The Indian People's Theatre Association dispersed in 1947. However, the principal members continued to carry its legacy by forming several groups with similar ideology. Ahindra Chowdhuri,
Sombhu Mitra Sombhu Mitra (22 August 1915 – 19 May 1997) was an Indian film and stage actor, director, playwright, reciter and an Indian theatre personality, known especially for his involvement in Bengali theatre, where he is considered a pioneer. H ...
and
Tripti Mitra Tripti Mitra (''née'' Bahaduri; 25 October 1925 – 24 May 1989) was a popular Indian actress of Bengali theatre and films, and wife of Sombhu Mitra, noted theatre director, with whom she co-founded pioneering theatre group ''Bohurupee'' in 19 ...
were the leading members of the group ''
Bohurupee Bohurupee is a Bengali premier theatre group. Bohurupee was founded in 1948 by several active members who left the Indian People's Theatre Association. The group was created to present the experimental Bengali drama in unusual form. Early days ...
''. ''Raktakarabi'', ''Tahar Nam Ti Ranjana'', ''Char Adhyay'' (written by
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
) were some of the earlier productions of
Bohurupee Bohurupee is a Bengali premier theatre group. Bohurupee was founded in 1948 by several active members who left the Indian People's Theatre Association. The group was created to present the experimental Bengali drama in unusual form. Early days ...
.
Utpal Dutt Utpal Dutta () (29 March 1929 – 19 August 1993) was an Indian actor, director, and writer-playwright. He was primarily an actor in Bengali theatre, where he became a pioneering figure in Modern Indian theatre, when he founded the "Little The ...
led another faction of artists and went to create classics like ''Tiner Talowar'' and ''Kallol''. In 1950s and 1960s, many critically acclaimed productions were staged, which used international literature including the works of
Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...
,
Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power ...
,
Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...
and
Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...
. According to one critic, the productions had the "right mix of democratic politics — with certain groups drifting towards a revolutionary rhetoric — and humane ideals, based on literature drawn from the world over". Notable group theatres include the Little Theatre Group, Gandharba, Theatre Commune, Amulya Natyagosthi, Calcutta Theatre,
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
.
Ghola Kaalmukur Technology is a key aspect of the fictional setting of the ''Dune (franchise), Dune series'' of science fiction novels written by Frank Herbert, and derivative works. Herbert's concepts and inventions have been analyzed and deconstructed in at lea ...


Prominent theatre personalities

Some notable personalities associated with group theatre movement in Kolkata are as follows: *
Ajitesh Bandopadhyay Ajitesh Bandopadhyay ( bn, অজিতেশ বন্দোপাধ্যায়; born: 30 September 1933 ― 13 October 1983) was an actor, playwright, activist and director. He along with Shambhu Mitra and Utpal Dutt are considered to be ...
: first president of ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
'' *
Anirban Bhattacharya Anirban Bhattacharya (born 7 October 1986) is an Indian actor, theatre actor, singer and director. His first successful theatre production was ''Debi Sarpamasta'', written by Manoj Mitra, directed by Debesh Chattopadhyay. His other notable works ...
: worked in ''Chetana'', ''Bratyajan''. Founded ''Hatibagan Sangharam'' *
Arpita Ghosh Arpita Ghosh, is an Indian theatre artist and politician who serves as a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from West Bengal. She has served as the Member of Parliament of the 16th Lok Sabha for Balurghat (Lok Sabha constituency), West Bengal. ...
: mainly works in ''Pancham Vaidik'' *
Arun Mukherjee Arun Mukherjee or Arun Mukhopadhyay is a Bengali actor who started his career in films with ''Kshudhita Pashan'' in 1960 followed by his performance in Satyajit Ray's 1962 film ''Kanchenjunga''. Other films he was in include ''Ekdin Pratidin'', ''S ...
: founder of ''Chetana'' *
Badal Sarkar Sudhindra Sircar (Born 15 July 1925), also known as Badal Sarkar, was an influential Indian dramatist and theatre director, most known for his anti-establishment plays during the Naxalite movement in the 1970s and taking theatre out of the pro ...
: known for
Street Theatre Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves, college or university c ...
, "Third Theatre", ''Angaanmanch'' theatre *
Bibhash Chakraborty Bibhash Chakraborty (alternatively spelt Bibhas Chakraborty; born 23 September 1937) is an Indian Bengali actor and theatre personality. He is also a social activist. He is a prolific writer too. He was associated with Paschim Banga Natya Akademi f ...
: founded ''
Anya Theatre ''Anya Theatre'' is a Bengali theatre group. The group was founded in 1985 by Bibhas Chakraborty. History ''Anya Theatre'' was founded by Bengali theatre personality Bibhas Chakraborty Bibhas is a Hindustani classical raga. Theory Bib ...
'' *
Bratya Basu Bratyabrata Basu Roy Chowdhury (born 25 September 1969),Bratya Basu(collected plays), Ananda Publishers, 2004 also known as Bratya Basu, is an Indian actor, stage director, playwright, film director, professor and a politician who is serving a ...
: founder of '' Kalindi Bratyajan'' *
Chinmoy Roy Chinmoy Roy (1940–2019) was an Indian Bengali male actor. He was famous for his comic roles in Bengali movies, though his versatility has allowed him to play a variety of roles. Though he was known for portraying various character roles, Ro ...
: actor at ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
'' *
Chitra Sen Chitra Sen is an Indian actress and dancer who works in Bengali language films and television series. She has worked mainly in theatres, but she has also worked in films and on television. She started her career under Jnyanesh Mukhopadhyay. She ...
: actress in ''
Swapnasandhani Swapnasandhani (Bengali language, Bengali: ) is a Bengali theater group from Kolkata. The group was founded on 29 May 1992. Swapnasandhani has been marked by the acting and direction of Kaushik Sen. Performance From 2006, Swapnasandhani began ...
'' *
Debasish Dutta Debasish "Deba" Dutta is an American mechanical engineer and higher education administrator. He is currently senior advisor to the president of the University of Illinois System and, effective February 17, 2024, is serving as interim executive d ...
: founded Institute of Factual Theatre Arts in 1998 *
Debesh Chattopadhyay Debesh Chattopadhyay (also Chatterjee) is an Indian Bengali film & theatre director and actor. He has also acted in a few Bengali films. Career Chattopadhyay is associated with theatre since 1984. At that time he was 18 years old. In 1989 ...
: authored and directed many plays *
Debshankar Haldar Debshankar HaldarSpelling according tTelegraph Calcutta (or Debshankar HalderSpelling according t or Debsankar HalderThis spelling has been used in Nandikar'website.) is a Bengali theatre actor with a long career in Bengali theatre groups such a ...
: worked in ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
, Rangapat, Natyaranga, Sudrak, Gandhar, Bratyajon, Sansriti'' and ''Blank Verse'' *
Dwijen Bandyopadhyay Dwijen Bandyopadhyay (22 September 1949 – 27 September 2017) was a veteran Bengali actor and theater personality from West Bengal, India. He worked onstage from the 1970s. Bandyopadhyay has also been a professor in the department of Drama at Rab ...
: worked in many plays *
Goutam Halder Goutam Halder is an Indian theatre actor and director from Kolkata. He has a graduate degree from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary (V.C.) College, Rahara. Theater career Goutam Halder was a member of the theatre group Nandikar and perf ...
: worked in ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
, Naye Natua'' and ''Prachyo'' *
Keya Chakraborty Keya may refer to: * Kolya, Iran, a village in Mazandaran Province * Keya Creek (Chinese: 客雅溪; pinyin: Kèyǎ Xī), a creek in northern Taiwan * KEYA, a National Public Radio member public radio station in Belcourt, North Dakota * Atanas Keya ...
: actress at ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
'' *
Kaushik Sen Koushik Sen (born 19 September 1968) is an Indian actor of film, television and theatre based in Kolkata. He is the director of the well-acclaimed theatre group Swapnasandhani. He has won the BFJA awards for best supporting actor for his perfor ...
: founded ''
Swapnasandhani Swapnasandhani (Bengali language, Bengali: ) is a Bengali theater group from Kolkata. The group was founded on 29 May 1992. Swapnasandhani has been marked by the acting and direction of Kaushik Sen. Performance From 2006, Swapnasandhani began ...
'' in 1992 *
Manoj Mitra Manoj Mitra (born 22 December 1938) is an Indian theatre, film and television actor, director and playwright. Early life Mitra was born on 22 December 1938 in Dhulihar village of Satkhira, Khulna, Bangladesh. Initially he used to study at home ...
: authored, directed and acted in several plays *
Mohit Chattopadhyay Mohit Chattopadhyaya (also spelled Mohit Chattopadhyay) (1 June 1934 – 12 April 2012) was a Bengali Indian playwright, screenwriter, dramatist and poet. He was a leading figure in modern Indian drama. Mohit Chottopadhya died on 12 April 2012. ...
: authored many plays *
Paran Bandyopadhyay Paran BandopadhyaySpelling according tTimes of IndiaanTelegraph, Calcutta We'll follow this spelling. (alternate spelling Paran BandyopadhyaySpelling according t/ref> or Paran BanerjeeAlternative of surname ''Bandopadhyay'', see Banerjee) is an ...
: acted in
Indian People's Theatre Association Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) is the oldest association of theatre-artists in India. IPTA was formed in 1943 during the British rule in India, and promoted themes related to the Indian freedom struggle. Its goal was to bring cultur ...
and ''Shrutee Rangam'' *Poulomi Basu: daughter of Soumitra Chatterjee. Director and actress. *
Ramaprasad Banik Ramaprasad Banik (রমাপ্রসাদ বনিক) (1954–2010) was a Bengali theatre actor, director and playwright. He also worked in films and televisions. He started his career at a very early age with ''Putul khela'', which was an ...
: worked in ''
Bohurupee Bohurupee is a Bengali premier theatre group. Bohurupee was founded in 1948 by several active members who left the Indian People's Theatre Association. The group was created to present the experimental Bengali drama in unusual form. Early days ...
''. Founded ''Chena Mukh'' and ''Theatre Passion'' * Reshmi Sen: works in ''Swapnasandhani'' *
Riddhi Sen Riddhi Sen is an Indian film actor who predominantly works in Bengali films. He is a regular actor of the theatre group Swapnasandhani and is an alumnus of South Point school, Kolkata. In 2010, he received a special talent award from his schoo ...
: works in ''
Swapnasandhani Swapnasandhani (Bengali language, Bengali: ) is a Bengali theater group from Kolkata. The group was founded on 29 May 1992. Swapnasandhani has been marked by the acting and direction of Kaushik Sen. Performance From 2006, Swapnasandhani began ...
'' *
Rudraprasad Sengupta Rudraprasad Sengupta (born 31 January 1935) is a Bengali Indian actor, director and cultural critic. Biography Sengupta was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bengal, the son of Anant Sengupta and Usha Prabha Sengupta. He studied at the Scottish ...
: associated with the group ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
'' * Saumya Majumder: founded ''Sandarbha'' in 1977 *
Shaoli Mitra Shaoli Mitra শাঁওলি মিত্র); 1948 – 16 January 2022) was an Indian Bengali theatre and film actress, director, and playwright. She played the role of ''Bangabala'' in Ritwik Ghatak's ''Jukti Takko Aar Gappo''. She is ...
: worked in ''
Bohurupee Bohurupee is a Bengali premier theatre group. Bohurupee was founded in 1948 by several active members who left the Indian People's Theatre Association. The group was created to present the experimental Bengali drama in unusual form. Early days ...
'' *
Sombhu Mitra Sombhu Mitra (22 August 1915 – 19 May 1997) was an Indian film and stage actor, director, playwright, reciter and an Indian theatre personality, known especially for his involvement in Bengali theatre, where he is considered a pioneer. H ...
: founder of ''
Bohurupee Bohurupee is a Bengali premier theatre group. Bohurupee was founded in 1948 by several active members who left the Indian People's Theatre Association. The group was created to present the experimental Bengali drama in unusual form. Early days ...
'', director *
Soumitra Chatterjee Soumitra Chatterjee (also spelt as Chattopadhyay; 16 June 193515 November 2020) was an Indian film actor, play-director, playwright, writer, thespian and poet. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of ...
: authored, directed and acted in several plays *
Swatilekha Sengupta Swatilekha Sengupta (''née'' Chatterjee; 22 May 1950 – 16 June 2021) was a Bengali actress. She had received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution to Indian theatre as an actor. Career Swatilekha started her career in theater ...
: actress of ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
'' *
Sohini Sengupta Sohini Sengupta is an Indian film and theatre actress. Daughter of actor Rudraprasad Sengupta and Swatilekha Sengupta, who are also active in theatre, Sohini is one of the leading actors of the Bengali theatre group Nandikar. As a member of the ...
: actress and director at ''
Nandikar Nandikar ( bn, নান্দীকার) is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Be ...
'' *
Suman Mukhopadhyay Suman Mukhopadhyay ( bn, সুমন মুখোপাধ্যায়; born 20 November 1966) is an Indian film director.His popular films are Herbert (film), Kangal Malsat, Shesher Kobita (2014). Career Suman Mukhopadhyay is currently v ...
: director at ''Chetana'' *
Sujan Mukhopadhyay Sujan Mukhopadhyay (also known as Neel Mukherjee) is an Indian actor who works in Bengali language films, television and theatre. In 2012 he made his directorial debut with the film ''Ghete Gho''. He is an active Member of the renowned Theatre ...
: actor and director at ''Chetana'' *
Surangana Bandyopadhyay Surangana Bandyopadhyay (Bengali: সুরঙ্গনা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়; born 18 November 1997) is an Indian actress and singer who primarily known for Bengali films and web series. Early life and education Sh ...
: works in ''
Swapnasandhani Swapnasandhani (Bengali language, Bengali: ) is a Bengali theater group from Kolkata. The group was founded on 29 May 1992. Swapnasandhani has been marked by the acting and direction of Kaushik Sen. Performance From 2006, Swapnasandhani began ...
'' *
Tripti Mitra Tripti Mitra (''née'' Bahaduri; 25 October 1925 – 24 May 1989) was a popular Indian actress of Bengali theatre and films, and wife of Sombhu Mitra, noted theatre director, with whom she co-founded pioneering theatre group ''Bohurupee'' in 19 ...
: wife of
Sombhu Mitra Sombhu Mitra (22 August 1915 – 19 May 1997) was an Indian film and stage actor, director, playwright, reciter and an Indian theatre personality, known especially for his involvement in Bengali theatre, where he is considered a pioneer. H ...
,
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Englis ...
winner was mainly a worker of ''
Bohurupee Bohurupee is a Bengali premier theatre group. Bohurupee was founded in 1948 by several active members who left the Indian People's Theatre Association. The group was created to present the experimental Bengali drama in unusual form. Early days ...
'' *
Usha Ganguly Usha Ganguli (1945 – 23 April 2020) was an Indian theatre director-actor and activist, most known for her work in Hindi theatre in Kolkata in the 1970s and 1980s. She founded '' Rangakarmee'' theatre group in 1976, known for its productions ...
, founded '' Rangakarmee'' theatre group in 1976 *
Utpal Dutt Utpal Dutta () (29 March 1929 – 19 August 1993) was an Indian actor, director, and writer-playwright. He was primarily an actor in Bengali theatre, where he became a pioneering figure in Modern Indian theatre, when he founded the "Little The ...
: authored, directed and acted in several plays * Arun Kumar Sarkar: founded Green Amateur Group in 1961 * Arindam Saha, founded Natyachetana'03 (Theatre for mass education) in 2002 * Srideep Chatterjee: founded AKTO in August 2013 *
Nilkantha Sengupta Nilkanth, Neelkanth, or Nīlakaṇtha () is another name or characteristic of the Hindu deity Shiva. It may also refer to: People * Mahipatram Rupram Nilkanth, Gujarati educationist, reformer, novelist and biographer * Neelakantha Chaturdhara, ...
: founded Theatre Commune * Biswarup Chattopadhyay: founded Dum Dum Biswarupam in 2013 * handra Gupta: founded Aghraner Nabanna in 1999 *Deep-Gunjan (Dipankar Bose & Gunjan Ganguly)">Aghraner_Nabanna.html" ;"title="handra Gupta: founded Aghraner Nabanna">handra Gupta: founded Aghraner Nabanna in 1999 *Deep-Gunjan (Dipankar Bose & Gunjan Ganguly): founded
Ghola Kaalmukur Technology is a key aspect of the fictional setting of the ''Dune (franchise), Dune series'' of science fiction novels written by Frank Herbert, and derivative works. Herbert's concepts and inventions have been analyzed and deconstructed in at lea ...
in 2012 *Pinki Ghosh Dastidar: founded Sampan in 2011 *Sumit Dasgupta & Jagdeep Das: founded Ballygunge Aarushi in 2012 *Avishek DebRoy, Ahitagni, Rajib Banerjee: founded Drishti Ekhon in 2013 *Sanjay Chakraborty: founded Ultadanga Dashkatha in 2011


References

{{Bengali Theatre Bengali theatre Theatre in Kolkata History of theatre