Month-long theatre progs in Kolkata, Hooghly, Krishnanagar & Barasat

KOLKATA: Just like in previous years, this year’s Paschim Banga Natya Akademi tribute series started on Thursday. Satya Bhadhuri delivered a thought-provoking speech titled ‘Is group theatre reality or myth,’ paying homage to the legendary thespian Sambhu Mitra at Tripti Mitra Natya Griha on Thursday.

Throughout the months of July and August, Kolkata, Barasat, Hooghly and Krishnanagar will host a series of eight tribute speeches, each dedicated to honouring prominent thespians. The upcoming speeches at the Tripti Mitra Natya Griha will pay tribute to doyens of Bengali theatre namely Badal Sarkar, Ajitesh Bandopadhyay and Utpal Dutt.

In the first phase, alongside four tribute speeches, there will be discussions covering various aspects of theatre and infrastructural developments. Also, there will be discussions on global theatre, all taking place at the Tripti Mitra Natya Griha in Kolkata. This year, the Paschim Banga Natya Akademi has also launched a new initiative exclusively for students. In collaboration with the West Bengal Higher Education department, this initiative aims to raise awareness among students about Bengali theatre, its societal significance and cultural richness, marking its inaugural edition.

So, in the second phase, the topics have been selected with a focus on subjects studied at the undergraduate level. These events will take place in Kolkata and three other districts.

At Bethune College in Kolkata, the discussion ‘Nandini Theke Nathboti: Jotshnar Talwar’ will pay tribute to Noti Binodini. In Hooghly Mohsin College, a tribute speech titled ‘Western Literature influence in Bengali Theatre’ will honour Soumitra Chatterjee.

At Nadia’s government College, ‘Banglar Natya Mancha: Chaitanyer Utaradhikar’ will be discussed in memory of Girish Chandra Ghosh. At Barasat Government College, the topic ‘Gana Natya Theke Nobo Natya’ will pay tribute to Shaoli Mitra. These speeches will be delivered by acclaimed theatre practitioners.

After the end of the tribute series, another programme, titled, ‘Face-to-Face with Directors,” will be organised by the Akademi from September onwards. At Sisir Mancha, three journalists will conduct public interviews with three theatre stalwarts namely Bratya Basu, Debesh Chattopadhyay and Arpita Ghosh. “This is for the first time such interviews have been organised by the Akademi,” said Debkumar Hazra, secretary, Paschim Banga Natya Akademi.