Tarasundari returns to stage with Gargee Roychowdhury’s debut theatre production

Does the name Tarasundari ring a bell? To many, it might not. Tarasundari wasn’t just a trailblazer theatre actress but also a gifted singer and dancer. Come November 1 and Bengali actress Gargee Roychowdhury will bring Tarasundari’s life and legacy alive on stage at GD Birla Sabhaghar through her maiden stage production. Yes, you read that right. The actress has launched her production house, Theatre Plus and this monodrama directed by Ujjwal Chattopadhyay will be her debut act.

Recently, on a rain-lashed afternoon, the poster of ‘Tarasundari’ was launched in the presence of state education minister Bratya Basu. An eminent theatre personality, Basu has always spoken in favour of archiving the past. “Art will die if we don’t archive it. Trailblazing actresses like Tarasundari need to be celebrated and archived. I congratulate Gargee on bringing her back to the stage,” he said.

Tarasundari is one of the brightest names in Bengal’s professional theatre history. An enigmatic performer, she excelled equally in tragedy and comedy. She was also a gifted singer who could effortlessly render even European melodies and a dancer whose stage presence was unmatched.

For Gargee, the production house is her way of giving back what she has learnt in theatre. “The contribution of theatre in my life is immense. It has disciplined me. Through this production house, I seek to promote those who aspire to learn acting. Also, I might be doing ‘Tarasundari’, the first play of my production house, but the next might have another performer,” she said.

The play, which has Prabuddha Banerjee’s music, will seek to rediscover the extraordinary journey of Tarasundari from her celebrated career to her courage in standing up for her dignity and self-respect during an era when actresses were often socially ostracised.

“Tarasundari was not just a remarkable actress but a symbol of courage and grace who refused to bow to social stigma. Bringing her story to life is my tribute to her indomitable spirit. With Theatre Plus, I would like to continue telling stories that celebrate the lives of cultural icons and the richness of Indian literature. This is a dream production and it will be staged across the country,” said Gargee.