• Samstab’s Uranta Tarader Chhaya, at Madhusudan

    Madhusudan Mancha Gariahat Rd S, Jodhpur Park,, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Written and directed by Debasish. An imaginative account of the conflict between Nadir Shah and Muhammad Shah. Highly recommended: ★★★★★ Read my review.

  • Natyaranga’s Sei Ek Binodini, at Girish

    Girish Mancha Bagbazar

    One of the more unusual treatments of Nati Binodini’s llife: a play within a play on her last years and her friendship with Tara Sundari, promising revelations that have not come to light previously, and including many old songs. Written by Surajit Bandyopadhyay and directed by Anindita Bandyopadhyay. Recommended: ★★★★.

  • Sandbox Collective (Bengaluru) and Santoshpur Anuchintan’s In Search of Goddess Sitala, at Tapan

    Tapan Theatre Kalighat

    A multimedia theatre performance that reflects on the lives of contemporary female impersonators in Sitala Jatra or Sitala Mangal, a rich and diverse but now endangered performatory ritual mostly found in rural West Bengal. Sitala (from sital, meaning cool; literally, the cool one), a non-Aryan deity, is the much-dreaded goddess or mother of diseases in […]

  • Purba Paschim’s A-shakti, at Academy

    Academy of Fine Arts 2, Cathedral Rd, Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal 700020, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    The poet Shakti Chattopadhyay’s life, thought and times dramatized by Ujjwal Chattopadhyay and directed by Debasish.

  • Purba Paschim’s Sri o Nidhu-babu Katha, at Academy

    Academy of Fine Arts 2, Cathedral Rd, Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal 700020, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Ujjwal Chattopadhyay’s play about the triangle between Tappa pioneer Nidhu-babu, his royal patron-friend Mahananda Ray, and the latter’s mistress Srimati who became Nidhu-babu’s devoted disciple. Directed by Soumitra Mitra.

  • Sayak’s Dharmabatar, at Madhusudan

    Madhusudan Mancha Gariahat Rd S, Jodhpur Park,, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Ujjwal Chattopadhyay’s play inspired by the American film The Judge (2014) about the personal conflict between a retired judge and his son who defends criminals. Directed by Meghnad Bhattacharya.

  • Aneek’s Aksharik, at Sarat Sadan

    Sarat Sadan Behala, Kolkata, India

    Dramatist-director Debasish’s biodrama about Panchanan Karmakar, the first creator of Bengali moveable typeface in the 18th century, based on Rajat Chakraborti’s novel Panchananer Haraph. Recommended: ★★★★. Read my review.

  • Ichheymoto’s Je Janlagulor Akash Chhilo, at Academy

    Academy of Fine Arts 2, Cathedral Rd, Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal 700020, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Four childhood friends from the 1990s grow up and go different ways, passing through youthful romances, heated arguments and political movements, testifying to the times and documented by contemporanous hit songs and TV clips. Dramatized from Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee’s story and directed by Saurav Palodhi. The only production from Kolkata to reach the final round […]