Theatre in Bengal developed as a protest against the British Raj. The seed of contemporaneousness, which was sown back in the British era, gained a rather articulate contour in the hands of the famous Bengali theatre personalities like Girish Ghosh. The aim was then to make the mass aware of the then socio political scenario. Quite ideally therefore the playwrights, director and even the actors in Bengali theatre with their unparallel contribution illustrated the colonial fragrance in perhaps the right way. That was the beginning of the journey. It was much later the overall concept of Bengali Theatre as a representation of the age-old British colonialism gradually faded away and theatre became lot more naturalistic. The concept of mirroring the unedited realities of life became so popular within a short span of time that a whole new conception of Realistic theatre in Bengali took place.
Bengali plays have a direct connection with Jatras as in the initial days Bengali plays were influenced by the folk plays acted on the open stage. Religion, myths, tradition and customs then were the core theme of the Bengali plays. Bengali plays witnessed a massive change during and after the independence of India.
Blessed with its rich heritage the
history of Bengali theatre is the saga of the journey of theatre in Bengal. Started as a naïve effort in 1779 Bengali theatre gradually gained a remarkable dimension whilst sowing the seed of contemporaneousness in Indian theatre. The year was 1795 and it was for the very first time the then intelligentsias of Calcutta witnessed Bengali theatre as the Russian dramatist Horasim Lebedev along with a Bengali theatre connoisseur Goloknath Das staged the Bengali translations of two English comedies, `Disguise` and `Love is the best doctor` in Calcutta. That was the time since when Bengali theatre started its journey. With few unstable steps and later with long strides it was with time, Bengali theatre gained a redefined dimension. By the year 1831 Bengali theatre became a whole new art form to mirror the then Bengal amidst its artistry.
Eminent
personalities of Bengali theatre supported in crafting it as the refined technique of illustrating the unedited realities of life in the form of Natya in Bengal. Bengali theatre continued its journey through `Kirtivilas` of Yogendra Chandra Gupta, Neel Darpan` of Deenbandhu Mitra and gained a colossal maturity in the hands Bengali theatre personalities. The theatre personalities Shombhu Mitra and Utpal Dutt can be credited in making Bengali Theatre a representation of the unaltered realities of daily life and social issues. Dijendralal Roy, in his play "Mebar Patan" reinvented the style of historical plays in Bengali theatre. It was much later the socio political issues like the partition of Bengal, famine and the regional socio political scenario were also introduced into Bengali theatre. The structure of the
stages in Bengali theatre then gained a contemporary diction. The famous stages in Bengali theatre still bear this rich history of Indian Natya so very expressively. The most famous theaters in Bengalee are Star Theatre, Academy Of Fine Arts, Rabindra Sadan, Girish Maanch Etc.
Bengali theatre with its copious tradition started as a protest against the British imperialisms. It was later with the introduction of the
contemporary Bengali Theatre
the socio political and financial issues were clearly illustrated amidst the roopaka and natya of the Bengali theatre.
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