Sisir Kumar Bhaduri (1889-1959)
Bengali director and actor born in Howrah, Bengal. Legendary figure in early 20th C. Bengali theatre embodying the transition from the 19th C. theatre dominated by Girishchandra Ghosh to a modernist sensibility that later assimilated aspects of Meyerhold, Reinhard and Brecht. Established reputation as actor while still at university, playing role of Kedar in Rabindranath Tagore’s play Boikunter Khata (1912). Lectured in English at Metropolitan Institute (later Bidyasagar College) 1914-21. First professional theatre appearance in title role of the landmark Bengali play, Alamgir, produced by Bengali Theatrical Co. controlled by Madan (1921). Established own theatre company, Natyamandir (1923), with Jogesh Choudhury’s Seeta, a play redefining conventions of the mythological with greater emphasis on dramatically coherent performance idiom, elimination of stage wings and orchestra pit and a new type of background music (by Nripendra Nath Majumdar) in harmony with the songs of K.C. Dey.
Best-known productions include re- edited ‘traditional’ plays by Girish Ghosh and D.L. Roy, influential stage interpretations of Tagore and, at the Srirangam theatre (1942-56), plays by a new generation of writers like Tulsi Lahiri (Dukhir Iman) and Premankur Atorthy (Takht-e-Taus). Several of Bengal’s best-known actors, writers, musicians and technicians entered film via his theatre company and the Star Theatre. Participant in cultural anti-Fascist front and one of the very few commercial theatre personalities acknowledged by the IPTA as having influenced its own radical practice: his theatre hosted the IPTA’s inaugural production, Nabanna (1943). Entered film as actor-director at Madan Theatres (1921). Founded and briefly ran his own Taj Mahal Studio (1922), returned to Madan and then worked at New Theatres and at Priyanath Ganguly’s Kali Films. Best- known films (Seeta, Talkie of Talkies? and Chanakya) are adaptated from his stage plays. Acted in films he directed as well as in Satish Dasgupta’s Poshya Putra, 1943.
FILMOGRAPHY: 1921: Mohini; 1922: Andhare Alo; Kamale Kamini; 1929: Bicharak (all St); 1932: Palli Samaj; 1933: Seeta; 1937: Talkie of Talkies; 1939: Chanakya.