Asit Bandopadhyay


Asit Bandopadhyay is a Bengali dramatist, screenwriter and actor. He is associated with the Nandikar theater group. He lives and works in Kolkata, India.

Early life

He developed an interest in drama as a student in Kolkata's Manindra Chandra College, an affiliated undergraduate college of the University of Calcutta, in 1955. He joined the drama group Bohurupee as a trainee in 1959 and completed a year’s course under the tutelage of Sambhu Mitra. Thereafter, along with dramatist Ajitesh Banerjee, Dipen Sen Gupta, Satyen Mitra, Sri Bandopadhyay, he co-founded Nandikar on 29 June 1960.

Nandikar and Mitra Sammilani

He joined government service in 1960, while appearing in almost all the Nandikar's productions, such as Natyakarer Sandhane, Sher Afghan, Manjari Amer Manjari, Jakhan Eka, Bitangsha and Tin Paishar Pala, until he was transferred to Siliguri in 1972. He directed the plays Parineeta and Purbarag for Nandikar. In Siliguri, he joined the local theater group Mitra Sammilani, as actor and director. This group staged Bitangsha, Kabikahini, Ek Je Chillo Ghora and Suryabadal. He also toured Calcutta with the Siliguri team.

Dramatist

In 1978 he became a writer and director of Jatra plays. He has written, directed and staged about 40 plays, which have been performed all over West Bengal and which include Daini, Pagla Raja, Kalo Meyer Kanna, Hira Jhiler Kanna, Bilwamangal, Kumari Janani, and Banik Badir Bou. He collaborated with Soumitra Chatterjee on popular live events in Kolkata.

Film

He played roles in Mrinal Sen’s Calcutta 71, Mrigayaa, Mahaprithibi. He appeared in Nabyendu Chatterjee’s National Award winning films Parashuramer Kuthar, Atmaja and Shilpi and Chidananda Dasgupta’s Amodini. He wrote scripts for Bengali films. He appeared in and wrote scripts for radio and television serials for Doordarshan Kendra Kolkata and All India Radio.

Recognition

He was twice awarded Government of West Bengal Best Director, in 1984 and 1998. He won the Dishari Award, Pramathesh Chandra Barua Award and the Uttam Kumar Award. He was awarded the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards for Best Supporting Actor in Mrigayaa, Mahaprithivi.