Ajitesh Bandyopadhyay, one of the leading actors and directors of modern Bengali theatre, passed away on this day.
Bandyopadhyay was born in Purulia. He graduated from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, where he taught for a few years.
He was one of the founders of the theatre group Nandikar. The group captivated audiences in Bengal and outside with their performances of adaptations of European plays, such as Three Penny Opera (Teen Poishar Pala) and Six Characters in Search of an Author (Natykarer Sandhane Chhati Charitra).
Teen Poysar Pala became immensely popular because of the successful adaptation of the musical form that was entertaining, political and relevant for the audience.
Bandyopadhyay staged and performed with other Nandikar colleagues such as Asit Bandyopadhyay, Keya Chakraborty and Rudraprasad Sengupta several other celebrated plays.
He left Nandikar to start the theatre group Nandimukh, for which he performed Paap Punya, based on Tolstoy’s Power of Darkness.
Bandyopadhyay also acted in several films, such as Haate Bajare, in which he was memorable as a businessman’s son, corrupt and vile, his strong presence, deep voice and powerful acting lending extra menace
to the evil of the character.
His death when he was only 50 was considered a great loss for the stage.