Reviving a Forgotten Superstar: Tara Sundari's Splendid Return to Bengali Theatre

Strategic Insights -

Tara Sundari, a legendary actress from the late 19th to early 20th century, has been revived through a monodrama featuring Gargee Roychowdhury in a packed G.D. Birla Sabhaghar. This performance, a 118-minute solo act, has garnered a long round of applause, reminiscent of the era when Tara Sundari first dazzled audiences in both tragedy and comedy. Through this production, the life and struggles of this enigmatic figure are brought to life, shedding light on the golden age of Bengali theatre.

Key Takeaways:

  • Tara Sundari was a renowned actress in colonial Bengal, known for her roles in hits such as Chandrashekhar, Durgesh Nandini, Nal Damayanti, Riziya, and Jana, as well as a celebrated Bengali adaptation of Othello.
  • She was a sex symbol, a stage legend, and the darling of the audience, yet struggled with loneliness and craving love throughout her life.
  • Tara Sundari was one of the four most famous female stage actors of colonial Bengal, alongside Nati Binodini, Tinkari Dasi, and Prabha Devi.
  • The play is the first production from Gargee Roychowdhury's company Theatre Plus and offers a glimpse into the golden age of theatre in Bengal, tracing Tara Sundari's public persona and private struggles.
  • The production team relied on a handful of books on Bengali theatre, including works by Upendranath Bidyabhushan, Arabinda Guha, Sankar Chakraborty, Devnarayan Gupta, and Bratya Basu.
  • Tara Sundari's personal relationships were tumultuous, including a bitter ending with her former colleague and Classic Theatre co-founder, Amarendranath Datta.

Statistics:

  • 118 minutes: The length of the solo performance featuring Gargee Roychowdhury as Tara Sundari.
  • 4: The number of most famous female stage actors of colonial Bengal, with Tara Sundari among them.
  • 6: The number of books on Bengali theatre cited by the production team for their research.
  • Century ago: The time period when Tara Sundari first dazzled audiences in Bengali theatre.

Sources:

  • "Upendranath Bidyabhushan, Arabinda Guha, Sankar Chakraborty, Devnarayan Gupta, Bratya Basu, Gargee Roychowdhury, Ujjwal Chattopadhyay" - As cited in the original text.