NaTi BiNoDiNi

Photograph by- Rohini Bisht

Nati means a female actor-performer by the name Binodini.

Amal Allana’s production Nati Binodini is based on the autobiography of the actress Binodini (Aamaar Katha) which projects her life at two levels simultaneously- the life she led off stage and on stage.A prostitute by birth,Binodini was among the first women to come across the public stage in Calcutta. Rising to become one of the most successful stars, she was opposed by the caste and class ridden society.

The play is a series of Binodini’s events of life.Her self image between the ‘saint’ and the ‘sinner’.The play opens as an older Binodini recollects her past in the processes of committing it to her diary.The play goes between the past and the present. The fragmented image of Binodini’s life was brought up well. To enhance the character the director used the device of casting four to five female actors to represent Binodini at different times. This helped the audience in depicting her body, mind and the deeper psyche. These five Binodinis-explode on stage with volcanic energy and still retain a flower like fragility.

It’s a play within a play .For instance a scene where we see, Girish Ghosh, her director instructing her how to play Chitrangada’s character castigating her husband for sacrificing their child. She was not able to perform it well. Followed by failure in love in her real life after which she re-enacted the same role with all emotions. Situations where her real life experiences made her an experienced actor as well.

Also the play talked about some facts like the climax of the play - A re-enactment of Binodini's most famous role as the female saint.This was also regarded as a milestone in Bengali theatres history.As Ramakrishna Paramhans came in person to the performance and was so taken up with the performance that he left blessings both Binodini and Theatre.This gesture was regarded as the highlight of her life,for her it meant she had been socially accepted.

The play got appreciated for the kind of music and costumes used to give the feel of the time and place.At every juncture the performance underlined how life and art are intrinsically entwined,one feeding on the other. The play did well in bringing out a woman who pursued her life with sheer dedication, an artiste who reached the peak and who experienced the loneliness and total isolation by the end.

Swaroopa Ghosh, quite evidently left a lasting impression as Binodini.By the end of the performance every one was up from their seats to give appreciation to the actor’s courage and performance. The theatre was full of sound of claps and hooting which added its own color to the entire experience of mine.