Tapas Kumar Mandal proved his mettle as a director in the latest production of ‘Bhabna’ staged at the Playhouse Theatre last month.
He lived up to his reputation as a dramatist, writer, actor, producer and director as ‘Sreemati Bhayankari’ (‘Miss Dangerous’) drew guffaws from an appreciative audience. The hilarious play by Gautam Roy was a star show with more than 100 performances at the prestigious Bijon Theatre, Kolkata in the mid-1980s.
The play was about Dolon, an arrogant, ill-tempered and stubborn woman, who terrorises everyone at home, including her father Naradurlabh.
While her businessman-father desperately looks for a groom, there are more suitors for his younger daughter Jhulon, known for her docility and respect for fellow beings.
Then one day, disaster strikes, as Naradurlabh’s friend’s son Pralay Chatterjee meets Dolon and wants to marry her.
Their first meeting begins with a quarrel, with the prospective groom challenging the termagant woman that he would discipline her.
Just how his challenge takes him and others involved in circles is well portrayed by an array of characters.
‘Sreemati Bhayankari’ was the fourth production of Bhabna, coming in the heels of yesteryear hits such as ‘Uchit Siksha’ (‘Perfect Lesson’) ‘Sundor’ (‘Beautiful’) and ‘Musthijog’ (‘Power of Punch’).
Among those in the cast of ‘Sreemati Bhayankari’ were Nilima De Costa, Ajanta Saha, Anushree Dutta, Kuhelika Maity, Paromita Biswas, Amit Saha, Santanu Ghosh, Dilip Gejji, Santanu Roy, Soumya Biswas, Aishik Biswas, Neelkamal Saha, Yusuf, Amrik Kar and Tapas Mandal.
With reporting by Tapas Mandal
