Bismillah (বিসমিল্লা)

Story Concept: Sumana Kanjilal
Drama, Design & Directed by: Anjan Kanjilal
Language : Bengali


The whole story comes to life when two reporters from a famous magazine approach a 75-year old Tara Moi, the protagonist of the play for an interview. As she unfolds every chapter we realize that her life had been a torrid one.


A yesteryear theatre superstar and Bismillah a deprived violin player and backstage musician, represents earlier 20th century India, when Bengali culture was at its peak. This is the time when Bengali theatre was enriched with the emergence of some great female theatre personalities. A male dominated society, as it was, theatre was not a field for the female and was not pursued by any women from a recognised family bachground. The only girls who took to theatre were either prostitutes or the lower cast. These girls were regularly exploited by their mentors, but due to the sheer love, passion and devotion to this form of performing art they took Bengali theatre to unachievable heights. Binodini Dashi, Tinkari Dashi are few of them. However, there were many more unknown names lost in the pages of history. No one remembers them...

Media Coverage

Snaps from The Stage