Girish Chandra Ghosh, Heyday Of Bengali Theatre

From Bengal, Girish Chandra Ghosh was a writer, director, and actor. The creation and evolution of Bengali theatre were in large part due to him. He co-founded the Great National Theatrical in 1872, the first Bengali professional theatre company, wrote around 40 plays, and participated in many more as a performer or director.

A statue of Girish Chandra at his residence; Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Girish Chandra Ghosh, the son of religious parents, grew up to be a vivacious, carefree spirit. He had a strong mind with a pragmatic attitude to life from his father and a love of books and commitment to God from his mother. His grandmother exposed him to India's rich tradition of epics and mythology.

Unfortunately, he began drinking and depravity as he approached his adolescence. Despite his ill-mannered behaviour, he raised funds to aid the underprivileged. He was unable to complete his studies due to his rebellious character.

He was, nevertheless, a prodigy and an avid reader. He studied a variety of courses, gaining extensive expertise in English literature, Western philosophy, and science. His tremendous imagination was channelled via writing and performing. He authored and acted in several well-known plays. He composed songs that are still popular today.

Girish had an apprenticeship in accountancy after graduating from high school in 1862. He became acquainted with Ishwar Chandra Gupta about this time and began composing plays, songs, and poems.

He was a notable performer in the Bagbazar Amateur Theatre, where he shared the stage with Ardhendu Sekhar Mustafi, another outstanding actor. They appeared together in the popular drama Sadhabar Ekadashi by the legendary writer Dinabandhu Mitra. Bagbazar Amateur was renamed the National Theatre in 1871.

Girish departed the National Theatre in 1873 to build the Great National Theatre, which he managed until 1880. His debut drama, Agamani, premiered at The Great National Theatre in 1877. Later, he worked at Minerva Theatre before becoming a manager at Star Theatre. On July 21, 1883, his work Daksha Jagna premiered at the Star Theatre. On September 20, 1884, he premiered his play, Chaitanyalila, with Binodini Dasi at the Star Theatre, with Sri Ramakrishna in the audience.

This show was banned due to inciting remarks and gruesome depictions of British cruelty. To avoid censorship, playwrights turned to historical and mythical topics with concealed meanings that Indian audiences understood. These plays' heroes and villains came to embody the Indian independence fighters against the British oppressors.

The majority of the 86 plays that Girish wrote were based on Puranic, Ramayana, and Mahabharata stories. Some of his notable writings are Buddhadev Charit, Purna Chandra, Nasiram, Kalapahar, Ashoka, Shankaracharya, Chaitanyalila, Nimai Sannyas, Rup-Sanatan, Vilwamangal, and Prahlad Charit. The Star Theatre in Calcutta hosted the majority of his performances. He also translated Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, into Bangla in 1893.

His historical dramas Mir Qasim (1906), Chhatrapati (1907), and Sirajuddaulah (1909) highlight the tragic grandeur of heroes who collapse due to an inner weakness or treachery by companions. In his historical plays Mebarapatan (The Fall of Mebar), Shahjahan (1910), and Chandragupta (1911), D.L. Roy stressed the theme of nationalism (1911).

Girish brought professionalism and showmanship to the table. His acting style was theatrical, with flaming elegance. His style was carried on by actors such as Amar Datta and Dani Babu through the early 1920s. His works influenced the professional acting and production approaches of the Star, Minerva, and Manmohan Theatres.