Samik Bandyopadhyay
Encyclopedia
Samik Bandyopadhyay is a Kolkata-based critic of Indian art, theatre and film. He has been elected as vice-chairman of National School of Drama
in New Delhi. He is also members of the Board of Studies, School of Drama and Film, Allahabad University; Academic Council of the Film and Television Institute of India
in Pune and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute
in Kolkata. He has been involved with Paschim Banga Natya Akademy since its inception in 1987.
His father Suniti Kumar did his Ph.D. on Elizabethan lyrics under Sir Herbart Grierson
, the famous discoverer of the Metaphysical Poets
, at University of Edinburgh
in 1930s, and subsequently became a professor of English literature. If his scholarship inspired the younger Samik to study English literature, his political consciousness inspired Subrata, the eldest of his sons, to joining Communist Party.
Bandyopadhyay entered college in 1955 and graduated from the University of Calcutta
in 1961 subsequently earned a Master of Arts degree in English literature. He started working as a lecturer Rabindra Bharati University
in 1966. In 1973, he joined the Oxford University Press
as an editor and worked there till 1982. He resigned and never sought an employment because no job was lucrative enough for buying the books he wanted to read. He took up tutoring English literature for his profession, which enriched his reading as well as brushed his critical edge. He continued book editing, however, with Seagull Books
, till 1988, and then with Thema Publishing.
Bandyopadhyay joined the Communist Party of India
after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, -i.e., with full knowledge of the Soviet discovery of the truth about Stalinist era, when many of Indian Marxists were leaving the Communist Party out of the disgust that ensued. Later on, he also witnessed incorporation of Gramscian thought
in Indian Marxism. In 1993, his book Antonio Gramsci Nirbachita Rachansamagra was published in Calcutta.
of Beijing opera
, was rather insignificant. His next article was on Jatra performances he saw in 1962; that was published in Bohurupi patrika. His love with theatre intensified and he started interviewing contemporary stalwarts of Bangla theatre, e.g., Utpal Dutt, Badal Sircar, Sombhu Mitra, among others, for further clarifications on their works.
His assessment of Nandikar
's 1969 production of Tin Poysar Pala, and adaptation of Brecht's Three Penny Opera:
Foucault's influence on him seems to be a later development. For instance, in 1986, he opines that in Vijay Tendulkar's play Ghashiram Kotwal, 'power is defined 'horizontally' (in the sense in which Maurice Duverger
uses it in his The Idea of Politics, London, 1966)'. He does not bring in Foucaulding discourse of power yet. In his 2003 introduction to a collection of Tendulkar's plays (including Ghashiram Kotwal'), however, he sees them evolving around the hub of 'strong ethical concern exploring and critiquing the relations of power in all their complex ramifications' where power is 'what Michel Foucault
defines as 'the relationship in which one wishes to direct the behaviour of another'.
's Akaler Sandhane
, Bandyopadhyay wrote in 1983 that this film raised 'disturbing questions about the Indian reality today and about the capacity of the medium to tackle this reality.' Samik has been questioning that capacity of film all along. In general, his assessment is as follows:
National School of Drama
National School of Drama is a theatre training institute situated at New Delhi, India, established . It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and became an independent school in 1975...
in New Delhi. He is also members of the Board of Studies, School of Drama and Film, Allahabad University; Academic Council of the Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
in Pune and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute
Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute
Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute is a film institute in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.The institute was established in 1995, and registered as a Society on 18.8.95 under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961 and is an autonomous society funded by Ministry of Information and...
in Kolkata. He has been involved with Paschim Banga Natya Akademy since its inception in 1987.
His father Suniti Kumar did his Ph.D. on Elizabethan lyrics under Sir Herbart Grierson
Herbert John Clifford Grierson
Sir Herbert John Clifford Grierson was a Scottish literary scholar editor and literary critic.-Life and work:...
, the famous discoverer of the Metaphysical Poets
Metaphysical poets
The metaphysical poets is a term coined by the poet and critic Samuel Johnson to describe a loose group of British lyric poets of the 17th century, who shared an interest in metaphysical concerns and a common way of investigating them, and whose work was characterized by inventiveness of metaphor...
, at University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1930s, and subsequently became a professor of English literature. If his scholarship inspired the younger Samik to study English literature, his political consciousness inspired Subrata, the eldest of his sons, to joining Communist Party.
Bandyopadhyay entered college in 1955 and graduated from the University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
in 1961 subsequently earned a Master of Arts degree in English literature. He started working as a lecturer Rabindra Bharati University
Rabindra Bharati University
Rabindra Bharati University is a university in Kolkata, India. It was founded on May 8, 1962, under the Rabindra Bharati Act of the Government of West Bengal in 1961, to mark the birth centenary of the poet Rabindranath Tagore...
in 1966. In 1973, he joined the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
as an editor and worked there till 1982. He resigned and never sought an employment because no job was lucrative enough for buying the books he wanted to read. He took up tutoring English literature for his profession, which enriched his reading as well as brushed his critical edge. He continued book editing, however, with Seagull Books
Seagull Books
Seagull Books is a publishing venture begun in Kolkata in 1982 by Samik Bandopadhyay and Naveen Kishore, a theater practitioner who was working under Bandopadhyay at the time...
, till 1988, and then with Thema Publishing.
Bandyopadhyay joined the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, -i.e., with full knowledge of the Soviet discovery of the truth about Stalinist era, when many of Indian Marxists were leaving the Communist Party out of the disgust that ensued. Later on, he also witnessed incorporation of Gramscian thought
Antonio Gramsci
Antonio Gramsci was an Italian writer, politician, political philosopher, and linguist. He was a founding member and onetime leader of the Communist Party of Italy and was imprisoned by Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime...
in Indian Marxism. In 1993, his book Antonio Gramsci Nirbachita Rachansamagra was published in Calcutta.
On theatre
His first writing on theatre, on the actor Mei LanfangMéi Lánfang
Mei Lanfang was one of the most famous Beijing opera artists in modern history, exclusively known for his qingyi roles, a type of dan role. Méi Lánfāng is his stage name, and in Chinese it is generally considered a feminine name. His real name was Méi Lán...
of Beijing opera
Beijing opera
Peking opera or Beijing opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court...
, was rather insignificant. His next article was on Jatra performances he saw in 1962; that was published in Bohurupi patrika. His love with theatre intensified and he started interviewing contemporary stalwarts of Bangla theatre, e.g., Utpal Dutt, Badal Sircar, Sombhu Mitra, among others, for further clarifications on their works.
His assessment of Nandikar
Nandikar
Nandikar is a theatre group in India. The group has its headquarters in Kolkata in the state of West Bengal, but works around the world.__FORCETOC__-History:...
's 1969 production of Tin Poysar Pala, and adaptation of Brecht's Three Penny Opera:
"When we have a production of The Three Penny Opera which simply goes in for wild fun, we regard it as a compromise, a betrayal. The production has no point when there is serious political violence in Calcutta. ... This is status quo theatre, which means nothing to a generation that thinks in political terms.
Foucault's influence on him seems to be a later development. For instance, in 1986, he opines that in Vijay Tendulkar's play Ghashiram Kotwal, 'power is defined 'horizontally' (in the sense in which Maurice Duverger
Maurice Duverger
Maurice Duverger is a French jurist, sociologist and politician. He was born in Angoulême, Charente.Starting his career as a jurist at the University of Bordeaux, Duverger became more and more involved in political science and in 1948 founded one of the first faculties for political science in...
uses it in his The Idea of Politics, London, 1966)'. He does not bring in Foucaulding discourse of power yet. In his 2003 introduction to a collection of Tendulkar's plays (including Ghashiram Kotwal'), however, he sees them evolving around the hub of 'strong ethical concern exploring and critiquing the relations of power in all their complex ramifications' where power is 'what Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
defines as 'the relationship in which one wishes to direct the behaviour of another'.
On Film
Introducing his translation of the script of Mrinal SenMrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen is a Bengali Indian filmmaker. He was born on 14 May 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh in a Hindu family. After finishing his high school there, he left home to come to Calcutta as a student and studied physics at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the...
's Akaler Sandhane
Akaler Sandhane
Akaler Sandhane is a 1980 Indian Bengali film directed by Mrinal Sen.- Plot :In September 1980, a film crew comes to a village to make a film about a famine, which killed five million Bengalees in 1943. It was a man made famine, a side- product of the war, and the film crew will create the tragedy...
, Bandyopadhyay wrote in 1983 that this film raised 'disturbing questions about the Indian reality today and about the capacity of the medium to tackle this reality.' Samik has been questioning that capacity of film all along. In general, his assessment is as follows:
Bangla theatre or film did not enter into the social-political complexities of 1970s. The emblemized angry young man of Kolkata could relate to his rural other only on the platform of Marxian theory; rest of the commonality is mere wrath. The urban youth, is portrayed not as directly participating in revolutionary activities: he is either hiding, or attacked or living a dual-life. This is the general portrait of Bangali angry young man as seen in teatre and films.
External links
- Interview with Ruma Dasgupta of Harmony.Org http://www.harmonyindia.org/hportal/VirtualPageView.jsp?page_id=4642
- The Hindu coverage of a seminar in New Delhi http://www.hindu.com/lr/2005/02/06/stories/2005020600010500.htm