Sombhu Mitra | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1915-08-22)22 August 1915 |
| Died | 19 May 1997(1997-05-19) (aged 81) |
| Occupations | Actor, director, playwright |
| Spouse | Tripti Mitra |
| Children | Shaoli Mitra |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan (1970) |
Sombhu Mitra (22 August 1915 – 19 May 1997) was an Indian film and stage actor, director, playwright, reciter and anIndian theatre personality, known especially for his involvement inBengali theatre, where he is considered a pioneer. He remained associated with theIndian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) for a few years before founding theBohurupee theatre group in Kolkata in 1948. He is most noted for films likeDharti Ke Lal (1946),Jagte Raho (1956), and his production ofRakta Karabi based onRabindranath Tagore's play in 1954 andChand Baniker Pala, his most noted play as a playwright.[1][2][3][4][5]
In 1966, theSangeet Natak Akademi awarded him its highest award, theSangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for lifetime contribution, then in 1970, he was awarded thePadma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour,[6] and in 1976 theRamon Magsaysay Award.
Born inCalcutta (nowKolkata), India, on 22 August 1915, Sombhu Mitra was the sixth child of three sons and four daughters born of Sarat Kumar Mitra, an employee of the Geological Survey of India, and Satadalbasini Mitra. His mother died when he was 12 years old.[7]
He started his schooling in Chakraberia Middle English School, Calcutta and later continued in theBallygunge Government High School, Calcutta, where he developed interest reading Bengali plays and became active in school dramatics. He joinedSt. Xavier's College of theUniversity of Calcutta in 1931, and soon started attending the local theatre.[7]
His first appearance inBengali theatre was in Rangmahal Theatre in north Kolkata in 1939, thereafter he moved to the Minerva, Natyaniketan and Srirangam theatres.
In 1943, he joinedIndian People's Theatre Association (IPTA). In 1944, several old theatrical conventions were broken when the playNabanna written byBijon Bhattacharya and co-directed by Sombhu Mitra for IPTA was staged. In 1948, Sombhu Mitra formed a new theatre group,Bohurupee in Kolkata, which ushered in the group-theatre movement inWest Bengal.
He marriedTripti Mitra née Bhaduri, who was also a celebrated personality in theBengali theatre. Their daughter,Shaoli was a noted actress, director and playwright.[8][9]
Under Sombhu Mitra's direction, the Bohurupee staged several successful productions. In December 1950, the Bohurupee presented three plays in the New Empire theatre –Tulsi Lahiri'sPathik andChenda Tar and Sombhu Mitra's own creation,Ulukhagra. In 1954,Rabindranath Tagore'sRakta Karabi was staged by the Bohurupee, followed by hisBisarjan,Raja andChar Adhyay. Other notable productions include Bidhyak Bhattacharya'sTahar Namti Ranjana andKanchanranga. Under his direction, this group also presented the Bengali adaptations of several well-known dramas from the world stage.Henrik Ibsen'sPutul Khela (Doll's House),Dashachakra (An Enemy of the People) and Sophocles'Raja Oidipaus (Oedipus Rex) are notable amongst them.
He has also acted inThe Life of Galileo byBertolt Brecht directed byFritz Bennewitz in the title role.[10]
In these productions he performed asRahimuddin inChenda Tar,Atin inChar Adhyay,Binod inUlukhagra,Tapan inPutul Khela,Dr. Purnendu Guha inDashachakra,Oidipaus inRaja Oidipaus.
He died in Kolkata.
Sombhu Mitra performed in several movies in Bengali and Hindi. The notable among them are:
He wrote the story and screenplay ofJagte Raho (1956) and also co-directed it along with Amit Maitra. He also directed a Bengali movie,Shubha Bibaha in 1959.
Sombhu Mitra received many national and international awards, which include theCrystal Globe forJagte Raho at the 1957Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, theDesikottama fromVisva Bharati University in 1989,[11] an honorary D. Litt. from bothRabindra Bharati University andJadavpur University in Kolkata, the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1976[12] for journalism, literature and creative communication arts and the Padmabhushan in the same year. He received theSangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1966. For his contribution in the movies, he won the Grand-Prix Award at theKarlovy Vary International Film Festival.Madhya Pradesh Government honoured him withKalidas Samman (1982–83).[13]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
