# Bratya Basu

Bratyabrata Basu Roy Chowdhury (born 25 September 1969), also known as Bratya Basu, is an Indian actor, stage director, playwright, film director, professor and politician who has been the Education Minister of West Bengal since 2021. He has also assumed the same office in the First Mamata Banerjee ministry. In May 2016, Basu was assigned the portfolios of Tourism, Science Technology and Bio-Technology, and Information Technology and Electronics. He has been elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, from the Dum Dum constituency since the 2011 Assembly Election of West Bengal. Basu is presently the Chairperson of Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi and Minerva Natyasanskriti Charchakendra under the governance of the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, West Bengal.

## Early life

Bratya Basu was born in Calcutta to Professor Dr. Bishnu Basu and Educational Administrator Dr. Neetika Basu. His original name was Bratyabrata Basu Roy Chowdhury. After his graduation in Bengali from the Presidency College (currently Presidency University, Kolkata), he completed his Post Graduation from the University of Calcutta.

## Career

Bratya Basu started his career as a sound operator for the theatre group Ganakrishti and soon started writing and directing plays with the group. The themes of his writings focus on political fantasy, nature-human relationships, the connection between music and life, ethical values and their lack, the conflict between love and revolt, and the bonding between time and culture. Bratya Basu joined City College, Kolkata as an assistant professor in the Department of Bengali. He launched his career as a dramatist with the play Ashaleen (1996), described by theatre critics as the first postmodernist Bengali play. His noted plays thereafter include Aranyadeb, Shahar Yaar, Virus-M, Winkle-Twinkle, etc. His other important plays include Ruddhasangeet, Chatushkon, Hemlat - the Prince of Garanhata, Krishna Gahobar, Sateroi July, Bikele Bhorer Sorshey Phool, Supari Killer, Boma etc. A compilation of his plays has been published in four volumes in 2004, 2010, 2016 and 2022 respectively. He has even directed four films - Raasta which has a theme of youth moving into terrorism, Teesta a film on society and the failure of romance, Tara and Dictionary and acted in many films which include Kaalbela, Icchey, Sthaniyo Sambad, Hemlock Society, Muktodhara, Double Feluda, Baranda, Jogajog, Kalkijug, Asamapta, Dhulobali Katha etc. Basu has bagged many awards and recognition. Some of them include the Shambhu Mitra Samman 2016, conferred by Rajdanga Dyotak, Shrestha Natya Nirman 2017, conferred by Anya Theatre, Khaled Choudhury Samman 2017, conferred by Abhash, Dakshin Kolkata, Shilpayan Samman 2017, conferred by Gobordanga Shilpayan, Sumati Sengupta Smriti Samman 2019, conferred by Angan Belghoria, Dronacharya Samman 2019, conferred by Ashoknagar Natyamukh and the prestigious Satyen Mitra Smriti Puroshkar awarded by Theatre Workshop in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2017 for his exemplary contribution in Bengali Theatre. He has also been awarded the Gajendra Kumar Mitra-Sumathanath Ghosh Memorial Award 2018, conferred by Mitra & Ghosh Publishers Pvt. Ltd. for his contribution to Bengali Literature.
In 2021, Bratya Basu was conferred with the Sahitya Akademi Award for outstanding works of literature, for his anthology of Bengali theatre, Mir Jafar O Onyanya Natak (a compilation of three plays - Mir Jafar, Ekdin Aladin and Ami Anukulda aar Ora). The award is given by an autonomous organisation of the Government of India, the Ministry of Culture. His plays have been translated into Hindi, English and French languages.
Hemlat, The Prince of Garanhata has won critical acclaim from academic researchers for the adaptation. Sam Kolodezh of the University of California, Irvine, Drama and Theatre heaped praise on Bratya's adaptation. Formerly Associate Professor, at Kuwait University and a Life-member of the Shakespeare Society of Eastern India, Antony Johae was so moved by the contemporary Indianization of Shakespeare's master text that he lectured across India on Hemlat. Mr. Johae has contributed a research paper on Hemlat in the Vol-V, No.VIII of The International Journal of Cultural Studies and Social Sciences, edited by Dr Prof Amitava Roy, formerly Shakespeare Professor of Rabindra Bharati University and president and co-founder of Shakespeare Society of Eastern India and Prof Ronan Paterson., an actor, director and a producer for theatre, film in Britain and Ireland and an extensive writer on Shakespeare.
Bratya Basu has created his own space in contemporary theatre by moving beyond its existing boundaries. He formed the theatre group Kalindi Bratyajon in 2008. The first theatrical production of Bratyajon was Ruddhasangeet (2009), a play on the Rabindrasangeet exponent Debabrata Biswas's journey of bitter struggle throughout his life in the prevailing system. The play received acclaim and has so far staged more than a record 150 shows to packed houses. After producing "Boma" in 2015, a period piece that rips off the masks of the Bengali freedom fighters which reveals jealousies, greed for power, and internal conflicts Basu has interestingly produced another untold history of Bengal spanning 1757 and 1764. The play, "Mir Jafar" showcases the power politics and game of minds to unravel the complexities in which 'Mir Jafar' continues to retain the emblematic representation and throne of the 'universal betrayer' in all societies in all times.

## Role in theater
### Plays written

| Play | Notes | Produced by | Year | Director | Ref |
| Prachhaya | Adaptation of John Middlton Synge's 'In the Shadow of the Glen' | Ganakrishti | 1993 | Sabyasachi Chatterjee | |
| Ora Panchjon | Adaptation of Peter Shaffer's 'Five Finger Exercise' | Ganakrishti | 1994 | Amitabha Dutta | |
| Ashalin | | Ganakrishti | 1996 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Aranyadeb | | Ganakrishti / Swapnalu | 1998 / 2018 | Bratya Basu / Premangshu Roy | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Mukhomukhi Bosibar / Teesta | | Swapnasandhani / Abhash | 2001 / 2016 | Koushik Sen / Sekhar Samaddar | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Kalantak Lalfita | Based on Shibram Chakraborty's story | Chetana | 2000 | Suman Mukhopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Chatushkon | | Ganakrishti / Aakar Kala Sangam | 2001 | Bratya Basu / Suresh Bhardwaj | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Shahar Yaar | | Ganakrishti | 2001 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Winkle Twinkle | | Sansriti | 2002 | Debesh Chattopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Babli | | Drishypat / Purba Paschim | 2003 /2005 | Anirban Bhattacharjee / Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Virus M | | Ganakrishti | 2003 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Sateroi July | Inspired by John Wexley's 'They shall not Die' and Utpal Dutta's 'Manusher Adhikare' | Ganakrishti / Circle Theatre / Thelovers | 2004 / 2013 / 2017 | Bratya Basu / Bapi Bose / Debashish Dutta | |
| May Dibaser Latok | | | 2005 | | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Page 4:It's also a game | | Lokokrishti / IFTA | 2005 / 2016 | Bratya Basu / Debashish Dutta | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Operation 2010 | | Ashoknagar Natyamukh | 2005 / 2014 | Avi Chakraborty | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Debitarjon | | | 2006 | | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Hemlat:The prince of Garanhata | Adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' | Ballygunge Swapnasuchona | 2006 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Mrityu Ishwar Jaunota | | Srijak / Ashoknagar Ntyamukh / Prachya | 2006 / 2015 / 2017 | Debashish Basu / Avi Chakraborty / Biplab Bandyopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol I ISBN 8177564323 |
| Aagunmukho | Adaptation of Marius von Mayenburg's 'Feuergesicht' (Fireface) | Tritiyo Sutra & The Goethe Institute | 2007 | Suman Mukhopadhyay | |
| Baborer Prarthona | | Kalyani Natyacharcha Kendra | 2007 | Kishore Sengupta | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Krihnagawhbar | | Niva Arts | 2007 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Comrade Katha | | Swapnasandhani / Playmakers | 2008 / 2017 | Koushik Sen / Kaustabh Duttagupta | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Orkute Jukto Holo Baltimore Aar Nadia | | | 2009 | | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Ruddhasangeet | Play on famous Rabindrasangeet advocate Debabrata Biswas | Kalindi Bratyajon | 2009 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Darjiparar Marjinara | | Swapnasandhani | 2009 | Koushik Sen | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Bhoy | | Swapnasandhani / Thealight | 2009 / 2019 | Koushik Sen / Atanu Sarkar | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Supari Killer | | Prachya | 2011 | Biplab Bandyopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Bikele Bhorer Sarshephul | | Sansriti | 2011 | Debesh Chattopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Cinemar Moto | | Kalindi Bratyajon | 2013 | Bratya Basu | ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Apatoto Eivabe Dujoner Dekha Hoye Thake | | Sansriti | 2013 | Debesh Chattopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Altaf Gomes | | Sansriti | 2013 | Debesh Chattopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Samayjaan | | Theatre Platform / Ashokenagar Natyamukh | 2013 / 2017 | Debashish Roy / Avi Chakraborty | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Khanjana Ami Aar Asbona | | Theatre Platform | 2013 | Debashish Roy | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Ke? | | Kalindi Bratyajon | 2014 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Duto Din | | Pancham Baidik | 2014 | Arpita Ghosh | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Jatugriha | | Sansriti / Shantipur Sanskritik | 2015 | Debesh Chattopadhyay / Kaushik Chattopadhyay | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Anandibai | Based on Parashuram's story | Howrah Bratyajon | 2015 | Debashish Biswas | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Boma | | Kalindi Bratyajon | 2015 | Bratya Basu | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Ila Gurhoisha | | Theatre Platform | 2015 | Debashish Roy | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Banijye Basate Lakkhi | | Paikpara Indraranga | 2017 | Bratya Basu | Troyee ISBN 9789350202562 |
| Jibjantu | | Theatre Platform / Rabindranagar Natyaudh | 2017 | Debashsish Roy / Dani Karmakar | Natok Samagra Vol III ISBN 9789350406786 |
| Fourth Bell | | IFTA | 2017 | Debashish Dutta | Eibare Duti Natok |
| Anusochna | | Ayanda | 2017 | Biplab bandyopadhyay | Troyee ISBN 9789350202562 |
| Hridipash | | Theatre Platform | 2017 | Debashish Roy | Troyee ISBN 9789350202562 |
| Akdin Aladin | | Swapnalu / Paikpara Indraranga | 2018 | Premangshu Roy / Kanchan Mallick | Mir Jafar O Onyanyo Natok ISBN 9789350203606 |
| Ami Onukulda Aar Ora | | Ashokenagar Natyamukh | 2018 | Avi Chakraborty | Mir Jafar O Onyanyo Natok ISBN 9789350203606 |
| Bisarjaner Por | | Playmakers | 2018 | Kaustabh Duttagupta | Natok Samagra Vol II ISBN 9788177569438 |
| Mir Jafar | | Kalindi Bratyajon / Shriram Centre | 2018 / 2020 | Bratya Basu / Azhar Alam | Mir Jafar O Onyanyo Natok ISBN 9789350203606 |
| Antim Raat | | | 2019 | | |
| Creusa, the Queen | | Chetana | 2020 | Sujan Mukhopadhyay | |
| Coronar Dingulite Prem | | | 2020 | | |
| Matsyanyaya | | | 2020 | | Matsyanyaya ISBN 9789354252778 |
| Roll-Action-Cut | | | 2020 | | |
| Fyodor | | | 2020 | | Fyodor ISBN 9789393910028 |
| Tin Atotayee | | | 2020 | | Tin Atotayee:Ekti Ekok Sanglap ISBN 9781565812314 |

### Plays directed

| Year | Play | Produced by | Playwright | Notes | Ref |
| 1996 | Ashalin | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | | |
| 1998 | Aranyadeb | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2001 | Chatushkon | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2001 | Shahar Yaar | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2003 | Virus M | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2004 | Sateroi July | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | Inspired by John Wexley's 'They shall not die' and Utpal Dutta's 'Manusher Adhikare' | |
| 2005 | Page 4:It's also a Game | Lokokrishti | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2006 | Hemlat:The prince of Garanhata | Ballygunge Swapnasuchona | Bratya Basu | Adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' | |
| 2007 | Krishnagawhbar | Niva Arts | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2008 | Chaturanga | Purba Paschim | Sekhar Samaddar | Adaptation of Tagore's Novel | |
| 2009 | Ruddhasangeet | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | Play on Rabindrasangeet exponent Debabrata Biswas | |
| 2010 | Kanyadan | Ballygunge Swapnasuchona | Vijay Tendulkar | Translated by Bina Alase | |
| 2010 | Canvasser | Kalindi Bratyajon | Short story, written by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay | Adapted by Sekhar Samaddar | |
| 2011 | Byomkesh | Kalindi Bratyajon | Short story, written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay | Adapted by Ujjwal Chattopadhyay | |
| 2013 | Cinemar Moto | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2014 | Ke? | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2015 | Boma | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | | |
| 2015 | Mumbai Nights | Minerva Repertory Theatre | Debasish Roy | Adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' | |
| 2016 | Meghe Dhaka Tara | Naihati Bratyajon | Ujjwal Chattopadhyay | Based on the Bengali film, 'Meghe Dhaka Tara', directed by Ritwik Ghatak | |
| 2016 | Adya Shesh Rajani | Paikpara Indraranga | Ujjwal Chattopadhyay | Play on late, controversial Actor-Director Ashim Chakraborty | Adya Shesh Rajani ISBN 9789383710461 |
| 2017 | Ekush Gram | Naihati Bratyajon | Ujjwal Chattopadhyay | Based on the English film, '21 Grams', directed Alejandro Inarritu | |
| 2017 | Banijye Basate Lakkhi | Paikpara Indraranga | Bratya Basu | | Troyee ISBN 9789350202562 |
| 2018 | Athoi Jal | Purba Paschim | Ujjwal Chattopadhyay | Adaptation of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's novel | |
| 2018 | Mir Jafar | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | | |

### Plays acted in

| Year | Play | Role | Produced by | Director | Notes |
| 1994 | Ora Panchjon | Raja | Ganakrishti | Amitabha Dutta | Adaptation of Peter Shaffer's 'Five Finger Exercise' |
| 1996 | Ashalin | Sujan | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | |
| 1998 | Aranyadeb | Aranyadeb | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | |
| 2001 | Chatushkon | Soumya Sarkhel | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | |
| 2001 | Shahar Yaar | Babu | Ganakrishti | Bratya Basu | |
| 2005 | Page 4:It's also a Game | Manohar Middya | Lokokrishti | Bratya Basu | |
| 2006 | Hemlat:The prince of Garanhata | Hemlat | Ballygunge Swapnasuchona | Bratya Basu | Adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' |
| 2007 | Krishnagawhbar | Angshuman Banerjee | Niva Arts | Bratya Basu | |
| 2009 | Ruddhasangeet | Pramod Dasgupta, Santosh Kumar Ghosh | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | Play on Rabindrasangeet exponent Debabrata Biswas |
| 2010 | Kanyadan | Arun Athole | Ballygunge Swapnasuchona | Bratya Basu | Original play by Vijay Tendulkar, translated by Bina Alase |
| 2013 | Cinemar Moto | Abhijit Dutta Gupta | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | |
| 2014 | Ke? | Chatak Chattoraj | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | Acted in one show in Mumbai |
| 2015 | Boma | Chittaranjan Das | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | |
| 2015 | Mumbai Nights | Guest Appearance | Minerva Repertory Theatre | Bratya Basu | Adaptation of William Shkespeare's play 'Twelfth Night' |
| 2017 | Mulya | Sanjay Choudhury | Ballygunge Bratyajon | Debashish Roy | Adaptation of Arthur Miller's 'The Price', adapted by Asit Mukhopadhyay |
| 2017 | Sateroi July | Rakesh Chatterjee | Thealovers | Debashish Dutta | Inspired by John Wexley's 'They shall not die' and Utpal Dutta's 'Manusher Adhikare' |
| 2018 | Mir Jafar | Robert Clive | Kalindi Bratyajon | Bratya Basu | |