1. No category

The English Literature Journal
Vol. 2, No. 3 (2015): 317-326
Article
Open Access
ISSN: 2348-3288
Chena Kintu Ajana - Known Strangers: A Classic
Dr. Payal Trivedi*
29, Neelgagan Appts, Opp Management Enclave, Nehru Park Vastrapur Ahmedabad - 380015, India.
*Corresponding author: Dr. Payal Trivedi; e-mail: payaltrivedi1979@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Received: 25 March 2015
Accepted: 13 April 2015
Online: 01 May 2015
This paper attempts to study the documentary film Chena Kintu Ajana – Known Strangers made on the last
generation of male actors in the early Jatra (folk theatre of Bengal) who presented themselves in female roles in
front of the audience and won accolades for their performance. The following is an endeavor to acknowledge the
phenomenal contribution of the makers of the film who have put optimum effort to prove that these male Jatra
performers were at their best during their times in their female identities on the stage and moreover their absence
in today’s Jatra is undoubtedly a loss to the folk theatre as finding their replacement is impossible. The film is also an
undeniable proof of the fact that the female actors’ of today’s times even with their most enticing looks cannot
overtake these male actors who in their appearance as women on the stage left their spectators spell-bound to the
extent that the viewers worshipped them as goddesses, hated them as Vamps and adored them as attractive
damsels. Moreover, the film becomes extraordinary in its revelation of the transcendental aspect latent in the
performance of these Jatra artists that transformed them from merely stage actors to the ardhanareshwaras or the
sublime union of Purusha and Prakriti (male and female) as depicted in the image of lord Shiva.
Keywords: Chena Kintu Ajana (Known Strangers), Jatra, Ranis, Ardhanareshwara, Natyasastra, Natyayajna.
INTRODUCTION
Chena Kintu Ajana or Known Strangers is an
informative documentary (2014) made on the last
generation of female impersonators of jatra (folk
drama in Bengal) directed by Dipankar Dutta1,
researched and produced by Debojit Majumder2. At the
outset, the film covers the historical aspects associated
with the evolution and development of jatra supported
by the renowned scholar Dr. Ananda Lal’s commentary.
It further explores the nuances in the performances of
the male artists that played female roles and were
fondly known as the ‘Ranis’ who enjoyed great
popularity when jatra was in its heyday and their art
was in great demand. The documentary scrupulously
recalls each Rani’s name and the educationists or
experts; jatra researchers like Tarun Kumar Dey,
Prabhat Kumar Das and the owner of Natta Company
Makhan Natta3 provide a veritable scrutiny of their
dexterous acting skills attesting their unique
contribution that has so far remained unbeatable by the
female actors who entered the stage after their decline.
In the course of recalling the names of the performers
and delineating the finer points of their acting styles
with unfailing precision, the documentary attests the
importance of these artists and the worth of retrieving
their memories for the contemporary audience.
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
Watching Chena Kintu Ajana seems worthwhile for it
does not simply retreat towards tradition with a
traditional perspective of retaining it as a legacy for the
present-day but justifies its validity for us. This paper
attempts to highlight those aspects of the film that as a
spectator I feel have contributed towards making it a
distinctive endeavor in the realm of entertainment and
in my point of view have elevated the documentary to
the level of a classic.
Before the film begins, we see the photograph of a
temple like structure4 with the inscription crediting the
venerable
Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu’s
female
impersonation as Adya Shakti –Radha Rani. This
alludes to the ancient Indian tradition of paying
obeisance to god before beginning any favorable
venture. Besides this, it also gives a feasible reason to
value the decision of the male artists to portray
feminine characters as the association of lord
Chaitanya’s name with the art uplifts female
impersonation from the worldly to the heightened level
of the spiritual. It reminds that in the Indian tradition,
female impersonation is not merely copying or
imitating feminine qualities but it has a sacred
connotation attached to it since lord Vishnu’s
incarnation as Mohini and lord Shiva’s disguise as
317
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
Gopishwara are not only popular but are touted as one
among the many supreme lilas or magical deeds by the
gods adored worldwide. Thus, the prelude of the film
inspires the spectators to not just simply view but to
honor the subsequent entry of the male performer
Chapalda as Chapal Rani5 in her female attire playing
Kaikai, the infamous queen of Ayodhya who sent Rama
for 14 yrs of exile as described in the Indian epic the
Ramayana. However, the scene that Chapalda performs
does not seem a cliché attempt to retrieve the story of
the Ramayana for us. It rather seems a deviation from
emulating the outdated social custom of blaming Kaikai
as the villain. Chapal Rani as Queen Kaikai boldly
confronts sage Vishwamitra and admits her guilt of
having sent Rama to exile but simultaneously also
expresses her love for him; an interesting juxtaposition
of anger and remorse that rejects her stereotyped
negative image as a villain. The scene goads the
hypothesis that perhaps the tenets of the male
dominated society were dismantled through some of
the most powerful enactments by the male actors who
enacted female roles in jatra. This evokes our curiosity
whether the film further explores the potential in the
art of female impersonation to denounce patriarchy as
evident in Chapal Rani’s enactment or adopts any other
mode to prove the importance of the impersonators.
The query is soon resolved as the film’s motive is duly
answered by the makers in the introduction of the male
actors in their feminine roles as ‘Ranis’. Each Rani’s
name is faithfully recalled but this does not make the
film jaded. Instead, such meticulous reminiscence
seems a way of indicating that the film intends to
illustrate the worth of these forgotten artists who are –
‘Chena’ i.e. Known but their significance is ‘Ajana’ i.e.
Unknown to us. In the due course of its screening, the
film elucidates the extraordinary talent of each of the
Ranis which made them special and perennially
indomitable in the realm of entertainment. In fact, the
documentary proves that these performers should be
always there performing on the stage for all of us.
Each actor’s individual reason to take up the
profession, the uniqueness in each one’s mode of acting
and their distinct memorable performances recorded in
the history of jatra are noted with amazing clarity and
almost flawlessly. Moreover, such point by point detail
which distinguishes every performer from the other is
also supplemented by the common goal that they
shared which united them. The educationists and
experts interviewed in the film claim that the Ranis did
not just choose to act randomly but underwent
rigorous training to add exactitude to their art. They
even observed those particular qualities of women that
are not easily discernable and require minute
concentration like a woman’s regular habit of putting
the left foot forward while walking. Thus, they
generally aimed at winning the confidence of their
audience and were greatly successful in achieving this
common goal. The people believed in them when they
spoke the dialogues. For the spectators, the Ranis did
not simply utter lines from plays but their loud voice
projection without microphones effectively showed
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
that they were making serious proclamations that were
supposed to be believed. Harigopal Rani made an
unforgettable impact as she uttered, “When I’ve tasted
your salt I am obliged to sing your paean.” Phoni Rani’s
powerful dialogue; “abducting women from this soil
means death” created indelible impression when she
challenged an unruly Afghan for his heinous act of
kidnapping a woman named Sophia. Chapal Rani says
she managed to win the support of the audience as she
spoke the following lines, “Now is the time for us to
take on the Mughals bravely and thrust our daggers
into their hearts” with great enthusiasm during a scene
wherein Mughals were shown marching towards their
land Ahmednagar. Such examples are the means
through which the film makes us believe that people
who saw the Ranis took them to be women and almost
forgot that they were female impersonators. We are
told that these male actors were so convincing in their
female roles that some were even abducted by those
captivated by their beauty. Moreover, it is fascinating to
know that the spectators threw stones when the Ranis
played evil roles but also worshipped and implored in
front of their image as awesome mothers and deities.
The documentary records that when Jatin Rani
appeared in the role of Manasa, a member of the
audience came to the stage and clutched her feet
apotheosizing her. All this is indeed unimaginable as
the educationists and experts in the film agree on the
point, “Na dekhle bishas korte parona means unless you
see it you cannot believe it.” This indicates that the
spectators did not just willingly suspend their disbelief
but instead gave the Ranis their trust which testifies for
the contemporary audience that these actors though
apparently forgotten have managed to secure a
perpetual existence. The film also substantiates that
their lacuna on the present-day stage can never be
filled by those who have taken their place. We see the
female actor Jayshree’s6 humble confession of her
inability to capture the grace, the poise, and the
extraordinary caliber of these actors to fascinate their
audience. Jayshreeji’s acknowledgement is not simply a
gracious acceptance on her part regarding her
inaptitude to match the Ranis. She appears as the
representative of all the present-day female actors
performing on the stage admitting their failure to outdo
the acting skills of these performers. The confession
serves to be an important proof that the passion with
which the Ranis enacted their roles is inimitable.
Moreover, this disclosure enables the understanding of
the reason that today the memories of the audience
with respect to the performers have become short-lived
and actors have a fleeting importance in the realm of
entertainment. The film maintains needful exorbitance
in carefully noting the impressive styles & traits of the
Ranis and some immortal roles performed by them to
justify that their popularity has rightly countered the
ravages of time. Nitai Rani’s extraordinary ramp walk,
Jatin Rani’s knack of effectively delivering internal
conflict through dialogues, Kanai Rani’s unparalleled
comic roles, Harigopal Rani’s melodious song, ““Din
Dukhni Ma Je Amar” (my mother who is poor and sad) ”
in the play Vidyasagar , Upen Rani’s perennial
318
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
performance as Pushpa in the play Bindhabali,
Haripada Rani’s memorable performances in the plays
Raja Harishchandra and Dhanur Yajna, Kshitish Rani’s
multifarious roles as Jamindar’s wife and his servant as
well as several positive or villainous characters etc. and
her best performance as Bimla from the play
Durgeshnandini in which her songs and dance created
magic on the stage, Phoni Rani’s matchless
performances in a mother’s role in various plays,
Banphool Rani’s beautiful performance as ‘Mastani’, the
famous Indian King Bajirao’s lover, Chobi Rani’s 15
minutes of powerful enactment only through facial
expressions and body language which moved the
audiences and made it easy for them to comprehend
that she was welcoming Brajeshwar on the stage
despite the fact that she did not utter a single dialogue,
Babli Rani’s touching performance as a woman who
feels guilty of having failed as a mother because her son
abducts his half-sister, Satadal Rani’s popular role as
Meher and her character Tiya from the play
Chandimangal that earned her great success and she
was able to emulate the grace and style of Suchitra Sen
on stage so her pairing with Swapan Kumar was widely
regarded as the Uttam-Suchitra pair of jatra named
after the two popular actors of Bengali cinema Uttam
Kumar and Suchitra Sen are a few examples of the great
amount of detail involved in the film for proving that
the Ranis were most deservedly the Queens that
governed jatra and they still remain unconquered by
any of today’s performing artists. The detail also
reflects the exhaustive research that was incorporated
to make the film and substantiates that it is not
randomly made out of overriding enthusiasm for
movie-making. This is further testified by the actors
Chapal Rani and Janardan Rani’s7 powerful enactments
as Draupadi and Mandodari interrogating the tenets of
patriarchy. Draupadi demands answers from lord
Krishna for the most heinous crime committed by the
Kauravas of insulting her in front of the court. Similarly,
we see Janardan Rani in the role of Mandodari, the wife
of Ravana in her fearless attempt to fight against her
husband’s tyranny and free Sita; an episode based on
the epic Ramayana. Both the scenes demystify the
cliché belief that mythology is stringently immune to
change. The episodes based on myth are testimony of
the fact that tradition offers scope for its own critique
and this opportunity was most judiciously exploited in
some of the performances delivered by the Ranis. This
enables the makers to prove that their film is not just a
prompt layout on female impersonators of jatra but is
being made with profound attention given on the
manners by which the distinctive contribution of the
Ranis towards challenging conventional norms could
be highlighted through their work. It is evident that the
performances of Chapal Rani and Janardan Rani
presenting subordinate feminine figures of mythology
in a different light disregard the cliché image of women
as meek and feeble. In fact, Chapal Rani’s enactment of
the scene from a historical play wherein she played the
role of a Hindu’s wife who not only laments but in fact
rebukes her husband’s treacherous deed of kidnapping
a woman named Sophia ascertains the indomitable
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
power of women to resist the onslaught of male
autocracy. The film makers’ choice of these scenes
seems an intelligent disclosure that the performances
of the Ranis can be a potential means to rebuttal
feminine objectification in the realm of entertainment
media today wherein women are labeled as beautiful,
charming or sensuous. This earns respect for these
male performers for their endeavor to present feminine
caliber of challenging the myopic social norms. The fact
also provokes us to think whether the lacuna of female
performers in jatra was a positive reality of those times
as it kept the audience away from the avarice for
feminine sexuality and motivated them to appreciate
quality entertainment. The documentary stimulates the
question that if the male performers were adulated in
powerful female roles, does it mean that the entry of
the female performers in jatra and in fact in theatre and
films has deteriorated the dignity that needs to be
retained in terms of projecting feminine identity? It
also leads us to brood over the issue whether the
readiness towards flaunting sexuality on the part of
women or the fact that they easily become susceptible
to exploitation could be regarded as the cause for the
current state of affairs today wherein item songs and
lecherous scenes stereotype them as the ‘bold and the
beautiful’. Along with representing strong feminine
characters which dethrone the blasé objectification of
women, the film also depicts the benevolent motherly
aspect of feminine nature explored in the performances
of these actors which projects women in a sober light.
Janardan Rani’s enactment of a double role as a
motherly benefactor and an imploring visitor towards
the close of the film evokes veneration for the image of
a woman as a generous nurturer reminding the holy
image of prakriti or Mother Nature that sustains the
world. Thus, presenting two contrary feminine figures
as the rebels and as the conservators, the film echoes
that Hinduism celebrates the invincible goddesses Kali
and Durga as well as the benign goddess Laxmi; a fact
that negates the binary opposition of the ‘good’ or the
‘bad’ women claimed by the proponents of conservative
social precepts. It also reminds Chapal Rani’s
enactment of Kaikai at the start of the film in her dual
role as a villain who sent Rama to exile and as a mother
who pines for him. Thus, the potential in the
performance of the Ranis to dismantle sexual
discrimination is an integral aspect which is not
explicitly stated but admirably implied in a manner that
it becomes prominent to its viewers without any
assertion regarding the same. It seems a candid
abstinence on the part of the makers to get across any
direct message regarding the feminist perspective is a
deliberate means of avoiding the predicament of
appearing to be didactic and manipulating their
viewers. It also seems a means of conveying that the
film does not intend to focus only on a single aspect
implicit in the performance of the Ranis but rather
takes into account other facets that make the study
interesting. This is proved in Dr. Ananda Lal’s
observations about the willing transformation of the
male actors as female performers which opens up new
areas of deliberation about the art of impersonation.
319
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
As per the exposition provided by Dr. Lal, the presence
of male and female hormones in a human body is a
scientific fact and it may be assumed that perhaps the
female impersonators had a proportionate amount of
male and female hormones so they could easily adapt
feminine aspects. Dr. Lal comments that the actors
underwent a sort of “mental transformation” after the
make-up and those who were “husbands in real life
were brides in acting”. As already discussed, the
documentary records that the male actors were
interested to note every aspect of feminine behavior
and incorporate it in their acting. In my interview8 with
researcher Debojit Majumder (via email) about the
readiness on the part of the male performers to adopt
feminine roles, he shared that hearing the audio
recordings of these actors, the absence of ‘manly’
projection in their voice even during their normal
conversations becomes quite obvious. According to
him, ‘manly’ is independent of any social interpretation
as reflective of ‘manpower’ or ‘masculine
preponderance’ but he tries to highlight the intrinsic
soft tonal quality naturally present in these male actors
that aided them to perform their female roles. This fact
leads to the assumption that apart from the fondness
and dedication for their profession of impersonating
women as reported by the experts in the film, perhaps
there was an innate feminine aspect latent in these
male actors due to which they were more inclined to
perform female roles. It leads to the hypothesis that the
male performers were actually half women or probably
in certain terms, effeminate which opens up the
possibility of examining their case in the light of
transgender studies. However, this implication about
the transgender attribute in the personalities of the
Ranis abruptly incorporates a spiritual viewpoint that
changes the film from a simple documentary on female
impersonators to a sophisticated discipline that
unravels the sacred image embodied in the blended
identities of the Ranis. Dr. Ananda Lal refers to the
possibility that the dual persona of the female
impersonators alludes to the ardhanareshwara roopa
(Shiva and Shakti) together symbolizing the purusha
and prakriti or male female union in the metaphysical
sense. This discussion in the film elevates the
importance of the Ranis from mere impersonators to
those who could traverse the boundaries of the earthly
existence and reach the state where sexual distinction
becomes insignificant as the perpetual oneness of shiva
and shakti prevails in this super-mundane realm. Sri
Aurobindo’s Savitri speaks of the necessary union of
the masculine world of matter purusha with the
feminine element or prakriti to give life to the world.
The documentary’s implication on the sublime
metaphysical union of purusha and prakriti reflected in
the personality of the Ranis could also be understood as
the male actors’ willing union with his feminine self.
Explaining this phenomenon in detail during my
interaction with him through email, Debojit Majumder
expresses his observation that for these performers,
adopting a feminine identity was a sort of unification
with self. This opinion certainly gives way to the
inference that for these artists, impersonation was not
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
merely copying or imitating women. It was an
abnegation of their worldly consciousness of
‘manliness’ and escalate towards a heightened
unification with their feminine better half that made
them complete as their family members report that
they did not care about public ridicule for about
appearing to be feminine but enjoyed their work
thoroughly. This renunciation of social concerns is
regarded indispensable during the process of natya or
dramatic enactment as per the Natyasastra (The
ancient treatise on the nature of dramatic production)
which compares drama to a yajna or the holy fire
sacrifice (XXXVI 77-79). Kapila Vatsyayan remarks that
as per the Natyasastra, drama or natya requires a total
effacement of pride( Vatsyayan 10) and any artist is
supposed to abnegate arrogance, ego etc. (ibid). This
implies that dramatic art as per the Natyasastra is a
yajna or fire sacrifice that demands the immersion of
pride into the holy natyayajna similar to the offering of
the ingredients in the yajna or the fire sacrifice altar.
The female impersonators’ complete immersion into
their roles may be read as the abnegation of their
worldly identity and therefore renunciation of their ego
in the sacred altar of the natya. This is witnessed in the
final interview of actor Satabala Rani in the film who
prays selflessly for the well-being of the entire
humanity. It is obvious that age has made him
incapable of giving a decent speech recalling his yester
years distinctly to the makers of the film, yet we see the
actor wishing well-being and prosperity for everybody
in the interview recorded for the film just before his
demise. This last frame entirely transforms the film
from its genre as a simple documentary on female
impersonators of jatra to an enriching and illumining
experience. Satabala’s last words inspire that altruism
needs to be the motto of the artists since they are the
delegates of the art that was originated as the fifth Veda
according to the Natyasastra whose practitioners have
to discard hubris and aim for the promulgation of
moral values in the society. (Bhat 6). Satabala Rani thus
restores the primeval philosophy of Indian art. It is
remarkable because the actor, who lived with his family
in a penury state since the demand for his profession
had declined, implored to god for the well-being of all
of us before his final departure from the world. The
pain undergone by the actors of having to evict the
stage that they once ruled is expressed by Chapal
Rani/Chapalda in the most telling manner he removes
his wig and shows his aging real self which is no longer
appreciated by the public. As a spectator, this not only
evokes sympathy for the senior actor but also arouses a
sense of guilt for being a part of the society that
discards genuine talent for commercial entertainment.
Towards the end, the film provides a poignant
disclosure of the pathetic condition of these actors after
they had to leave their profession and introduces each
Rani in his actual male identity. As we get familiar with
Rakhal Rani as Rakhal Das, Harigopal Rani as Harigopal
Das, Haripada Rani as Haripada Bayen, Phoni Rani as
Phoni Bhattacharya, Banaphool Rani as Kanai lal Das,
Satadal Rani as Sunil Kumar Maity, Kshitish Rani as
Kshitish Chandra Biswas etc., the film makes it implicit
320
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
that the Ranis had disappeared and the men had taken
their place to fit in various other professions where
their feminine roles were unwanted. It feels devastating
to know that many of these talented artists had to take
up menial jobs to survive and those who could not do
anything else had no other resort but to commit
suicide. It is extremely sad to see the kindred of these
actors today striving hard to manage a decent living for
themselves. However, the documentary does not end
on a pessimistic note but closes optimistically by
depicting the solo performer Bobby9 carrying forward
the legacy of his preceptor Satabala Rani proudly
without appearing daunted by any present or
forthcoming hurdles. The actor’s determination
towards continuing the tradition is certainly a
commendable gesture. It leads the film to a pleasurable
denouement as we see him performing the role of the
mother goddess in her indomitable prowess as the
protector and the sustainer of the world and as an actor
confidently claiming the right of the Ranis on the stage.
To Conclude, Chena Kintu Ajana is the cynosure of
contemporary art as it rightfully gives us every reason
to honor the contribution of the Ranis in theatre and
overlook that their original motive of adopting the
profession of impersonation was money-making. In
fact, the makers have done full justice to illustrate the
manner in which the laudable Ranis made their
spectators, connoisseurs and aficionados believe that
acting is not just earning money through a profession
but it is in fact a sublime mode of reaching the state of
blissful union with the self/divine. The concluding
emotional reminiscence by Makhan Natta “I miss my
leading Ranis… I tell the female actors to remember
Chapal and Phoni Rani” is indeed heartfelt gratitude
expressed to acknowledge that their replacement is
impossible to be found. Thus, engendering the
realization about the irretrievable loss of the Ranis
particularly in jatra and generally in the realm of
entertainment is the phenomenal contribution of the
documentary that makes it a classic!
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
Bhatt, G.K. Bharata Natya Manjari. Poona: Bhandarkar
Oriental Research Institute, 1975.
Chena Kintu Ajana: Known Strangers. A Documentary by
Dipanker Dutta and Debojit Majumder. Online Video. On
Vimeo. Copyright 2014.
Natyasastra. A Treatise on Ancient Indian Dramaturgy and
Histrionics, ascribed to Bharatamuni, Sanskrit text and
English Translation, edited by Manmohan Ghosh, Vols I and II
Asiatic Society, Calcutta, 1951
Vatsyayan, Kapila. Bharata The Natyasastra.Sahitya Akademi,
2001.
© 2015; AIZEON Publishers; All Rights Reserved
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
*****
NOTES:
1. Dipankar Dutta started his career in a film production house as an assistant cinematographer and has later taken
on the responsibility of a cinematographer. For a brief period he also freelanced as a cinematographer and editor.
Dipankar also spent more than a decade with a reputed advertising agency working in their audio visual as well as
creative department. He subsequently setup his own advertising agency D3 and over the last five years has
worked for reputed corporate brands strategizing and executing effective campaigns. Chena Kintu Ajana is
Dipankar’s first directorial venture in Bengali documentary.
2. Debojit Majumder Researcher and Producer, Chena Kintu Ajana Debojit has been in the communication
profession for nearly a decade. Though an MBA in HR, he has never been a practicing HR professional because of his
penchant for communication. Debojit started his career in a public relations agency and spent almost five years
working with reputed agencies servicing a gamut of clients belonging to different industries. It is while working on
such assignments that he learnt how to plan effective media and public relation campaigns. He has also worked in
the corporate communication team of a reputed multinational corporation in the manufacturing industry. This
exposure helped him develop his media network across Eastern India. Chena Kintu Ajana is Debojit’s first
documentary venture as a researcher, script writer and producer.
3. Makhan Natta is the owner of Natta Company, one of jatra's oldest, respected and reputed company. All leading
female impersonators of the time we have portrayed in the film have had successful stints with Natta. Some of them
spent their entire acting career in the company. Some of the iconic plays of jatra were Natta Company productions.
For audience Natta Company's production was a must, every season. And the trend continues to even now.
4. The temple like structure (it’s the house of Chandrasehkar Acharya where Chaitanya had performed)
5. Chapal Bhaduri/Chapal Rani
Chapal da hails from a family of actors. His paternal uncle was Sisir Kumar Bhaduri, a doyen of Bengali theater and
a revered performer. Chapal da's father Tara Kumar Bhaduri, mother Prabha Debi and sister Ketaki Dutta were all
popular actors. Chapalda, unlike other jatra artists, came to the art form from theatre and wasn't trained in the
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
321
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
form. Chapal da lost his mother early and was nurtured by his sister Ketaki Dutta all through. The first performance
that Chapal da delivered, in jatra was of Anjana in the play Debidas. For this role he was offered a job in the
railways. But an actor with a true calling he shunned that job and went onto essay some of jatra's most memorable
characters in plays like Chand Bibi, Raja Debidas, Sultana Razia and others. He was the highest paid jatra actor
during the 1960s. He moved away from stage once women started appearing and resurfaced years later performing
as Ma Shitala. Currently he acts in theater and films.
6. Jayashree di is a veteran actress of jatra having trained under the iconic Utpal Dutta. She had performed
alongside star female impersonators like Chobi Rani, Babli Rani, Chapal Rani and others. Hence she had the
privilege opportunity of observing these actors from close quarter. Her acting strengthened and evolved in such
august company. She was married to Madhu Boral, another well known female impersonator. Jayashreedi continues
to perform in jatra, tele serials and films.
7. Janardan Nandi/Janardan Rani
Janardan Nandi's father was a well known singer during his days and was close to Charan Kabi Mukunda Das.
Having lost his mother at a very young age, Janardan received his first music lessons from Mukunda Das and also
acted as a child in his swadeshi jatra. When Mukunda Das was later arrested, Janardan and his father came to
Kolkata without a penny to support them. Child Janardan used his singing talents to beg in the streets of Kalighat
and whatever he earned as alms supported the father-son duo. His singing soon caught fancy and he was brought to
Chitpur's jatra para. And from thereon he started his career first as a singer and then actor in jatra plays.
Throughout his life Janardan has essayed many important characters like Chandrabati, Sophia, Lutfha and others.
But fact remains that he was never the first choice for these roles. He was taken due to the unavailability of other
leading ranis. But his role of Kali from the play Ramprasad was perhaps his best ever and earned him fame and
recognition.
8. Interview: Debojit Majumder had the following observation on my query about the absence of ‘manly’ voice
reflected in the voice of the Ranis.
You had informed me during one of our interactions via email that none of these artists sounded 'manly'
when you heard the audio. Can you just expand a little bit on this stating whether the reason for the
absence of manliness in voice could be attributed 'certainly' to their profession.
This question is difficult to answer for me, because of want of information. I have heard six of the 15 female
impersonators documented in the film. That's not even fifty percent. So I cannot comment for sure on whether
there were female impersonators who otherwise had 'manly' voices.
Having said that, my guess (based on the six heard) their tonality was not dependent on the profession. But it was
the profession which was dependent on tonality. For if they had masculine voices, would they have been trained as
female impersonators? Remember trainers during such times were iconic performers themselves and hence their
skill selection, nurturing and development were very incisive. Would they have bet their horses on someone who
had a husky voice? Probably no. Hence it can be said that child artists with distinct voices were trained for female
roles. Therefore Phoni Rani's voice was integral to him and that's what led to his selection for playing Rani
characters. Yes the profession shaped and sharpened it further but probably the tonality was inherent.
Just a clarification. I have used the term 'manly' devoid of the social connotation attached to it. The use if the term in
my response is not to comment on the social perceive of the person concerned but to make a distinction between
the voice of AB and ST like you have used. I again reiterate and I strongly believe, till am proven wrong, that the
tonal quality was inherent for which they were selected to play women characters. Because for how long can AB
willingly suspend his inherent tonal quality to perform in a women character? Is it possible to willingly suspend
one's natural voice and take on an entirely different pitch night after night and for decades? To what extent would it
have been possible for AB or Amrish Puri, for that matter, to act in a softer voice throughout their career? Given a
choice between AB and ST, who would a trainer chose for playing female characters, all other talents being
constant?
I think we need to get one point straight. Jatra actors of those days, unlike theater artists, DID NOT choose their
profession. None of them wanted to be jatra artists from their childhood. In most cases the profession chose them.
And that happened because they had certain qualities which were found to be fit for them to be pitted in female
characters. Tonal quality being one of them.
9. Bobby was a performer in Satya da's group and used to train under him. Together they have staged quite a few
palas in and around Kolkata, away from the mainstream Chitpur para. Working together, Bobby bonded well with
Satya da and his brother Chachu Rani. He took care of the group's functioning and simultaneously learnt acting
from the Roy brothers. When Chachu Rani passed away a couple of years ago, Bobby care gave Satya da till his last
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
322
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
day. His daily care, his medical support, his hospitalization was all taken care off by Bobby. He did for Satya da what
any faithful son would do for his/her parents.
10. The write-up is solely based on my personal observation about the film. However, I have also tried to
incorporate Researcher Debojit Majumder’s views on certain aspects related to the documentary in this interview
below that was conducted via email.
1. Why did you choose to make a film on the female impersonators in early Jatra?
Ans: Before responding to this question, a clarification. Chena Kintu Ajana is a film about the last generation of
female impersonators of jatra wherein the history of female impersonation in the theatre form has also been
outlined. This is not a film on female impersonators in early jatra, as that would mean a different set of stars who
we have not documented in this film.
It is widely known that female impersonation as a genre of performing art has a long and global history. Presence of
female impersonators in Victorian and Greek plays has been written about. In India too, female impersonation has a
long and rich history. And this history is unique for it reveals how performances of female impersonators were not
mere acts. Each performance stimulated a change within society and contributed to the evolution of womanhood.
Watching performances of female impersonators, women who had limited role and exposure in society, learnt what
being fashionable was all about. Kathryn Hansen, an expert in gender studies observed female impersonators “were
embodiments of feminine sensibility and decorum, creating prototypes for the ideal women.” From Bal Gandharva
women started wearing nose studs and tugging flowers along hairbuns. Jay Shankar Sundari’s song “Koi dudh lyo
dilrangi” became so popular that it was printed on mill produced cloth. Traders knew people would buy the
product simply because a line of Sundari’s song was printed. It fascinates to realize that facets of womanhood were
being interpreted, defined and presented by males! And the way it was accepted and followed by women, proves
the propensity to realism of the creation. But how could men do it so well? How can male actors exude so much
feminine charm, grace and character? Was this acting or something more? It was to seek this answer that we
decided to document the era of female impersonation and their societal impact.
While the impact of female impersonators of Parsi theater on urban women has been studied and written about it is
interesting to note how female impersonators of traditional theatre forms impacted rural and semi-urban women
where the societal mechanism differs from the urban setup. How did impersonators of Lavani, Nautanki, Jatra,
Koddiyatam, Bhavai impact respective societies? Did impersonators enjoy the same popularity and power to
initiate transformations? Were they as graceful as Gandharva or Sundari or as acclaimed as they were? This area
offers opportunities for research. Hence we decided to study female impersonation in jatra, the folk theatre form of
Bengal. Jatra is itself a vast subject and female impersonation is a rich chapter of jatra’s history. This form has
produced some of the best actors who played female roles and this is not restricted to a decade or century. History
of jatra, as dated as available, bears testimony to the richness of the impersonation form of performance. But what
was special about the 20th century, the number of such talented actors in jatra. Starting with Bibhuti Rani till Chapal
Rani, crowds were left mesmerized by their beauty, grace and acting, singing and dancing skills. Many of the
‘leading ladies’ of jatra were compared with eternal beauties like Liz Taylor, Suchitra Sen, Saira Banu. And mind
you, these were not ladies in real but men! For a man to be compared to Liz Taylor is recognition of inherent
qualities and talent. Though some work has been done on the subject of female impersonation in jatra it is mostly
restricted to singular actors and not a study of the nuances of this acting form. We felt the need to document female
impersonation more holistically done and selected the last generation of impersonators as our subject. Studying
this era is significant for it is replete with transformations.
2. Do you feel that Jatra has the potential to attest its viability in the contemporary times as an art
form and if so, do you feel that there’s any scope to restore the importance of the female
impersonators in the folk drama today?
Ans.: At the outset, would like to state that am not an expert in jatra or a dedicated researcher of the subject. My
views are fully based on my miniscule reading and interactions with members of Chitpur based operas. Though
many opine that jatra is in its last stages, I feel the situation is not that grim. Certainly these are hard times, but I
personally feel that the form has the power and strength of character to withstand the storm. But for that the
‘character’ of the form has to be re-discovered in this case. Yes it is true that financially Chitpur business is no
longer what it used to be. And it is probably not prudent to think, it would have been so, in this age of mass media
and social media. Business was bound to get affected due to effects of globalization of culture and the introduction
of mass mediums like television and cinema. But jatra should have continued to hold on as has been the case with
theatre. Unfortunately jatra isn’t fascinating anymore and none waits in anticipation of seeing their stars perform,
in front of them. For me, there are socio-economic reasons behind the lackluster state of today’s jatra. And these are
precisely the points we need to work on if we were to revive the art form. I would like to put forward some of them:
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
323
•
•
•
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
Society’s perception of jatra – it has been traditionally believed that jatra is an entertainment medium
for the ‘useless’ jacks. Hence it has never enjoyed the kind of intellectual incubation that theatre is
used to. Jatra artists were not held very highly in society, in spite of their fame. This saw many jatra
artists take up acting assignments in cinema in lure of the glory and recognition. Such societal neglect,
over a period of time, has resulted in apathy among those associated with jatra. Society will have to be
much more respectful to the art form if it has to survive. Actors will have to be appreciated for their
work, if they were to remain motivated to give in their best. We will have to change the way we look at
jatra to realize its philosophy and publicize it. Jatra is still popular in the states of Assam, Orissa,
Manipur and even in Bangladesh. Why can’t we have it here?
Talent breeding – There is a dearth of talents in jatra today, observes at Chitpur will tell you. Walk
down Chitpur and look at the posters around. The title of the play, expressions of the actors, the
design of the poster there is very little to attract one’s attention. This is my personal observation and
in no know intends to undermine any individual’s thoughts and efforts. They don’t attract me. It does
indicate to the growing lack of talent to nurture and develop the form. The plays are not of the quality
and caliber of the bygone days. The subjects have changed and portray modern times. Lyrics are
catchy but not the quality you would go home humming. All of this has further contributed to
decreasing popularity. Hence this art form is in requirement of talent. But in all probability, societal
thinking will hold the key to such talent availability.
Character resonance – Over the years, succumbing to commercial constraints and the growing
popularity of mass media, jatra today is a deviation from what jatra used to be. I feel those involved
with jatra should deliberate on the fact that it can never take on commercial mass media. It is never
meant to be that way. For, art cannot be mass and can never have the commercial success that
popularity breeds. If that ever happened to art, it would probably lose its essence and thrill. Films,
which are not mainstream, do not rake in as much commercial benefits as does mainstream cinema.
Theatre is not as popular as cinema is but you still have rich theatre productions. And it is probably
because theater never tried to be where cinema or other such mass medium is. This has helped
theatre retain its essence and significance. Jatra, I feel, failed here. Looking back at the golden period,
most of the plays were historical and mythological. Plays which carried a strong message merged with
strong storytelling. To highlight the social impact jatra created, once can look at Swadeshi jatra.
Popularized by Charon Kobi Mukunda Das, swadeshi jatra infused the spirit of nationalism within the
masses which did contribute to the freedom movement. Both seem to be lacking today. Most of the
plays are social dramas where the message and storytelling are both weaklings. Probably that’s why,
for the past few seasons, a gradual shift towards mythological plays again can be noticed. We take
pride in our history, culture and religion. Jatra was once a vehicle to reflect on these. Elements of
modernity found place in plays authored by the likes of Palasamrat Brajendra Kumar Dey. But it was
blended with tradition. While it’s easier for audience to connect with a lady smoking bidi, it’s a tad
difficult for them to connect with a lady smoking cigarette in Western outfit. The presentation is
enjoyed but not connected with. Jatra should work towards establishing that connection as it used to
be. Modern jatra will have to realize that art forms signify an aspiration. An aspiration to become more
evolved as individuals, be it as a lover of art forms or as a practitioner. Hence for art forms to survive
it will have to be able to stimulate that aspiration.
I strongly feel, jatra has the potential to make its mark even today. But for that we probably need to relook
its vision and functioning.
Whether the heydays of female impersonation can be revived…I have my doubts on it. And that’s precisely
the question we have ended the film on. Will the likes of Boddhisatva and others be able to keep the tradition alive?
I often ask myself whether Boddhisatva will ever become like Satyabala? An actor whose pictures were sold for Rs.
35 in the second half of 20th century! Boddhisatva is a powerful young actor and impersonates for Sitala Pala,
Mansa Pala, Tonsha Jatra and such forms. Though not a part of the mainstream jatra industry, a good story can
bring out the best in him. But can he create that impact? I doubt not the actor’s ability but audience acceptability. A
tiger who’s tasted blood can never turn vegetarian….to put it crudely. Having grown used to seeing women
performers and the intrinsic nature of their presentation and performances, audiences will probably not be able to
connect with impersonators the same way. Also due to change in the economic dynamism of rural Bengal finding
youngsters who are interested in pursuing a career in professional jatra is difficult today.
3. Do you think the diminishing demand for female impersonators with the entry of female actors
evinces a decline in the reverence for quality art and indicates a prioritization of glamour?
Ans.: Certainly yes. It does indicate towards a decline in appreciation for true art and a prioritization of glamour
and commercialization. And that’s why I referred to in a response above that jatra fell into this very trap. It tried to
do what was not expected of it.
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
324
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
During our research we were often shocked at the brutality of treatment we meted out to the likes of Haripada
Rani, Phoni Rani, Upen Rani and others. An actor having to commit suicide because he didn’t have enough money to
sustain his family! And someone who was referred to as Jatra Laxmi not so long ago….bares their vulnerability. It
also indicates how as a society we have failed in our duty towards our culture and those who forms the fabric of it.
We booed them off stage and forgot all about them, as if to say they never existed. Such change in attitude towards
female impersonators does mark a change in the cultural priority of society as whole.
4. Why have you not incorporated a few other current practicing or senior female actors and their
opinion about these male actors impersonating female roles in the film apart from the one actor
who voiced her opinion?
Ans.: Though it has not been disclosed in the film, Jayashri di was married to Madhu Boral a well known female
impersonator of his times. Moreover she had performed alongside Chobi Rani, Babli Rani and Chapal Rani. Hence
she fitted the bill perfectly. We had approached a couple of senior actresses witnesses of that era. Post initial
interactions we didn’t think they could do justice to the subject. Hence we decided not to go ahead. We are
unfortunate that Jyotsna Dutta is no more. She is the one we missed sorely while doing this film.
5. It seems a feminist angle to the entire dimension of male actors doing female role so graciously has
been suggested but has not been tackled as a separate subject. Why so?
Ans.: What we have tried to do is showcase the unique talent within a male actor to become an embodiment of
feminism. For me feminism here mean the energy which arouses certain attributes within us which has been
socially constructed to be feminine. We have tried to focus on those attributes to seek the presence of that energy
within the actors. That’s what led us to the debate of whether they were Ardhanarishwars. Hence we never really
took to focusing on any feminist angle because for us it was the quest for that stream of energy and its presence
which was priority. But if any such angle emerges in our work, we will be very happy about it.
6. In one of your previous mails to me you stated that the male actor when portrayed a female role, it
was a means of unification with self. Can you be more specific on this as to what do you mean by
“unification with self” whether it is the male actors’ union with his intrinsic feminine element as Dr.
Lal suggests in his philosophical discourse about Ardhanareshwara? Or whether it is a human
being’s blending with his inner conscience that remains unadulterated by worldly concerns when
he embraces the art form transcending the barriers of material existence?
Ans.: I come without any background of art or any grooming in any form. Hence my view on this is again from my
limited reading and interaction with art practitioners. As I have stated above, for me art is an aspiration. The nature
of aspiration might differ from individual to individual, within art lover and art practitioners. But the value (signify
importance) of the aspiration is constant. For some, art is immortality; for some art is selfless dedication, for some
art is divinity, for some art is a manifestation of self. All these are aspirations and art is a means to that end. It
involves evolution of the self into higher order, a move towards the tapering peaks of Maslow’s hierarchy theory.
I also strongly feel that female impersonators were rare embodiments of energies which were supplementing. For
symbiosis it is important for the male energy to supplement female energy. Female impersonators were the rare
few within who such energy existed in harmony. That’s probably why they were all soft spoken, shared their
success but bore their pains in isolation, were good at household chores and taking care of their family. Infact we
have the daughter of one Rani stating that he ran the household much more efficiently after his wife passed away,
than his wife ever did. Certainly the male energy didn’t dominate their being. For if it did, they would be like many
other males who are not very kitchen savvy. If the male energy didn’t dominate, then did the female energy?
Complete domination seems unlikely as most of them were married and had children and lead a happy family life.
There are exceptions but from Maharastra to Gujarat impersonators had all tied the knot. So there seems to have
been that synchronization of male and female energies.
Glancing at their entry into jatra, it seems unlikely that they ever individually realized their natural self and hence
came into the artform. They realized it once into it . The deep social conditioning, like you had mentioned, was the
reason why they gave everything to the stage. For it was on that stage, dressed in their best outfits they set out on a
journey. A journey to live the other self, embodying the energy within. That’s why it has been documented in the
film that one look at the mirror post makeup, the actors fell in love with whom they saw. This love arose because
they saw, whom they enjoyed seeing. The Rani within. This is what I meant by ‘unification of self.’
7. Could you just share the difficulties you encountered making this film? What sort of (main) hurdles
you had to overcome?
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
325
Payal Trivedi / The Eng Lit J. 2015, 2(3): 317-326
Ans.: The biggest handicap of the work has been our inability to document the views of Jyotsna Dutta. She was
groomed by leading female impersonators like Haripada Rani and others and she had performed alongside them. It
would have been interesting to learn about her views. The biggest challenge has been the scarcity of material and
lack of systematic documentation. Since Hence point of references were limited. We visited the houses of all actors
documented, to collect research material. Photographs are rare and authenticity of those available is a problem
area.
I wouldn’t call it hurdle, but our biggest challenge was to work on a subject were 97% of your main characters are
no more. This meant the film had the disadvantage of being static. We were required to work around that. We had
to gather every bit of information, from reliable sources, and string them together.
We also had some difficulty in accessing materials. Organizations in possession of rare and important archive are
not always willing and open enough to allow their archive for researcher and documentation purposes. Hence we
had some issues procuring documents. Such centralization of valuable information on art forms, which is public
anyways, is a difficulty.
8. I have already read Shomaji’s viewpoint in her write-up on the film. However, I would want to know
the audience reaction or the feedback you all got after they saw it.
Ans.: We were fortunate to have received positive feedback from the audience so far. Some liked the idea of
including small capsules on each Rani, while some found the second half more interesting and compact than the
first. Some even cried seeing how many of struggled against all odds. LGBT members connected to the film and
appreciated it, which was a positive.
9. Please include some particularly thought-provoking critique of the film so far if you have had it
from anyone.
Ans.: One interesting feedback we got from some viewers was regarding the edit of the film. They felt that the edit
could have been more compact and there are areas of repetition. We have since then watched and re-watched the
film ourselves; to identify the areas we could have done without. It’s been one of the most difficult aspects and it
still continues to be. We are still trying to learn, what we could have done better or different. I say this feedback is
interesting, for there are so many stories, incidents and happenings to choose from that editing was a challenge
from the start.
The other feedback we received from a senior educationist and former professor of economics at Jadavpur
University. He opined that the interviews of the experts should have covered a couple of more aspects. One was
how the relation between female impersonators and jatra dal owners changed once actresses started entering jatra.
This point is important for it would have given an insight into the changing dynamism between impersonators and
those who once adored them.
*****
http://english.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2015/3/eng317-326.pdf
326