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, educationist and politician who served as the Education Minister of West Bengal between 2021 and 2026. He held 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 an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly, from the Dum Dum constituency, from 2011 till 2026. 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 postgraduate education at 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 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. He has acted in many films, including Kaalbela, Icchey, Sthaniyo Sambad, Hemlock Society, Muktodhara, Double Feluda, Baranda, Jogajog, Kalkijug, Asamapta, and Dhulobali Katha. Basu has received many awards and recognitions. 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 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.

Hemlat, The Prince of Garanhata has won critical acclaim from academic researchers as an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Sam Kolodezh of the University of California, Irvine, Drama and Theatre heaped praise on Bratya's adaptation. Formerl associate professor at Kuwait University and a life-member of the Shakespeare Society of Eastern India, Antony Johae lectured on the Indianization of Shakespeare's work. 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, former Shakespeare professor at Rabindra Bharati University and president and co-founder of Shakespeare Society of Eastern India, and professor Ronan Paterson, an actor, director and producer for theatre and film in Britain and Ireland and an extensive writer on Shakespeare.

Bratya Basu 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 150 shows. He produced "Boma" in 2015, a period piece exposing jealousy, greed for power, and internal conflicts among Bengali freedom fighters. Basu also 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 be the emblematic representation of the 'universal betrayer' in all societies and 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 Aranyadeb Ganakrishti / Swapnalu 1998 / 2018 Bratya Basu / Premangshu Roy Natok Samagra Vol I Mukhomukhi Bosibar / Teesta Swapnasandhani / Abhash 2001 / 2016 Koushik Sen / Sekhar Samaddar Natok Samagra Vol I Kalantak Lalfita Based on Shibram Chakraborty's story Chetana 2000 Suman Mukhopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol II Chatushkon Ganakrishti / Aakar Kala Sangam 2001 Bratya Basu / Suresh Bhardwaj Natok Samagra Vol I Shahar Yaar Ganakrishti 2001 Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol I Winkle Twinkle Sansriti 2002 Debesh Chattopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol I Babli Drishypat / Purba Paschim 2003 /2005 Anirban Bhattacharjee / Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol I Virus M Ganakrishti 2003 Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol I 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 Page 4:It's also a game Lokokrishti / IFTA 2005 / 2016 Bratya Basu / Debashish Dutta Natok Samagra Vol II Operation 2010 Ashoknagar Natyamukh 2005 / 2014 Avi Chakraborty Natok Samagra Vol II Debitarjon 2006 Natok Samagra Vol II Hemlat:The prince of Garanhata Adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' Ballygunge Swapnasuchona 2006 Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol II Mrityu Ishwar Jaunota Srijak / Ashoknagar Ntyamukh / Prachya 2006 / 2015 / 2017 Debashish Basu / Avi Chakraborty / Biplab Bandyopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol I 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 Krihnagawhbar Niva Arts 2007 Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol II Comrade Katha Swapnasandhani / Playmakers 2008 / 2017 Koushik Sen / Kaustabh Duttagupta Natok Samagra Vol II Orkute Jukto Holo Baltimore Aar Nadia 2009 Natok Samagra Vol II Ruddhasangeet Play on famous Rabindrasangeet advocate Debabrata Biswas Kalindi Bratyajon 2009 Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol II Darjiparar Marjinara Swapnasandhani 2009 Koushik Sen Natok Samagra Vol II Bhoy Swapnasandhani / Thealight 2009 / 2019 Koushik Sen / Atanu Sarkar Natok Samagra Vol II Supari Killer Prachya 2011 Biplab Bandyopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol III Bikele Bhorer Sarshephul Sansriti 2011 Debesh Chattopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol II Cinemar Moto Kalindi Bratyajon 2013 Bratya Basu Apatoto Eivabe Dujoner Dekha Hoye Thake Sansriti 2013 Debesh Chattopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol III Altaf Gomes Sansriti 2013 Debesh Chattopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol III Samayjaan Theatre Platform / Ashokenagar Natyamukh 2013 / 2017 Debashish Roy / Avi Chakraborty Natok Samagra Vol II Khanjana Ami Aar Asbona Theatre Platform 2013 Debashish Roy Natok Samagra Vol II Ke? Kalindi Bratyajon 2014 Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol III Duto Din Pancham Baidik 2014 Arpita Ghosh Natok Samagra Vol III Jatugriha Sansriti / Shantipur Sanskritik 2015 Debesh Chattopadhyay / Kaushik Chattopadhyay Natok Samagra Vol III Anandibai Based on Parashuram's story Howrah Bratyajon 2015 Debashish Biswas Natok Samagra Vol III Boma Kalindi Bratyajon 2015 Bratya Basu Natok Samagra Vol III Ila Gurhoisha Theatre Platform 2015 Debashish Roy Natok Samagra Vol III Banijye Basate Lakkhi Paikpara Indraranga 2017 Bratya Basu Troyee Jibjantu Theatre Platform / Rabindranagar Natyaudh 2017 Debashsish Roy / Dani Karmakar Natok Samagra Vol III Fourth Bell IFTA 2017 Debashish Dutta Eibare Duti Natok Anusochna Ayanda 2017 Biplab bandyopadhyay Troyee Hridipash Theatre Platform 2017 Debashish Roy Troyee Akdin Aladin Swapnalu / Paikpara Indraranga 2018 Premangshu Roy / Kanchan Mallick Mir Jafar O Onyanyo Natok Ami Onukulda Aar Ora Ashokenagar Natyamukh 2018 Avi Chakraborty Mir Jafar O Onyanyo Natok Bisarjaner Por Playmakers 2018 Kaustabh Duttagupta Natok Samagra Vol II Mir Jafar Kalindi Bratyajon / Shriram Centre 2018 / 2020 Bratya Basu / Azhar Alam Mir Jafar O Onyanyo Natok Antim Raat 2019 Creusa, the Queen Chetana 2020 Sujan Mukhopadhyay Coronar Dingulite Prem 2020 Matsyanyaya 2020 Matsyanyaya Roll-Action-Cut 2020 Fyodor 2020 Fyodor Tin Atotayee 2020 Tin Atotayee:Ekti Ekok Sanglap Ei Raat Tomar AmarPatra Bharati2025

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 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 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 Ref 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