Star Theatre, Kolkata

Last updated

Binodini Theatre
Star theatre.JPG
Facade of Star Theatre
Star Theatre, Kolkata
Former namesStar Theatre
General information
StatusActive
TypeCinema Hall
Address79/3/4 Bidhan Sarani, Hatibagan
Town or city Kolkata, West Bengal
Country India
Inaugurated21 July, 1883
Owner Government of West Bengal

The Binodini Theatre, previously known as Star Theatre, is a theatre in Hatibagan, Kolkata. [1] It was built in 1883. [2] Initially situated in Beadon Street, the theatre later moved to Cornwallis Street - now called Bidhan Sarani. The Binodini Theatre, along with the Minerva Theatre, was one of the first institutions of commercial Bengali theatre. [3]

Contents

History and overview

Star Theatre in Kolkata Star Theatre Arnab Dutta.jpg
Star Theatre in Kolkata

The Binodini (Star) Theatre, along with Minerva and The Classic Theatre, were also one of the places where the first motion pictures in Bengal, made by Hira Lala Sen, were screened. Girish Chandra Ghosh was one of the first to produce plays at the Star Theatre, in the 1880s. It is a heritage site of Calcutta (Kolkata) that was destroyed in a fire and thereafter restored by the local municipal corporation. The restored Star Theatre maintains the heritage facade; the interiors are contemporary. The property is maintained by a private company.

At present, it is primarily a cinema hall; plays are staged on about two days per month. However, during winter (December and January) plays are staged here much more frequently, of the order of ten days per month. The auditorium has excellent acoustics. Star Theatre is close to the junction of Grey Street (Aurobindo Sarani) and Cornwallis Street (Bidhan Sarani). The theatre is a 10-minute walk from Shobhabazar Sutanuti metro station. Star Theatre has an underground car park with a nominal parking fee of Rs 10/- per hour (minimum three hours). Tramcar tracks, and services, on Grey Street and Cornwallis Street enhance the heritage ambience.

In 2012, the Star Theatre was to be returned to civic ownership, "to stop commercialization of the historic building that was once visited by Bengali luminaries such as Vidyasagar, Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Rabindranath Tagore." [4] In 2024, it was renamed as the "Binodini Theatre by CM Mamata Banerjee. [5] It was done to pay respect to Binodini Dasi, due to her close professional connection with the theatre and the importance of Star Theatre in her carrier. [6] [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamata Banerjee</span> Chief Minister of West Bengal since 2011

Mamata Banerjee is an Indian politician who is serving as the eighth and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal since 20 May 2011, the first woman to hold the office. Having served multiple times as a Union Cabinet Minister, Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the first time in 2011. She founded the All India Trinamool Congress in 1998 after separating from the Indian National Congress, and became its second chairperson later in 2001. She often refers to herself as Didi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vidyasagar College</span> College in Kolkata, India

Vidyasagar College is a state government-aided public college, affiliated to the University of Calcutta, located in North Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The college offers both post-graduate and under-graduate courses in a number of subjects of arts and science. Founded in 1872, it was the first private college in India which was purely run, maintained and financed by Indians. Formerly known as Metropolitan Institution, it was named after its founder Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Binodini Dasi</span> Indian actress

Binodini Dasi (1863–1941), also known as Noti Binodini, was an Indian Bengali actress. She started acting at the age of 12 and ended by the time she was 23, as she later recounted in her noted autobiography, Amar Katha published in 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girish Chandra Ghosh</span> Bengali actor, director, and writer

Girish Chandra Ghosh was a Bengali actor, director, and writer. He was largely responsible for the golden age of Bengali theatre. He cofounded the Great National Theatre, the first Bengali professional theatre company in 1872, wrote nearly 40 plays and acted and directed many more, and later in life became a noted householder disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorasanko</span> Neighbourhood in Kolkata in West Bengal, India

Jorasanko is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district, West Bengal, India. It is so called because of the two (jora) wooden or bamboo bridges (sanko) that spanned a small stream at this point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bagbazar</span> Neighborhood of Kolkata in West Bengal, India

Bagbazar is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The area, under Shyampukur police station of Kolkata Police, has been, along with neighbouring Shyambazar, the citadel of the Bengali aristocracy. Bagbazar has played an active role in growth and development of Kolkata.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janbazar</span> Neighbourhood in Kolkata in West Bengal, India

Janbazar is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The two century-old house of Rani Rashmoni, the central attraction in Janbazar, is still used by descendants in the family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shyambazar</span> Neighbourhood in Kolkata in West Bengal, India

Shyambazar is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The area, under Shyampukur police station of Kolkata Police, has been, along with neighbouring Bagbazar, the citadel of the Bengali aristocracy, in a part of what was earlier known as Sutanuti. and the popularity of Shyambazer five point crossing is for the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taltala</span> Neighbourhood in Kolkata in West Bengal, India

Taltala is a neighbourhood in Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. One of the oldest neighbourhoods of the metropolis, it has a police station on its own name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahatma Gandhi Road (Kolkata)</span> Road in Kolkata, India

Mahatma Gandhi Road or M.G. Road, formerly known as Harrison Road, is a principal East-West thoroughfare in Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. M.G. Road makes the boundary of North and Central Kolkata. In 1889 this was the first street of the city to be lit by electricity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hatibagan</span> Neighbourhood in Kolkata in West Bengal, India

Hatibagan is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Amal Allana is an Indian theatre director, scenic designer and costume designer and presently she is in her second consecutive term as the Chairperson of National School of Drama, India's premier institute of Theatre training, she also runs the Dramatic Art and Design Academy (DADA), New Delhi, with her husband Nissar Allana, which they co-founded in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nusrat Jahan</span> Indian actress and politician

Nusrat Jahan Ruhi is an Indian actress and politician who predominantly works in Bengali cinema. Beside the acting career, from 2019 to 2024, Jahan has represented as the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Basirhat constituency as a Trinamool Congress candidate. Jahan's screen debut was in Raj Chakraborty's Shotru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bidhan Sarani</span> Road in Kolkata, India

Bidhan Sarani is a principal north–south thoroughfare in north part of Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It was named after the first Chief Minister of West Bengal, Bidhan Chandra Roy. The road starts from Shyambazar five-point crossing and extends up to MG Road crossing, after which the street continues as College Street towards the south. Bidhan Sarani encompasses the neighbourhoods of Shyambazar, Hatibagan, Hedua, Shimla, Thanthania and College Street.

Kolkata Christmas Festival, held every December in on Park Street, Kolkata, is one of the largest dedicated Christmas carnivals in India. The themed lighting starts from St Xavier's College and ends at Jawaharlal Nehru Road. This has been extended in recent years at both ends: up to the Mullick Bazar crossing on Park Street, and up to St Paul's Cathedral on Cathedral Road, an offshoot of Jawaharlal Nehru Road. Another offshoot of celebrations and lighting has been extended to Vardaan Market on Camac Street. This themed lighting is designed by artisans from the nearby town of Chandannagar.

Tara Sundari was a Bengali theater actress, singer, and a dancer. She is known for notable performances in plays such as Durgeshnandini, Harishchandra, and Riziya. Tarasundari and Aparesh Chandra were one of the most successful on-stage pair of the Bengali theatre actors.

<i>Prothoma Kadambini</i> 2020 Indian Bengali television period drama series

Prothoma Kadambini is an Indian Bengali television biographical period drama based on the biography of the first practising female physician of British-ruled India and South Asia, Doctor Kadambini Ganguly. The show aired on Bengali General Entertainment Channel Star Jalsha and is also available on digital platform Hotstar, that was premiered on 16 March 2020. The show is produced by Shree Venkatesh Films and stars Solanki Roy and Honey Bafna in lead roles. The show went to off-air on 28 February 2021.

<i>Binodiini: Ekti Natir Upakhyan</i> 2024 Indian Bengali action film by Soojit Dutta

Binodiini: Ekti Natir Upakhyan is an upcoming Indian Bengali-language biographical drama film directed and co-written by Ram Kamal Mukherjee. Produced by Prateek Chakraborty and Dev under the banners of Pramod Films and Dev Entertainment Ventures, in association with Assorted Motion Pictures, it stars Rukmini Maitra in the title role with Kaushik Ganguly and Rahul Bose. The film narrates the life of the renowned theatre artist Binodini Dasi, celebrated for defying societal norms and conventions, and chronicles her journey from a courtesan to the queen of Bengali theatre, highlighting her struggles, passions, betrayals, and triumphs.

References

  1. "Star Theatre is now Binodini Mancha: The life of Nati Binodini, the 'fallen woman' who scaled great heights". Indian Express . 2 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  2. Bhaumik, Anirban (31 December 2024). "Mamata Banerjee corrects 141-year-old injustice, honours 19th century theatre personality Noti Binodini". Deccan Herald . Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  3. Banka, Neha (8 January 2025). "From Star to Binodini, why one of Kolkata's oldest theatres has a new name today". Indian Express . Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  4. Anonymous (28 March 2012). "Uncertainty looms over Star Theatre's fates". The Times of India . Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  5. "Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that Star Theatre will be renamed as Binodini Theatre". The Statesman . 31 December 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  6. Som, Moyurie (13 January 2025). "Thespians hail renaming Kolkata's Star Theatre after Binodini Dasi as historic". The Hindu . Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  7. Roy, Subhajoy (31 December 2024). "Star Theatre named after Nati Binodini: Decision to honour first celebrated Bengali stage actress". The Telegraph . Retrieved 18 January 2025.