Thespian puts resignation on hold

KOLKATA: A call from chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday dissuaded veteran theatre director and actor Manoj Mitra from quitting as chairman of Paschim Banga Natya Akademi. Following assurances from the CM, who also handles the information and culture department, Mitra decided to put his resignation on hold.
Since morning, the theatre world was abuzz with the news of Mitra’s imminent resignation.Last week was marked by a chain reaction as big guns like Bratya Basu, Arpita Ghosh and Debesh Chattopadhyay resigned from Natya Swajan, a forum of theatre artistes formed after regime change in West Bengal, leading to its collapse. In that backdrop, Mitra mulling resignation from the government-run body assumed greater significance.
Speaking to TOI, Mitra said, “Yes, I wanted to resign as chairman of Natya Akademi. I was preparing to draft my resignation letter when the CM called. She asked me to give her a couple of days to set things right.”
Set up in 1987, the body has had renowned theatre personalities like Gyanesh Mukherjee, Debnarayan Gupta, and Kumar Roy as its president. After the Trinamool Congress swept to power in Bengal, Mitra, a pro-change intellectual, was appointed president of the Natya Akademi.
Earlier in the day, Mitra was candid about his disgust with the functioning of the Natya Akademi. “The company in which I have to work at the Natya Akademi does not inspire me. I cannot function properly. A clique of self-seekers with vested interests dominates the academy. Besides, mudslinging by members is disgusting,” Mitra told TOI.
It pained him see theatre groups and people were deprived during hall allotments and weekend slots, he said.
“Several veterans like Bibhas Chakraborty, Arun Mukhopadhyay and Meghnad Bhattacharya stopped coming. Senior theatre personalities were not respected by a clique of younger theatre persons. Their disrespect is my disrespect. It is an uncomfortable situation not conducive for work,” said Mitra.
He was angry with former Natya Akademi member Manish Mitra. “After he quit the academy, he indulged in name-calling. I feel disgusted to think I lived with such a venomous snake,” said Mitra.
Earlier, he had written to the chief minister twice informing her about the problems in the theatre body. “She sent Nandini Chakraborty, then I&CA secretary, to me. But, I did not pursue it any further and nothing happened after the meeting,” said Mitra.