Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal...

Cover of Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator

Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator

Author: Sandip Roy
Pages: 520
Language: English
Published: 2026-01-05
ISBN: 9781803095516

Join Bookberry

Save this book to your shelf

Join Bookberry to track reading, unlock your AI reading guide, and earn welcome berries when you sign up.

Welcome berries when you join

No credit card required

About this book

Blending biography with evocative vignettes, Chapal Rani traces the career of Bengali stage actor Chapal Bhaduri and his struggle for artistic identity in a changing world. As the last great female impersonator of Bengali theater, Chapal Bhaduri--known as Chapal Rani--once held audiences spellbound in the jatra tradition, where men became goddesses and heroines. But when women finally took their place on stage, Chapal found himself exiled from the world he had ruled. In this groundbreaking biography, Sandip Roy captures the rise and fall of a performer whose art was inseparable from his identity. Told in Chapal's own voice and interwoven with evocative fictional vignettes, Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal brings to life Kolkata's golden age of theater and the resilience of a man who refused to disappear. Through decades of research and deeply personal interviews, Roy crafts a moving portrait of gender and belonging.

bookberry.insights

Note: Bookberry insights are powered by ChatGPT and may contain occasional inaccuracies. Sign in to leave feedback and generate new insights.

More Books by Author: