গণনাট্য থেকে নবনাট্যে উত্তরণ : শম্ভু মিত্রের নাট্যদর্শনের রূপান্তর/ Gananatya Theke Nabanatye Uttaran : Shambhu Mitrer Natyadarshaner Rupantar

Abstract

Shambhu Mitra's transition from the IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association) movement to the New Theatre (Nabanatya) movement marks a significant cultural and aesthetic phase in the history of Bengali theatre. This paper examines the evolution of Mitra's theatrical philosophy, tracing its transformation from the collective, politically oriented ideology of IPTA to the autonomous, humanistic, and individual-centered vision of theatre that he developed through Bahurupi. The study argues that this transition reflects not only a change in organizational affiliation but also a fundamental shift in his artistic outlook. Shambhu Mitra was not only an eminent actor and theatre director but also an original playwright and essayist. His Chand Baniker Pala is regarded as a landmark contribution to Bengali dramatic literature. Although the play was never fully staged during his lifetime, Mitra presented public readings of it on several occasions, and recordings of these performances have been preserved. His other notable plays include Ulukhagra, Bibhab, Ghurani, and Kanchanranga. He also wrote several influential essays on theatre, among which Kake Bole Natyakala (What is Theatre Art?) and Prasanga: Natya (On Theatre) are particularly significant. The paper further analyses the evolution of Mitra's theatrical vision through his early dramatic works and major productions, including Ulukhagra, Jabanbandi, Nabanna, Pathik, Chera Tar, Bibhab, Char Adhyay, Dashachakra, Raktakarabi, Putul Khela, Raja, Bisarjan, and Raja Oedipaus. It argues that Mitra conceived theatre not merely as an instrument of political propaganda but as an autonomous artistic medium for exploring the complex relationship between the individual, society, and truth. Through the establishment of Bahurupi, he laid the foundations of a distinct aesthetic and humanistic tradition within the Bengali New Theatre movement. Thus, his transition from IPTA to Nabanatya represents not merely an institutional shift but a fundamental transformation in Bengali theatrical thought, one that has had a lasting impact on the development of modern Bengali theatre.