Staging a tribute Writer, actor and director, Utpal Dutt (1929 - 1993), was a radical figure who dominated Bengali theatre and cinema for over four decades. Under the aegis of Airtel Expressions, Airtel is commemorating the death anniversary of the stage-legend with a three-day festival of plays (at Rabindra Sadan), beginning today. Organised in association with People’s Little Theatre and government of West Bengal, the festival will feature the plays Noti, Manusher Odhikare (produced by Beharampore Repertoire; tomorrow at 6.30 pm) and Louho Manab (produced by People’s Little Theatre; August 21 at 6.30 pm). Noti, the inaugural play of the festival, though not written by Dutt, uses excerpts from many of his plays. It is a tribute to the fiery 19th and 20th century actresses of the Bengali stage, showcasing the contributions, trials and tribulation of luminaries of yesteryears like Binodini Dasi, Probha Devi, Sobha Sen, Keya Chakraborty and Tripti Mitra. This evening’s performances features veteran actress Sen and daughter, Bishnupriya. Event: Play in Bengali, Noti, produced by Utpal Dutt Foundation and People’s Little Theatre When: Today at 6.30 pm Where: Rabindra Sadan

art

Till August 19 at Academy of Fine Arts, New South Gallery & West Gallery; 3 pm - 8 pm: Annual art exhibition by members of Contrivance. Till August 19 at G.C. Laha Centenary Fine Arts Gallery; 1 pm - 7 pm: Monsoon Collection, paintings by artists from Bengal. Till August 20 at Birla Academy of Art & Culture; 2 pm - 8 pm: Reflection of Another Day (RAD) presents Aranya 2006, an exhibition of paintings, graphics and sculptures.

drama

August 19 at Academy of Fine Arts; 3 pm: Theatron presents Shey. Direction: Saswati Biswas. August 19 at University Institute Hall, College Square; 6 pm: The anniversary programme of Sambhunath Mukherjee Institute of Cancer features the Natasena production, Gorur Garir Headlight. August 19 at G.D. Birla Sabhagar; 6.30 pm: Sanskriti Sagar presents a mono-act musical play in Hindi Vivekanand. Written, composed and acted by Shekhar Sen. August 20 at Academy of Fine Arts; 10.15 am: Drisyapat presents Aguner Barnamala. Direction: Anirban Bhattacharya. August 20 at Academy of Fine Arts; 3 pm: Sanglap Calcutta presents its latest production, Astoraag. Direction: Kuntal Mukhopadhyay. August 20 at Girish Mancha; 6.30 pm: Sundaram presents Munni O Saat Chowkidaar. Drama, direction and acting: Manoj Mitra. August 20 at Padatik’s Buildwell Theatre; 6.30 pm: Padatik and Brainchild Theatre present the Hindi play, Thaneer Thaneer. Design and direction: Kunal Padhi.

performing arts

August 19 at Calcutta School of Music, Sandré Hall; 7 pm: Evening of Easy Listening, light western classical music and Latin-tinged jazz. Participants: Shashi Puri (piano), Debabrata Mitra (piano/keyboard), Debashish Banerjee (drums), Mainak Nag Chaudhuri (bass), Deboprotim Baksi (percussions) and Ananya Biswas (vocals). August 19 at Padatik’s Buildwell Theatre; 6.30 pm: Padatik Dance Centre presents Madhumita Roy and her troupe in a Kathak dance recital. August 20 at Birla Academy; 5.30 pm: Surkanan Music Circle presents a programme of Hindustani classical music. August 20 at Abantika Abasan, Picnic Garden, Block IB, Flat#1; 6.30 pm: Vivekananda Institute of Social Science presents a programme of patriotic songs and folk dances of India, along with a lecture by Prof Dr Ladlimohan Roychowdhury on The Role of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda in Indian Freedom Movement. Also, a free medical camp for the poor (10 am - 3 pm).

talk

August 19 at Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Shivananda Hall; 6 pm: Samiran Chandra Chakraborty will speak in Bengali on Veda Parikrama. August 19 at Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, 19 A&B Raja Rajkrishna Street; 7 pm: Swami Paramatmananda will speak in Bengali on Manovijnan O Atmatattwa.

photographs

August 19 at Jibanananda Sabhaghar; 6 pm: Multimedia Photo Presentation featuring works of distinguished Indian photographers. August 19 - August 24 at Academy of Fine Arts; 3 pm - 8 pm: A Retrospective, photographs by Aroop Datta. August 19 - August 22 at Rabindra Sadan courtyard; 10 am - 8 pm: Witness, photographs by Amit Datta, Ashok Majumder, Bikas Das, Deshakalyan Chowdhury, Jayanta Shaw, Krishna Kishore Roy and Parth Sanyal. Till August 22 at Nandan II; 3 pm - 8 pm: An exhibition of photographs to celebrate World Photography Day.

seminar

August 19 at Institute of Historical Studies, 35 Shakespeare Sarani; 2 pm: Institute of Historical Studies, Calcutta and Netaji Bhavana Manch, Calcutta host a half-day seminar on Role of Women in the Indian National Army. August 19 at Nandan III; 6 pm: National Academy of Photography and Persona host a seminar on Visuals in the Field of Literature.

book launch

August 19 at The Crystal Hall, Taj Bengal; 2 pm: Penguin Books India and Taj Bengal, Calcutta host the launch of Vikram Chandra’s Sacred Games. To be followed by a reading from the book by the author.

exhibition

August 19 at Nari Seva Sangha, Jodhpur Park; 12 noon - 7.30 pm: Mahila Sanskritik Sammelan hosts an exhibition-cum-sale of items made by women. Till August 21 at 169 Sarat Bose Road; 11 am - 7.30 pm: Nupur’s Boutique presents an exhibition of cotton, silk, crepe, chiffon and organza sarees in madhubani, kalamkari, block and batik prints.

entertainment

August 19 at Tollygunge Club main lawns; 8 pm onwards: The Tolly Monsoon Bash, a monsoon carnival featuring DJ Akash, DJ Jimmy Tangree, VJ Archana, the Challengers dance group and Indi-pop singer Preety Bhalla.

reading

August 20 at G.D. Birla Sabhagar; 11 am: Professor P. Lal reads Sanjaya’s report of the gruesome clash between Drona and Krishna’s cousin Yuyudhana-Satyaki, and Arjuna killing the Avanti princes Vinda and Anuvinda, in the 341st weekly session of his sloka-by-sloka English transcreation of Vyasa’s Mahabharata.

---

All those who wish events to be included in this column should write not less than a week ahead to:

Time out, The Telegraph, 6, Prafulla Sarkar Street, Calcutta-700 001;
Fax: 2234-8244