Veteran Assamese theatre personality revists his photographer’s journey

PTI
GUWAHATI, FEBRUARY 19

Renowned Assamese theatre activist and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee Dulal Roy’s over 50 years of journey on stage has been presented through a six-day photography exhibition, a first of its kind in the state.
The unique exhibition, titled ‘Indulgence of the Spirit’, began on Feburary 17 at State Art Gallery showcasing 122 pictures from around 40 plays staged across the country.“I am feeling extremely good and nostalgic. It is a reminiscence. Friends and family had been kind enough to help me putting up this show,” he told PTI here.
Roy, one of the doyens of modern Assamese theatre, said “I also feel that young photographers should come and see this exhibition. They should realise that there can be another dimension or specialisation of photography, that is theatre photography.”
Since his return to Assam from Delhi in 1972, Roy has over 70 highly acclaimed productions to his credit such as Karengor Ligiri, Siraj, Andha Yug, Adhe Adhure, Ashad Ka Ek Din, The Lesson, Bhogjora, Hamlet, Sarkari Inspector and Waiting for Godot.
Besides direction, he has been involved with light design, music and stagecraft in his productions.
Born in 1943, Roy graduated from the National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1966. He also holds a diploma in film editing from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.
While he was working as the Project Director of the Sattriya Kendra of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Roy directed Rabindranath Tagore’s Chandalika, Srimanta Sankardeva’s Keli Gopal and Ram Bijay.
Roy has also received Chaman Lal Award for stagecraft, Honour of Excellence in the field of Theatre by Prachin Kala Kendra in Chandigarh, Shraddhargha Award by Jyotirupa Assam, Natyaprabar Sarada Kanta Bordoloi Award and Natya Bhaskar title among many others.