Usha Ganguly @Lokadharmi 10.00 am 5th Nov 2017

Usha Ganguly (born 1945) is an Indian theatre director-actor and activist, and founder of Rangakarmee theatre group Kolkata, visits Lokadharmi. She will be interacting with the artists and acting students of Lokadharmi at 10.00 am on 5th Nov 2017, on various issues on contemporary theatre, acting in theatre, her process and approach to theatre etc.
She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Direction, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, and Dance & Drama in 1998.[6] She has also been honoured by the West Bengal Government as the best actress for the play Gudia Ghar.[
She started her career as a Hindi Lecturer at Bhowanipur Education Society College, till her retirement in 2008 and practised theatre alongside.[9]
Initially since was trained as a dancer, and started acting in plays like Gudia Ghar based on Ibsen’s Dolls House. She started directing in the 1980s and soon her energetic style and disciplined ensemble work with young, large casts brought a resurgence of Hindi theatre in the city. Her important productions include Mahabhoj (Great Feast) Lokkatha (Folktale), Holi Rudal, Himmat Mai, an adaptation of Brecht's Mother Courage and Court Marital written by Swadesh Deepak.
She has written a play Kashinama, based on a story, from the Kashinath Singh's classic work, Kashi Ka Assi and an original play Khoj. She also worked on the script of Raincoat a Hindi film based on O Henry's The Gift of the Magi, directed by Rituparno Ghosh.
Her plays were performed all over India and in all major theatre festivals including Bharangam and ITFoK, and also at the Theatre der Welt Festival in Stuttgart, Germany, "Punj Pani Festival" at Lahore Pakistan.