Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee reads the iconic Nathabati Anathbat to celebrate the spring festival

Interdisciplinary artiste Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee visited Santiniketan to attend the two-day long spring fair, organised by the Santiniketan Society of Visual art and Design (SSVAD) on the lawns of their art centre. It was a celebration of visual arts, design, and performing arts. Sujoy was invited to perform on the final day of the art ensemble and he chose to read an excerpt from the iconic play Nathboti Onathbot which marked his first public act with the text. His performance was lauded.

For years, thespian Saoli Mitra performed Nathboti Onathbot on stage. “I brought in my style to it,” said Sujoy, adding, “Art has no boundaries and this is a perfect space to explore this seminal text on Mahabharata to compliment the eternity of spring,” the Shah Jahan Regency actor said.

This was followed by Rabindrasangeet by Ritapa Bhattacharya and the finale was by Sanghamitra Das Baul. SSVAD organises an array of art workshops, and residencies for emerging artists and provides a space for performances and art exhibitions. SSVAD provides space and accommodation for artists to create work and immerse in the natural surroundings of Santiniketan. The tribal villages and the Bauls (mystic minstrels of Bengal) and the region’s rich association with the artistes community of Viswa Bharati, the University set up by Nobel Laureate and philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore, complement this creative space. The fair, Basanta Mela, ushered in the season by exhibiting sustainable art, paintings by budding, as well as, celebrated artists, ceramic accessories, pottery, sculptures, and even books on art. 

Meanwhile, Sujoy has finished dubbing for his upcoming film, Nikhonj. Directed by Arannyak Chatterjee, the film will bring Sujoy to a different avatar. “I am grateful to the stylists and costume team for giving me a very smart look in the film. He is currently working as an associate producer of an international documentary on Satyajit Ray. He is very upbeat about his new work to be exhibited on April 1 and 2 as a tribute to the legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen.