Book Talk: Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal

A poignant portrait of the last great female impersonator of Bengali theatre, whose life on and off the stage blurred the boundaries of gender, identity, and performance.

Chapal Bhaduri, celebrated as Chapal Rani, was the last iconic female impersonator of the Bengali jatra stage—a tradition where men donned saris and embodied queens, goddesses, and heroines for travelling theatres. But as societal norms evolved and women entered the theatre, Chapal faced an identity crisis on and off the stage. Hailing from the storied acting family of Sisir Kumar Bhaduri, Prabha Devi and Ketaki Dutta, Chapal emerged as a major presence on the Bengali stage in the 1950s, only to see his career disintegrate by the early 1970s.

In this riveting biography by Sandip Roy—told in Chapal’s own voice—we travel through the bustling streets of Kolkata and the golden era of Bengali theatre, charting Chapal’s tumultuous journey from his childhood into the present day. From his close bond with his mother to the highs of standing ovations and the eventual pain of rejection, the book captures both his theatrical triumphs and personal struggles. It also explores Chapal’s search for love and companionship as a homosexual man in a conservative society and his enduring battle with the loneliness of fame.

Blurring lines between history and imagination, this creative nonfiction work intertwines real events with evocative fictional vignettes, painting an intimate portrait of an artist torn between stardom and invisibility. It also explores the fluidities of gender in South Asia, where identity is often a delicate interplay of tradition, performance and personal truth.

Infused with years of research and rich with anecdotes of passion, resilience and heartbreak, Chapal Rani invites readers to rediscover an era where the stage was a mirror of society, and performers like Chapal Bhaduri embodied its complexities with grace and courage.