Usha Ganguly

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Usha Ganguly (1945–2020) was an Indian theatre director, actor and activist. She was best known for Hindi theatre in Kolkata during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1976 she founded Rangakarmee, a theatre group famous for plays like Mahabhoj, Rudali, Court Martial and Antaryatra. Along with Shyamanand Jalan of Padatik, she was one of the few Hindi theatre directors in Kolkata.

Born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Ganguly moved to Kolkata, studied Bharatanatyam, attended Shri Shikshayatan College and earned a master’s in Hindi literature. She began teaching in 1970 at Bhowanipur Education Society College while acting with Sangit Kala Mandir. Her first play Mitti Ki Gadi (1970) featured Vasantsena, and she continued teaching until 2008 while pursuing theatre.

Ganguly started directing in the 1980s, bringing an energetic, disciplined ensemble style that helped revive Hindi theatre in Kolkata. Notable works include Mahabhoj (1984), Lokkatha (1987), Holi (1989), Rudali (1992), Himmat Mai and Court Martial. She also wrote Kashinama (2003) and an original play Khoj, and contributed to the film Raincoat (2004).

Rangakarmee began an education wing in the 1990s and has toured across India, running theatre education programs for underprivileged communities. In 2005 the company performed at Theatre der Welt in Stuttgart, and in 2006 at a festival in Lahore. In 2010 they staged Bhor, a multilingual production about inmates of a drug rehab centre. Usha Ganguly received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Direction in 1998 and was honoured by the West Bengal government as best actress for Gudia Ghar. She passed away on April 23, 2020, in Kolkata.