My Story and Life as an Actress by Binodini Dasi: Definition, Introduction, Summary, and Conclusion -- englit.in

A feminist writer and actress Binodini Dasi (1860-1941), wrote her reputed autobiography ‘My Story and Life as an Actress’(1913). It conveys the “identity” and “empowerment”. In the course of the memoir, a renowned Indian actress and playwright Binodini Dasi of  nineteenth century who recites her life journey, struggles and succession as an “Actress” in the male-dominated society. In the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, a period of social, cultural, and political changes as it transactions from a feudal society to a more and modern progressive one.

Dasi expresses she and her family stayed in Calcutta. In a time period, her brother dies in the free hospital and their neighbour “picked up the dead body and rushed towards the ‘Ganga ghat”. Her mother laments, “where you have gone, my darling…” for her brother. Dasi reveals when she was ninth, a famous songstress of “Star Theatre”  named ,Ganga Baiji, who comes to their home and becomes “estimable” to all of her family. In contrast, two gentlemen Purna Chandra Mukhopadhyay and Brajanath Seth frequently visit Dasi’s home to hear Gangamoni’s song. By noticing Binodini, one of them discusses with her grandma to join Binodini in theatre.

Dasi expresses, “When I first joined the theatre, rehearsal used to be held in one of Rasik Neogi’s houses by the river ghat”. There was an important actor, Raja, who brings two short-sleeved printed blouses for her. Dasi’s teacher trains her to act Haralal Ray’s play “Hemalata”. And she played Hemalata creditably, and people have remarked “God has been kind to her”. A well known person Neel Madhab Chakraborty cares Binodini, when she comes to Calcutta. On the other hand, Dasi was hired by Saratchandra Ghosh in his Bengal Theatre because, the Great National theatre was closed down.

At the Bengal Theatre, Binodini  has played seven roles in Michael Madhusudan Dutta’s Meghnad Badh Kabya. She passes her days at Bengal Theatre fairly and everyone loved her dearly. Kedar-babu has said her, “This girl  [Binodini] is a veritable Kapalkundala. The innocence of nature is brought out so beautifully in her performance”. In the contemporary time, Dasi played “Sitar Banobas”, and it spread their theatre’s fame. She tuned working with Girish-babu because she was his first “foremost disciple”.

Girish says “hear something about she has seen” when she comes back to home. The management loves her greatly and some treat her as their “daughter, sister, a companion and a sakhi”. Star theatre’s manager, Amritalal Basu, who expresses  “Binod are you the same Binod whose performances made Bankim Chandra remark”.

Throughout, she reveals her, “as a prostitute”.  when Pratap-babu comes into the theatre, she asked for her salary, Pratap Babu laughs and expresses “What salary!” On the other hand, she discloses to Girish-babu to get a high salary to act; otherwise she shan’t work. In that time, Girish was finding a man, who is creating a new theatre.

In conclusion, Binodini Dasi’s memoir ‘My Story and Life as an Actress’ provides the experiences as an actress and reflections on the nature of art and theatre. It shows the challenges which is faced by women in the theatre industry in colonial India. Even, the story describes the sadness and resignation.  The memoir reveals, “The Greater respect, autonomy, and equality for women in woman’s performing”. It can be compared with the accounts of women’s experiences in performing arts, such as Isadora Duncan, Sarah Barnhardt, and Anna Pavlova.