Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal: The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator (The Pride List)

Author: Roy, Sandip

Brand: Seagull Books London Ltd

Binding: hardcover

Number Of Pages: 520

Release Date: 04-02-2026

Part Number: RKC2009232157

Details: Blending biography with evocative vignettes, Chapal Rani traces the career of Bengali stage actor Chapal Bhaduri and his struggle for artistic identity in a changing world. As the last great female impersonator of Bengali theater, Chapal Bhaduri―known as Chapal Rani―once held audiences spellbound in the jatra tradition, where men became goddesses and heroines. But when women finally took their place on stage, Chapal found himself exiled from the world he had ruled. In this groundbreaking biography, Sandip Roy captures the rise and fall of a performer whose art was inseparable from his identity. Told in Chapal’s own voice and interwoven with evocative fictional vignettes, Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal brings to life Kolkata’s golden age of theater and the resilience of a man who refused to disappear. Through decades of research and deeply personal interviews, Roy crafts a moving portrait of gender and belonging.

EAN: 9781803095516

Package Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches

Languages: English