Transformation Within

First Look: I finally dare to peep into my family’s controversial heritage as my grand-uncle readies for his performance as a Goddess. Chapal Bhaduri, the last living male ‘jatra’ (open theatre) heroine of Bengal, comes from a lineage of Bengal theatre stalwarts like Sishir Bhaduri and Prabha Debi.

Makeover: An act of transformation mastered over 65 years, achieved over 2 hours of patient yet swift work with makeup colours, brushes and a mirror. As the idea of gender becomes fluid in his few simple strokes, I imagine the changing faces that he’d have seen in his reflections over the years.

Age: As the strong colours overshadow the glaring wrinkles of time, my lens digs deeper into his paraphernalia. From fake eyelashes to imitation jewellery, onlookers would have termed them as profane or divine, much like his art. With him they were, and with him they have aged.

Reawakening: As the final touches are over, my octogenarian grand-uncle is replaced with a surreally gorgeous persona of feminine grandeur. I could clearly imagine the charm of the erstwhile Chapal-Rani and see the truth inthe tales I had passingly heard, of what a diva she was.

The Final Act: I take a seat in the darkness as the limelight shines on him. Or her. A monologue on the creation of Sitala – the Goddess protecting us from epidemics. A tale of transformation that I witness on stage, before that and beyond that, altering forever my views of him and my family.