Mobile theatre revolutionary Hemanta passes away at 83
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Guwahati: Assamese dramatist Hemanta Dutta, whose theatrical rendition of James Cameron's Titanic on the stage of the Kohinoor theatre group in 1998 brought a revolution to Assam's unique travelling theatre industry, breathed his last at 83 on Monday.
Dutta achieved the seemingly impossible by recreating cinematic spectacles like helicopter landings and the sinking Atlantic on a modest mobile theatre stage while staging Titanic.
The eminent cultural figure of the state, Dutta was undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. He was awarded the state's second-highest civilian award, Assam Sourav, earlier this year.
Born in 1942 in Kharupetia, Darrang district, Dutta penned over 100 plays and composed more than 500 songs.
He was widely admired for his innovative adaptations, including bringing James Cameron's Titanic to Assam's mobile theatre stage — an achievement that demonstrated his creative daring and commitment to popularising theatre.
Director Tapan Lahkar, son of Ratan Lahkar — one of the pioneers of the mobile theatre industry — told TOI that Dutta's demise will create a vacuum in the mobile theatre industry as no one would be able to measure up.
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"Dutta Khura (uncle) and Ratan Lahkar, founder of the Kohinoor mobile theatre group, were the two sides of the same coin. Working in tandem, they took the mobile theatre industry to the next level through dramatic and thematic innovation, besides introducing technical experiments on the stage," he added.
Lahkar said staging Titanic in 1998 brought a revolution to the mobile theatre industry, as until then, nobody could imagine such technical work on a mobile theatre stage.
"Besides Titanic, the plays Ramayana and Mahabharat were classic examples of their imagination, experiment, and dedication. There was no television in households when those plays were staged," he added.
He said Dutta's notable works include the plays Eta Nasta Lorar Galpa, Path, Titanic, Hendur, Akakhor Dore Mon, and Mukti, and film songs for movies such as Hiya Diya Niya, Jiban Surabhi, and Nayak.
Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while mourning Dutta's demise, said the state has lost a torch-bearer in the cultural field. Besides him, people from every section of the society mourned the demise of Dutta.
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