Ardhendu Sekhar Mustafi facts for kids

Ardhendu Sekhar Mustafi (25 January 1850 — 5 September 1908) was a Bengali actor, playwright, and theater personality. He was known for his amazing acting skills and his contributions to Bengali theater.

A Star of the Stage

Ardhendu Sekhar Mustafi was born in 1850 in Bagbazar, Kolkata, which was then part of British India. He went to the Hare School for his education.

Early Performances

Mustafi began his acting career in 1867. His first performance was in a funny play called Kichhu Kichhu Bujhi. This show took place at the Royal palace in Pathuriaghata.

He later joined the Bagbazar Amateur Theater group. There, he acted in a play called Sadhabar Ekadashi. This play was written by the famous novelist Dinabandhu Mitra.

A Gifted Actor

Ardhendu Sekhar Mustafi was a close friend and acting partner of Girish Chandra Ghosh. Ghosh was another very important person in Bengali theater. Mustafi even helped Ghosh start the National Theater in 1872.

A writer named Amrita Lal Basu once called Mustafi "An actor made by God." This was because Mustafi could play many different kinds of characters in one play. He was truly versatile!

Famous Roles and Teaching

In the famous play Nildarpan, Mustafi played both male and female roles. He even played the part of the bad guy, an Englishman named Wood Sahib.

Besides acting, Mustafi was also a successful drama teacher in Kolkata. He helped many new actors learn their craft.

He performed on many stages from 1872 to 1904. These included the Indian National Theater, Great National Theater, Emerald Theater, Arya Natya Samaj, Minerva, Aurora, and Star Theater. He also wrote a book titled Binar Jhankar.

Notable Plays

Here are some of the plays Ardhendu Sekhar Mustafi acted in or was involved with:

• Nabin Tapaswini
• Durgeshnandini
• Sirajddaula
• Mir Kashim
• Prafulla
• Rizia
• Pratapaditya
• Buro Shaliker Ghare Ro
• Meghnadbadh
• Balidan
• Hirakchurna