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{{Short description|Indian actor, playwright, activist and director (1933–1983)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ajitesh Bandopadhyay
| image =
| birth_date = 30 September 1933
| birth_place = Ropogram, [[Purulia District]], [[West Bengal]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1983|10|13|1933|9|30}}
|death_place = [[Calcutta]], [[West Bengal]], India
| occupation = {{plainlist|
* actor
* playwright
* activist
* director
}}
| mother = Lakshmi Rani Devi
| father = Bhubhanmohan Bandopadhyay
}}
'''Ajitesh Bandopadhyay''' ({{langx|bn|অজিতেশ বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়}}; born: 30 September 1933 ― 13 October 1983) was an Indian actor, playwright, activist and director.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinestaan.com/people/ajitesh-bannerjee-129228|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526040456/https://www.cinestaan.com/people/ajitesh-bannerjee-129228|url-status=live|archive-date=26 May 2019|title=Ajitesh Bannerjee movies, filmography, biography and songs - Cinestaan.com|website=Cinestaan|access-date=2019-05-19}}</ref> He along with [[Shambhu Mitra]] and [[Utpal Dutt]] are considered to be the doyens of Bengali theatre of the post - Independence era.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/editorial/letters-to-the-editor/some-confession-on-actor-ajitesh-bandopadhyay-1.804592|title=সম্পাদক সমীপেষু: কী হয়েছিল কী হয়নি|website=anandabazar.com|language=bn|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref>

== Early life ==
He was born as Ajit, at Ropogram in [[Purulia District]], [[West Bengal]] at his maternal uncle's house. His native village was [[Kenda]] situated in the [[Raniganj, West Bengal|Raniganj]] region of [[Paschim Bardhaman district]], [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/editorial/ajitesh-bandopadhyay-the-man-who-created-a-niche-for-himself-in-bengali-theatre-1.1033758 |title=আসানসোলের অজিত, কলকাতার অজিতেশ}}</ref> He was the eldest son of coal miner Bhubhanmohan and Lakshmirani.

Having graduated from [[Maharaja Manindra Chandra College]], [[Kolkata]], he taught for a few years in the same college and in [[South Point School]] before plunging himself into the world of theatre by joining the ''[[Nandikar]]'' group in 1960.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/53-years-on-an-actor-remembers-his-journey/articleshow/21769485.cms | title=53 years on, an actor remembers his journey|last=Mitra|first=Prithvijit|date=12 August 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref>

== Theatre ==
Before joining ''[[Nandikar]]'', he had been in close touch with the IPTA (''Indian Peoples' Theatre Association'') and was both directing and performing a number of its stage productions. While with ''[[Nandikar]]'', Ajitesh along with [[Rudraprasad Sengupta]], [[Asit Bandopadhyay]] and Keya Chakrabarty, staged and performed many successful plays - mostly adaptations of ''[[Chekhov]]'', ''[[Sophocles]]'', ''[[Luigi Pirandello]]'' and such ''stalwarts''; of these, few like ''Antigone'', ''Teen Poysar Pala'' (adapted from ''Three Penny Opera''), ''Manjari Aamer Manjari'' (adapted from ''Cherry Orchard'') not only drew large audiences but created milestones of success even at the national level. Plays like ''Bhalomanusher Pala'' and ''Sher Afgan'' met with the same success. As a recognition of his directorial ventures and contribution to theatre, he was honored with the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award|''Sangeet Natak Academy Award'']] in 1976 at the age of 42, one of the youngest recipients of this nationally prestigious award. In the early 1970s, he was described by none other than [[Sombhu Mitra]] as the "most powerful performer of the Bengal theatre in current times". In 1977, he left [[Nandikar]] and formed his theatrical group ''[[Nandimukh]]'' through which he continued his stage productions and performances with equal aplomb.<ref name=":0" />

== Film ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2025}}
At the same time, his performance on the silver screen, particularly as a [[character actor]], in films like ''Haate Bajare'', ''[[Chhuti]]'', ''[[Atithi (1965 film)|Atithi]]'', ''[[Kuheli]]'' followed by [[Ganadevata (film)|''Ganadevata'']], ''Aaj Kaal Porshur Galpo'', ''[[Aarohi (film)]]'', ''[[Megh o Roudra]]'', ''[[Thagini]]'', ''Nidhiram Sardar'', ''Hire Manik'', ''[[Kapalkundala (1981 film)|Kapalkundala]]'', [[Samjhauta (film)|''Samjhauta'']] (in Hindi) established him as a powerful thespian of the stage and screen.

He was actively involved with ''radio plays'' and [[Jatra (theatre)|''Jatra'']] also.

An instance of his integrity and devotion is found when he left his teaching career to be cast for the role of the antagonist in ''Haate Bajare'' Directed by [[Tapan Sinha]] stating that his acting might negatively impact the young minds.

== Death ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2025}}
His untimely demise (at the age of 50) left a void, especially in Bengal theatre, which is, perhaps, still felt by one and many.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bandopadhyay, Ajitesh}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:People from Purulia district]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Indian theatre directors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Kolkata]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Maharaja Manindra Chandra College alumni]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]

Ajitesh Bandopadhyay - Revision history

Veronaqbs at 12:25, 27 January 2026