https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Binodini_DasiBinodini Dasi - Revision history2026-07-31T12:05:14ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Binodini_Dasi&diff=461401&oldid=prevDrshivambjpIND at 16:35, 4 February 20262026-02-04T16:35:36Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Indian actress (1863–1941)}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=April 2014}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Binodini Dasi<br />
| image = Binodini dasi.jpg<br />
| caption = <!-- other than just name --><br />
| birth_name = <!-- if different --><br />
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1863}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|1941|2|12|1863|df=y}}<br />
| death_place = [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]<br />
| othername = Noti Binodini<br />
| occupation = Drama actress<br />
| years_active = <br />
| spouse = <br />
| domesticpartner = <br />
| website = <br />
}}<br />
[[File:House of Binodini Dasi (Noti Binodini).jpg|thumb|250px|House of Binodini Dasi, Kolkata, India]]<br />
'''Binodini Dasi''' (1863 &ndash; 12 February 1941), widely known by her stage name '''Noti Binodini''', was a pioneering Indian [[Bengali language|Bengali]] actress, writer, and theatre personality of the 19th century.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Murshid |first=Ghulam |year=2012 |chapter=Dasi, Binodini |chapter-url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Dasi,_Binodini |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> She began her acting career at the age of twelve in the [[Bengali theatre]], a domain traditionally dominated by men, and achieved widespread fame for her portrayals of mythological and historical female characters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Halder |first=Deep |last2=ThePrint |date=2024-12-14 |title=Bengali theatre ‘betrayed’ Binodini Dasi. Bangla film promises to do her justice |url=https://theprint.in/feature/bengali-theatre-betrayed-binodini-dasi-bangla-film-promises-to-do-her-justice/2401215/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><br />
<br />
Despite her immense popularity and critical acclaim, Binodini retired from the stage by the age of twenty-three. Her premature departure was influenced by the social stigma attached to women performers during that period. In 1913, she published her autobiography, ''Amar Katha'' (translated into English as ''My Story and My Life as an Actress''), which is considered one of the earliest memoirs by a South Asian actress.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dasi |first=Binodini |title=My Story and My Life as an Actress |publisher=Kali for Women |year=1998 |location=New Delhi |pages=190 |language=English |translator-last=Bhattacharya |translator-first=Rimli}}</ref> This work offers rare insight into the struggles and social prejudices faced by female performers in colonial India, as well as reflections on her own life, relationships, and professional experiences.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mamata Banerjee corrects 141-year-old injustice, honours 19th century theatre personality Noti Binodini |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/mamata-banerjee-corrects-141-year-old-injustice-honours-19th-century-theatre-personality-noti-binodini-3336741 |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
Her life and contributions have since been the subject of scholarly research, plays, and films, underlining her role as a trailblazer who challenged the norms of her time.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |url=http://sify.com/news/women-on-stage-still-suffer-bias-amal-allana-interview-news-national-kdlkOidjebg.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811140725/http://www.sify.com/news/women-on-stage-still-suffer-bias-amal-allana-interview-news-national-kdlkOidjebg.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2011 |title=Women on stage still suffer bias: Amal Allana (Interview) |date=11 March 2010 |website=Sify News |access-date=2 April 2010}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Biography ==<br />
Binodini Dasi was born into a poor family. As a child, she followed [[tawaif]] Ganga Bai to learn music, accompanied her during music sessions. She was nine when she saw a play for the first time. Awe-struck by the stage, Binodini Dasi expressed her desire to act.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/210439/binodini-dasi-theatre-actress-drama-aishwarya-rai-biopic-feminist-wave-india-gop94/ | title=Binodini Dasi, the Trailblazing 'Fallen Woman', Who Inspired a Bollywood Biopic| date=21 January 2020}}</ref> She started her career as a [[tawaif]], and at age of twelve, she played her first professional stage role at Calcutta's National Theatre in 1874, under the mentorship of its founder, [[Girish Chandra Ghosh]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://feminisminindia.com/2019/09/30/courtesan-contribution-hindustani-classical-music-histories/ | title=Courtesan Contribution To Hindustani Classical Music—Lesser Told Histories| date=29 September 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071118/spectrum/main9.htm Bringing alive Binodini Dasi] ''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]'', Sunday, 18 November 2007.</ref> Her career coincided with the growth of [[proscenium]]-inspired European theatre among the Bengali theatre going audience. During a career spanning twelve years, she enacted over eighty roles, which included those of Pramila, [[Sita]], [[Draupadi]], [[Radha]], Ayesha, [[Kaikeyi]], Motibibi, and Kapalkundala, among others. She was one of the first [[South Asia]]n theatre actresses to write her own autobiography. Her sudden retirement from the stage is insufficiently explained. Her autobiography has a consistent thread of betrayal. She defied every canon of feminine ''smritikatha'' and wrote down what amounted to her indictment of respectable society. [[Ramakrishna]], the great saint of 19th century Bengal, came to see her play in 1884.<ref>{{cite book |author=Christopher Pinney |author-link=Christopher Pinney |year=2004 |title=Photos of the Gods |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8hhXq7hpzSwC&pg=PA42 |publisher=Reaktion Books |page=42 |isbn=1-86189-184-9}}</ref> She was a pioneering entrepreneur of the Bengali stage and introduced modern techniques of stage make-up through blending European and indigenous styles.<br />
<br />
==In popular culture==<br />
* In Dinen Gupta's [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali]] film ''Nati Binodini'' (1994), [[Debashree Roy]] played the character.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSgyAgrW_s|title=Nati Binodini (1994)|website=youtube.com|access-date=1 March 2020}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref><br />
* ''Nati Binodini'', a play based on her autobiography, ''Aamar Kathaa'' was first presented by [[National School of Drama]] Repertory Company in 1995 with the lead role played by actor, [[Seema Biswas]], then in 2006, noted theatre director [[Amal Allana]] directed a play by the same name which premiered in Delhi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/12/08/stories/2006120801500300.htm|title=Autobiography comes alive : "Nati Binodini", based on Binodini's autobiography "Aamar Kathaa"|author=Romesh Chander|date=8 December 2006|work=The Hindu|accessdate=2 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125042/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/12/08/stories/2006120801500300.htm|archive-date=6 June 2011|url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20080218-armed-to-go-735363-2008-02-08|title=Stage Craft|date=8 February 2008|work=India Today|access-date=2 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/11/24/stories/2006112401170300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401160146/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/11/24/stories/2006112401170300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 April 2012|title= Lights, sets, action..: Nissar and Amal Allana's "Nati Binodini" premieres this weekend in Delhi. |date=24 November 2006|work=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=2 April 2010}}</ref><br />
* In ''[[Abohomaan]]'' (2010), directed by [[Rituparno Ghosh]], the role of Binodini was essayed by [[Ananya Chatterjee]].<br />
* In ''[[Kadambari (2015 film)|Kadambari]]'' (2015), directed by [[Suman Ghosh]], the role of Binodini was essayed by [[Sreelekha Mitra]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |title=In Pics: Konkona as Kadambari Debi, Parambrata as Rabindranath Tagore |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/in-pics-konkona-as-kadambari-debi-parambrata-as-rabindranath-tagore/articleshow/46394741.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-02-13 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><br />
* In ''[[Prothoma Kadambini]]'', Diya Mukherjee portrayed the role of Nati Binodini.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/bengali/diya-mukherjee-joins-the-cast-of-prothoma-kadambini/articleshow/79407400.cms|title=Diya Mukherjee joins the cast of 'Prothoma Kadambini' |date=25 November 2020|work=The Times of India|access-date=14 December 2020}}</ref><br />
* Tuhinabha Majumdar directed ''Aamaar Katha: Story of Binodini'', a documentary based on her autobiography.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://filmsdivision.org/shop/aamaar-katha-story-of-binodini|title=Aamaar Katha: Story of Binodini &#124; Films Division|access-date=18 December 2021|archive-date=16 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116193724/https://filmsdivision.org/shop/aamaar-katha-story-of-binodini|url-status=dead}}</ref><br />
* In her biopic titled ''[[Binodiini: Ekti Natir Upakhyan]]'', directed by [[Ram Kamal Mukherjee]], the role of Binodini was essayed by [[Rukmini Maitra]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2022-09-05 |title=Rukmini Maitra to Lead Ram Kamal Mukherjee's Bengali Theater Actor Biopic 'Binodiini' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/global/rukmini-maitra-bengali-theater-actor-biopic-binodiini-1235359667/ |access-date=2023-02-05 |magazine=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><br />
* In ''[[Lawho Gouranger Naam Rey]]'' (2025), directed by [[Srijit Mukherji]], the role of Binodini was portrayed by [[Subhashree Ganguly]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Subhashree Ganguly looks unrecognisable as Nati Binodini in new picture shared by Srijit Mukherji |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/babli-actress-looks-unrecognisable-as-nati-binodini-in-new-picture-shared-by-srijit-mukherji/cid/2106792 |work=[[The Telegraph (India) |The Telegraph]] |date=8 June 2025 |access-date=14 June 2025}}</ref><br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
=== Sources ===<br />
{{Refbegin}}<br />
* {{cite book |last=Spinazzola |first=Joe |year=1997 |chapter=Binodini Dasi |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y91tJFn5ejkC&pg=PA167 |editor1-last=DeLamotte |editor1-first=Eugenia C. |editor2-last=Meeker |editor2-first=Natania |editor3-last=O'Barr |editor3-first=Jean F. |title=Women Imagine Change |publisher=Routledge |pages=167–170 |isbn=978-0-415-91531-1}}<br />
* {{cite book |chapter=Binodini Dasi |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u297RJP9gvwC&pg=PA290 |editor1-last=Tharu |editor1-first=Susie J. |editor1-link=Susie Tharu |editor2-last=Lalita |editor2-first=Ke |year=1991 |title=Women Writing in India |volume=I |publisher=The Feminist Press |pages=290–296 |isbn=978-1-55861-027-9}}<br />
* {{cite book |last=Trivedi |first=Poonam |author2=Dennis Bartholomeusz |title=India's Shakespeare |publisher=University of Delaware Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-87413-881-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n5lKp1XE2OQC}}<br />
{{Refend}}<br />
<br />
== Further reading ==<br />
* ''Binodini Dasi: My Story and My Life as an Actress''. Edited and translated by Rimli Bhattacharya. New Delhi: Kali for Women, 1998.<br />
* {{cite book |last=Forbes |first=Geraldine Hancock |author-link=Geraldine Forbes |year=1999 |title=Women in modern India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hjilIrVt9hUC&pg=PG183 |series=The New Cambridge History of India |volume=IV.2 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=183 |isbn=978-0-521-65377-0}}<br />
* {{cite book |last=Srinivasan |first=Doris M. |author-link=Doris Meth Srinivasan |chapter=Royalty's Courtesans and God's Mortal Wives |year=2006 |editor1-last=Feldman |editor1-first=Martha |editor2=Bonnie Gordon |title=The Courtesan's Arts: Cross-Cultural Perspectives |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=173–175 |isbn=978-0-19-517029-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U-iuYBiOkRgC}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
{{Commons category|Binodini Dasi}}<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071225113507/http://www.newagebd.com/2005/dec/09/time.html Binodini: an immortal tale]<br />
<br />
{{Prostitution in India}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dasi, Binodini}}<br />
[[Category:1863 births]]<br />
[[Category:1941 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Feminist artists]]<br />
[[Category:Writers from Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Indian stage actresses]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian women writers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian autobiographers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian courtesans]]<br />
[[Category:Women autobiographers]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian actresses]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian women writers]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian writers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women non-fiction writers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women biographers]]<br />
[[Category:Biographers from British India]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian biographers]]<br />
[[Category:Actresses from Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Writers from British India]]<br />
[[Category:Actresses from British India]]<br />
[[Category:People from the Bengal Presidency]]</div>DrshivambjpIND