Hyderabad, 7 December (H.S.): In the heart of Hyderabad’s fast-paced IT hub, a refreshing cultural wave is rising driven not by full-time artistes, but by dedicated working professionals who have kept their love for theatre alive for over a decade. This passion finally took a formal shape on 6th December, Saturday, when Roopak Hyderabad was officially launched, marking a new chapter for Bengali theatre enthusiasts in the city.
Their journey began in 2013, when a small circle of Bengali theatre lovers started meeting informally to read scripts, rehearse, and keep the art alive. What began as casual discussions quickly transformed into a mission: to ensure that Bangla theatre finds a home among the next generation growing up far away from Bengal.
This vision took center stage at their special Saturday showcase, where Roopak Hyderabad presented an evening of two celebrated Bengali plays—Pratham Partha and Bhushondir Mathe at Rangabhoomi Spaces. The event drew an unexpectedly diverse crowd, including enthusiastic Telugu students who also performed as part of the cultural lineup. Their participation added a refreshing, inclusive dimension to the evening, demonstrating how storytelling effortlessly crosses linguistic boundaries and how Hyderabad’s multicultural spirit continues to thrive.
“We began casual drama discussions in 2013,” recalls Shuddhasattwa Das, the driving force behind Roopak Hyderabad. “Everything was unstructured at first—just amateur drama enthusiasts trying to keep the language alive. Since many of us live outside Bengal, our only hope was to reach the next generation through theatre. And there is no better medium than drama.”
He explains that giving the group a formal identity in 2025 marked a significant shift. “That was the turning point. Roopak Hyderabad was born with one clear aim: to bring meaningful theatre stories of depth and diverse genres—to a wider audience.”
Despite the perception that they are new to the stage, the team has been performing for over a decade. “We’ve been staging plays since 2013,” he adds. “Many people want to act but struggle to find time. We work with anyone willing to keep this passion alive.”
The group currently functions as a not-for-profit initiative and plans to expand its scope. “We want to start acting workshops for children. Formal training is rare here, and we want to ensure the art doesn’t fade.”
While rooted in Bengali literature, their audience today extends far beyond the Bengali community. “We focused on Bangla for a long time,” Shuddhasattwa says. “Soon, we may experiment with bilingual or Hindi plays. Telugu is difficult for us, but it was heartening to see Telugu students take interest. People from Kolkata, Kharagpur even those who know just a few words of Bangla came to watch. That was truly encouraging.”
The Saturday showcase—marked by strong performances, cross-cultural participation, and overwhelming audience response has reaffirmed Roopak Hyderabad’s growing impact on the city’s cultural landscape.
With their blend of passion, linguistic pride, and openness to collaboration, Roopak Hyderabad stands as a powerful reminder that art can cross borders, connect communities, and keep heritage alive even far away from home.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
