Sombhu Mitra was an Indian film and stage actor, director, playwright, reciter and an Indian theatre personality, known especially for his involvement in Bengali theatre, where he is considered a pioneer.
14 Facts About Sombhu Mitra
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Sombhu Mitra remained associated with the Indian People's Theatre Association for a few years before founding the Bohurupee theatre group in Kolkata in 1948.
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Sombhu Mitra is most noted for films like Dharti Ke Lal, Jagte Raho, and his production of Rakta Karabi based on Rabindranath Tagore's play in 1954 and Chand Baniker Pala, his most noted play as a playwright.
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Sombhu Mitra's mother died when he was 12 years old.
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Sombhu Mitra started his schooling in Chakraberia Middle English School, Calcutta and later continued in the Ballygunge Government High School, Calcutta, where he developed interest reading Bengali plays and became active in school dramatics.
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Sombhu Mitra joined St Xavier's College of the University of Calcutta in 1931, and soon started attending the local theatre.
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In 1948, Sombhu Mitra formed a new theatre group, Bohurupee in Kolkata, which ushered in the group-theatre movement in West Bengal.
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Sombhu Mitra married Tripti Mitra nee Bhaduri, who was a celebrated personality in the Bengali theatre.
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Sombhu Mitra has acted in The Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht directed by Fritz Bennewitz in the title role.
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Sombhu Mitra performed in several movies in Bengali and Hindi.
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Sombhu Mitra wrote the story and screenplay of Jagte Raho and co-directed it along with Amit Maitra.
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Sombhu Mitra directed a Bengali movie, Shubha Bibaha in 1959.
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Sombhu Mitra received many national and international awards, which include the Crystal Globe for Jagte Raho at the 1957 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Desikottama from Visva Bharati University in 1989, an honorary D Litt.
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Sombhu Mitra received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1966.