Usha Ganguly was a renowned name in the world of Indian theatre. (Photo: Express Archives)
Eminent theatre director-actor Usha Ganguly passed away on Thursday. She was 75.
The National School of Drama took to Twitter to offer their condolences.
“NSD family deeply express condolences over the sad demise of eminent Indian theatre director-actor Ms Usha Ganguly,” the tweet from NSD read.
NSD family deeply express condolences over the sad demise of eminent Indian theatre director-actor Ms Usha Ganguly. pic.twitter.com/j9Vuz5G4nk
— National School of Drama (@nsd_india) April 23, 2020
Theatre personality Arindam Sil also tweeted, “Rest in Peace #UshaGanguly. Not just theatre you had won the world with your warmth and affection. Will miss you always. Sad moment.”
Actors Sohan Bandopadhyay and Aruup Chokroborty were among others who paid tribute to Usha Ganguly.
Rest in Peace #UshaGanguly. Not just theatre you had won the world with your warmth and affection. Will miss you always. Sad moment.
— Arindam Sil (@silarindam) April 23, 2020
A Great loss to the Indian Theatre .
Legendary theatre personality Smt Usha Ganguly is no more with us.
May her soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/j5vhmuPHk6
— Royal Academy of Cinema & Performing Arts (@racpaedu) April 23, 2020
My deepest condolences to all the near and dear ones of Ushadi. May her soul rest in peace.#UshaGanguly
— Sohan Bandopadhyay (@SohanActor) April 23, 2020
Veteran Indian theatre director #UshaGanguly passed away this morning. A real loss for the Indian Theatre fraternity.
— Bandhu Prasad Aleyamma (@bandhuprasad) April 23, 2020
Some truth in life are hard to accept. Your departure is one of those hard truths. Your memories will never be forgotten! They will always remain with us forever.
RIP#ushaganguly pic.twitter.com/ZV1CAsEAF1— Aruup Chakroborty (@_aruup_) April 23, 2020
Born in Kanpur in 1945, Usha Ganguly spearheaded Hindi theatre in Kolkata. She founded the Rangakarmee theatre group in 1976. Its productions like Mahabhoj, Rudali, Court Martial, and Antaryatra made Ganguly a popular name.
Rangakarmee started its education wing in the 1990s, as Ganguly continued to adapt plays into Hindi. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Direction, she also got the best actress honour from the West Bengal Government for her play Gudia Ghar.
Artistes performing the play ‘Bayan’, directed by Usha Ganguly, February 2020. (Photo: Express Archives)
A trained Bharatanatyam dancer, Usha Ganguly also co-scripted director Rituparno Ghosh’s Raincoat (2004), a Hindi film adaptation of O Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, which starred Aishwarya Rai and Ajay Devgn.