On a wintery day of 1997, a handful of young theatre enthusiasts came to realize that, in order to give shape to some of their common ideas about art -theatre in particular – they should work from a common platform. The result was the commencing of the journey of a new theatre group ‘Prachyanat’ on 21 February 1997 ; named by Selim Al Deen, a legendary dramaturg of Bangladesh.
From the very outset, these youthful dreamers wanted this new group not to become just a mere addition in the already crowded theatre scenario of Dhaka. As a result of the tireless efforts of the members of Prachyanat, many of its dreams have now flowered into reality. Apart from producing more than fifteen full-length plays, all of which have been critically acclaimed and appreciated by theatre lovers at home and abroad, Prachyanat now has as many as eight different programmes in their pocket ─ all of which in one way or the other, keeps alive the passion for artistic creativity of its members and associates.
This very young theatre group did not have to wait for long before institutional recognition came its way. Within two years of its existence, Prachyanat was allowed the distinction of being the best theatre group for the year 1999. Awards and other distinctions were quick to follow ─ such as The Best Theatre Group, The Best Play of the Year, The Best Light Design.
Besides producing a number of successful plays by some of the foremost professionals of the country, another crowning success of Prachyanat is the establishment of Prachyanat School of Acting and Design in the year 2001. The school, only second of its kind in the country, has successfully run forty 6-month courses while its 46th batch are already under way.
The most unique attribute this group has is its dynamism and this daringness which induced the group to come up with new areas of activity. The Theatre in the Open, Prachyanat for Children, Theatre–lab Production, Prachyanat Research Cell and the Musical Ensemble ― are all part of the group’s creative approach. Prachyanat’s future plan includes a fully equipped theatre centre that will become a hub of all its theatre activities.
On a wintery day in 1997, a handful of young theatre enthusiasts came to realize that, in order to give shape to some of their common ideas about art -theatre in particular – they should work from a common platform. The result was the commencing of the journey of a new theatre group ‘Prachyanat’ on 21 February 1997; named by Selim Al Deen, a legendary dramaturg of Bangladesh.
From the very outset, these youthful dreamers wanted this new group not to become just a mere addition in the already crowded theatre scenario of Dhaka. As a result of the tireless efforts of the members of Prachyanat, many of its dreams have now flowered into reality. Apart from producing more than fifteen full-length plays, all of which have been critically acclaimed and appreciated by theatre lovers at home and abroad, Prachyanat now has as many as eight different programs in their pocket ─ all of which in one way or the other, keeps alive the passion for artistic creativity of its members and associates.
This very young theatre group did not have to wait for long before institutional recognition came its way. Within two years of its
existence, Prachyanat was allowed the distinction of being the best theatre group for the year 1999. Awards and other distinctions were quick to follow ─ such as The Best Theatre Group, The Best Play of the Year, and The Best Light Design.
Besides producing a number of successful plays by some of the foremost professionals of the country, another crowning success of Prachyanat is the establishment of the Prachyanat School of Acting and Design in the year 2001. The school, only second of its kind in the country, has successfully run for 6-month courses while its 46th batch are already underway.
The most unique attribute this group has is its dynamism and daringness which induced the group to come up with new areas of activity. The Theatre in the Open, Prachyanat for Children, Theatre–lab Production, Prachyanat Research Cell, and the Musical Ensemble ― are all part of the group’s creative approach. Prachyanat’s future plan includes a fully equipped theatre center that will become a hub of all its theatre activities.
1. Best Theater Group, 1999.
Awarded by Bangladesh Cinema Journalists’ Association
2. Best Direction, 1999.
For the play ‘A Man for All Seasons’ at Nurunnahar Samad Theater Award by Theatre Art Natyadal
3. Best Production, 1999.
For the play ‘A Man for All Seasons’ at Nurunnahar Samad Theater Award by Theatre Art Natyadal
4. Best Light Design, 2001.
For the play ‘Koinna’ by Bangladesh Cinema Journalists’ Association
5. Best Production, 2023.
For the Play “Achalayatan” at Ishrat Nishat Natya Puraskar 2023.
6. Best Direction, 2023.
For the Play “Achalayatan” at Ishrat Nishat Natya Puraskar 2023
7. Best Set Design, 2023.
For the Play “Achalayatan” at Ishrat Nishat Natya Puraskar 2023.
8. Best Music Design, 2023.
For the Play “Achalayatan” at Ishrat Nishat Natya Puraskar 2023.
Azad Abul Kalam (26 Oct, 1966) is a director, playwright and actor born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He received his MA in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Dhaka. In 1997, along with some of his theatre colleagues, he founded the theatre troupe Prachyanat which rose to prominence with its exuberant theatrical presentations. Azad’s major directorial works include ‘Circus Circus’ (1998), ‘A Man for All Seasons’ (2001), ‘Koinna’ (2001), ‘Bou Basanti’ (2004), ‘Raja … ebong Anyanya’ (2008), ‘Tragedy of Polashbari’ (2014), ‘Agunjatra’ (2022), ‘Achalayatan’ (2023), Ek Guccho Golpo (2023) etc. Along with acting in TV dramas and films, he also directed a number of documentaries and TV dramas. Azad was invited to participate in and direct performances in Japan, the USA, UK, and Denmark. While the theatrical practices in Bangladesh is dominated by orthodoxy and convention, Azad’s works provide a breath of fresh air for the spectators, academics, and enthusiasts alike.
In the realm of contemporary theater in Dhaka, Md. Shaiful Islam is a prominent name in terms of set and light design. He is a Fine Arts graduate in Drawing and Painting from the University of Dhaka. He has eventually mastered himself in the artistry of out of the box concepts of modernistic set and light design in theater which has made him an essential figure for this job not only in his own group Prachyanat but also in many other major theater groups based in Dhaka. Alongside, he has been teaching art and drama in schools for over two decades. Currently he is the Head of Art and Drama in Bangladesh International Tutorial.
Murad Khan is a Playwright and Creative activist born in Sylhet, Bangladesh. After working as a theatre activist with different theatre groups and schools for 13 years in Bangladesh, Murad moved to the UK in 2001. Currently he is working as the Creative Director of Purbanat, a theater troupe based in Birmingham. Between 2001 to 2014, Murad trained himself to be a qualified youth worker and since then he has been working for different local authorities as a youth worker to date; supporting young people to achieve ‘Arts Awards’ using different projects including art’s activities in different art forms and different settings – one to one and group work. Murad has also been preparing himself to come back to creative practice in the UK.
Brindaban Das is a notable actor and writer in today’s television and film media in Bangladesh. Born on 5 March, 1970 in Pabna, he spent his school and college life in his hometown of Chatmohar Upazila of the same district. His journey in the theatre arena began in his first year of education in Jagannath College in Chatmohar Upazila. Later on, when he came to Dhaka for his higher studies, he joined Aranyak Natyadal in 1993. He started his acting career in the TV media in the early 90s, but eventually he chose writing as his profession over acting and concentrated more in it. As an actor, he has played notable roles in Aynabaji (2016), Alta Banu (2019) and Saudi Golap (2019).
Rokeya Prachy started her acting career in the Group Theatre movement in Bangladesh. She is well reputed to the audiences of Bangladesh for acting in films like DUKHAI (1997) by Morshedul Islam, MATIR MOINA (2002) by Tareq Masud, ANTTORJATRA by Tareq Masud, SWOPNODANAY (2007) by Golam Rabbany Biplob, Moner Manush (2010) by Goutam Ghosh, GARIWALA (2015) by Ashraf Shisir, MATIR PROJATONTRO by Bijon Imtiaz and DOOB by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. During the last 27 years of her film career, she worked on 14 (Fourteen) features and 5 short films and number of awards at home and aboard.She regularly works as TV Presenter and gives talk in TV shows on national, international socio-political issues. She has made a number of documentary films, TV dramas, TV serials etc. Besides performing art, she is a well-known socio-political activist in Bangladesh.
Kazi Toufikul Islam Emon, the current Chief Secretary of Prachyanat, is an artistic, highly trained and confident actor with strong stage instincts and extensive formal training. He has the commitment to achieve the highest standard of performance and is always willing to listen and learn from others. He has been involved in theater works from the late 90’s and worked in Aranyak Natyadal for a while before joining Prachyanat as a founder memner. He has directed a number of plays and improvisation performance in and out of Prachyanat. As well as his enthusiastic involvement in various media works like films, telefilms, OVCs etc, Toufikul Emon has been working as the faculty of Drama in Scholastica School since 2012.
Shahanaj Khushi has been prominently working in the television media as an actress and a TVC model since the early 90s. She was born on 30 July, 1972 and was raised in the same place she was born – Chatmohar Upazila of Pabna. She came to Dhaka in 1994 and joined Aranyak Natyadal. She started working in television under the direction of Mamunur Rashid and then she took a break to work in theatre regularly. She came back to work in TV dramas and TVCs later on and has still been continuing.
Rahul Ananda is a multi talented visual artist, actor and musician. Rahul is a fine arts graduate from University of Dhaka in graphic design. He is also trained in puppet and mask making, playing brass instruments and flute, play writing, video art and digital filmmaking. Rahul has done eight residency programs in the UK, Japan, India, Egypt and Brazil etc. as visual artist, musician and actor. His major exhibitions were in National Shilpokola Academy, Dhaka and India, Sacatar Foundation Brazil, Tokyo and Ibaraki Japan. As an actor he has done 11 plays whereas in performance art he has got 10 pieces. He has four major street plays. He is the playwright of five plays among which four he has directed. He has composed music in fifteen major theatres and there is regular work on TV and films. He has achieved honorable mention, Nagorik Nattyangon and Desh Natok Media Best Award, Institute of fine arts, Dhaka University; Sacatar Foundation Fellowship, Brazil, Tonushree Podok for best young theatre activist.
Jahirul Islam Ripon, aka Jahir Ripon was a regular performer at the very earliest time after the group formed. Alongside he was also interested in set and light design. Before joining Prachyanat as a founder member, he had worked in Aranyak and Drama Circle. Later, he joined Dhaka Theater and he worked there as a light designer for plays like ‘Hargaj’, ‘Prachya’ etc. Professionally he had been a Video-film maker and Interior Designer. He had his untimely demise in April, 2021.
Golam Habib Litu, born in Gobindaganj of Gaibandha, had been a member of Aranyak from 1995 and later he joined Prachyanat as one if its founder member. Before Aranyak, Litu also worked in Bangladesh Theater. He was a regular actor, background artist and percussionist in Prachyanat’s earliest plays like ‘Kadte Mana’, ‘Dui Boloder Golpo’, ‘Circus Circus’, ‘Dorir Khela’ etc. Currently he has been working as a filmmaker in Channel I.
Artistic Director
Artistic Director
Head of Administration and Finance
Head of Training and Prachyanat School of Acting and Design
Head of Productions and Office
Head of Communications and IT
Head of Publication
278/3, Kataban Dhal, New Elephant Road, Dhaka 1205.
[Beside Ashta Byanjan Hotel]
Contact 8801313774400 (WhatsApp)
