How Chapal Bhaduri transformed into Chapal Rani

A new book captures the life and career of Chapal Bhaduri, the last great female impersonator of Bengali theatre

- Sandip Roy

Chapal Bhaduri putting on make-up before a performance.

(NAVEEN KISHORE/MINT)

The well-known makeup man looked me up and down and asked quite dismissively, ‘So what role are you playing’

‘Morjina,’ Imumbled.

‘Oh,’ he said, alittle taken aback. Then he said, ‘Well, youare young, You will look fine, I guess.

He took some white powder and mixed it with some yellow, then added a bit of orange and made a paste while I followed along, trying to remember all the steps. Then he took a brush and slathered that paste on my face asifhe was whitewashing a wall, When the paste had dried, he dabbed some powder on my cheeks. When he was satisfied, he took a matchstick and drew my eyes and brows quite expertly. All that was left were the lips. He putalittle colour on them, then used the tip of the matchstick to drawa fineline to emphasize the upper lip and makeita little more prominent. Then he stepped back, inspected his handiwork and hollered, ‘This oneis doing Morjina. Get him his outfits, Nirode,’

Nirode-da appeared with Morjina’s shiny red-satin outfit. Of course, Morjina also needed breasts. But we didn’t have falsies then, nor any concept of bras and bodices. Instead, there was a long ribbon with two small bundles of rags which they tied firmly around my chest.

Once that was done, Lalu-da appeared. Inthose days, we called hairdressers like him ‘hair-men’.Heputawigonme, and quickly tied up the long hair into plaits. Then hesaid, Now go, look atyourselfin the big mirror over there.’