Ataur Rahman enriched the theatre enormously: Masum Reza

Recalling Ataur Rahman’s impact on the stage, renowned playwright and founding member of Desh Natok, Masum Reza said, “His contribution to theatre was immense. He enriched Bengali drama enormously. He was a creative man who was always driven by the passion to create.”

To him, Ataur Rahman was a man of the theatre. “To tell the truth, he was theatre personified. He was a cultured and modern-minded individual. Despite being such a senior figure, my dear Ata Bhai remained remarkably modern in his outlook.”

One of the most successful and widely acclaimed productions on Dhaka’s stage was “Galileo”, directed by Ataur Rahman. Speaking about it, Masum Reza said, “Thirty to thirty-five years ago, Ataur Rahman directed ‘Galileo’. At the time, the play was staged at the German Cultural Centre and received tremendous praise from audiences. It remains one of Ata bhai’s most successful works.”

Speaking about “Roktokorobi”, Masum Reza said, “He directed ‘Roktokorobi’ for the stage, which was a major achievement. In fact, Ata bhai brought world-renowned classic plays to the stage with immense care and dedication. His productions received great love from audiences in Bangladesh.”

He added, “In almost every conversation, Ata bhai would quote from Rabindranath Tagore’s writings. He was an admirer of Tagore and a man of immense learning. He also worked on Shakespeare. He held deep respect for world-renowned playwrights and brought many of their works to the stage. He found fulfilment in doing so.”

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