Bhopal: Veteran theatre actor-director Alok Chatterjee, celebrated for his compelling performances and impactful direction, passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 63 due to multiple organ failure. A gold medalist from the 1987 batch of the National School of Drama (NSD) and a former director of the Madhya Pradesh School of Drama, Chatterjee would have turned 64 on January 11.
Alok Chatterjee had been suffering from severe health issues and was admitted to a hospital in Bhopal on December 31, Manoj Joshi, a close associate of Chatterjee said. “He had been battling kidney ailments for the past seven to eight months, which eventually affected his liver. His condition worsened as his lungs and heart started failing. He breathed his last at around 3 am,” Joshi informed.
A recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Chatterjee was a batchmate of late actor Irrfan Khan and producer Sutapa Sikdar at NSD. Known for his deep dedication to the craft of theatre, he brought iconic characters to life in plays like Death of a Salesman and Nat Samrat.
Last rites were carried out in Bhopal Tuesday afternoon. An earlier post for the day writer-lyricist Swanand Kirkire gave Instagram a share on the losses and the remembering Chatterjee as an talent nobody else equaled. “Alok Chatterjee … unique actor passed away. A batchmate to Irrfan from NSD If Irrfan is Kalidas, Chatterjee is Vilom. He left to see his Kalidas. Rest in peace, Alok Bhai! ” Ends.
He has been with the Vivechana Theatre Group from Jabalpur and is known as one of the major practitioners of Bharat Bhavan’s Rangmandal repertory in Bhopal. Some of the works include classics such as Shakuntala Ki Angoothi, Ankahe Afsaane, Swami Vivekananda, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for which he also directed.
Chatterjee leaves behind a wife, Shobha; son, Pratyush; and daughter-in-law, Rashi. This marks the end of an era in Indian theatre, leaving indelible footprints of artistry and passion behind.
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