In this episode of The Mohua Show podcast, host Mohua Chinappa speaks with Sandip Roy—author of Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal—about one of the most extraordinary and complex lives in Indian theatre.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The life of Chapal Bhaduri, the last great female impersonator of Bengali jatra
- Identity, performance, and what it means to become someone else
- The invisible struggles of artists and the loneliness behind fame
- Desire, queerness, and why we sanitize uncomfortable truths
- The decline of jatra and the erasure of a powerful artistic tradition
- Why storytelling is an act of preservation—and responsibility
What this episode is really about:
This is not just a conversation about theatre or a book—it’s about identity beyond labels, the fragility of artistic relevance, and the quiet fear of being forgotten. A deeply human story about belonging, performance, and the courage to live authentically.
If you’re interested in Indian storytelling podcast, podcasts for personal growth, diversity and inclusion discussions, creative writing and publishing podcasts, and inspirational audio stories, this episode will stay with you long after it ends.
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