{{Short description|Indian playwright (1899–1988)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Manmatha Ray | birth_name = | image = Manmatha roy.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1899|06|16}} | birth_place = Gala in Tangail District, British India (present-day Bangladesh) | death_date = {{death year and age|1988|1899}} | death_place = Kolkata, West Bengal, India | other_names = | known_for = | father = | mother = | spouse = | children = | relatives = | family = | awards = {{bullet list|Soviet Land Nehru Award (1967)|Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1969)|Dinabandhu Puraskar (1984)}} | alma_mater = | occupation = Playwright | years_active = }} '''Manmatha Ray''' also known as '''Manmatha Roy''' was an Indian Bengali playwright. He responded to the socio-political conditions of India at the time through his plays. At least 17 of his plays have been adapted into films. He received the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1967, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for drama in 1969, the State Academy of West Bengal Award in 1971, award from University of Calcutta in 1972 and the West Bengal government's highest drama award 'Dinabandhu Puraskar' in 1984.
== Biography == Manmatha Ray was born on 16 June 1899, in the village of Gala in Tangail District, present-day Bangladesh.<ref name="Banglapedia">{{Cite web |title=Roy, Manmatha |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Roy,_Manmatha |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715011335/https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Roy,_Manmatha |archive-date=2021-07-15 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=en.banglapedia.org |publisher=Banglapedia |language=en}}</ref> He was the only son among five children of his father, Debendragati, and mother, Sarojini Devi.<ref name="Amal Alo">{{cite web |title=অবিসংবাদিত নাট্যকার মন্মথ রায় {{!}} সংকলন- অসীম দাস |url=https://www.amalalojournal.com/dramatist-manmatha-roy/ |website=Amal Alo Journal |date=7 September 2022}}</ref> He made his debut in theatrical acting at a young age, playing the role of Dhruba in Rabindranath's play 'Bishorjoon' in 1906. After contracting malaria at the age of six, he moved to Balurghat with his family for treatment.<ref name="Amal Alo"/> He admitted to Balurghat School, West Dinajpur district, and passed matriculation from this school in 1917.<ref name="Amal Alo"/>
Studying primary education in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, he passed his matriculation from Balurghat, Intermediate of Arts from Rajshahi College, Bachelor of Arts from Scottish Church College, Kolkata in 1922.<ref name="anandabazar">{{cite news |last1=সংবাদদাতা |first1=নিজস্ব |title=Balurghat {{!}} ১২২তম জন্মবার্ষিকীতে বাংলা একাঙ্ক নাটকের 'জনক' মন্মথ রায়কে স্মরণ বালুরঘাটে |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/north-bengal/tmc-leaders-pays-homage-to-dramatist-manmatha-ray-on-his-122-birth-anniversary-dgtld/cid/1287332 |language=bn}}</ref> He completed his Master's degree in Economics from the University of Dhaka in 1924 and graduated in law from the University of Calcutta in 1925.<ref name="BFA">{{Cite web |title=Manmatha Ray |url=https://www.bengalfilmarchive.com/new-documentary-4.php?i=Mzg= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804143328/https://www.bengalfilmarchive.com/new-documentary-4.php?i=Mzg= |archive-date=2024-08-04 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Bengal Film Archive}}</ref><ref name="Banglapedia"/> After completing his law degree, he worked as a lawyer in Balurghat for some time. He had also served as mayor of Balurghat Municipality.<ref name="anandabazar"/>
Ray remained in India after the partition of India and died in Kolkata, West Bengal, in 1988.<ref name="Banglapedia"/>
==Activism== At a very young age, Ray became interested in the Indian independence movement and he actively participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement, a political campaign led by Mahatma Gandhi against the British government.<ref name="Banglapedia"/> He responded to the socio-political conditions of India at that time through his plays. His play, ''Karagar'' (meaning Prison), written in 1930, which is based on the story of Krishna's birth in prison, destined to kill the tyrant Kamsa,<ref name="Oxford">{{Citation |last=Lal |first=Ananda |title=Ray, Manmatha |date=2004 |work=The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195644463.001.0001/acref-9780195644463-e-0560 |access-date=2025-07-17 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/acref/9780195644463.001.0001 |isbn=978-0-19-564446-3|url-access=subscription }}</ref> was banned by the British government because it indirectly criticized the treatment of Indian nationalist leaders and followers of Indian independence movement by the British government.<ref name="Banglapedia"/> In the play, Kamsa was a metaphor for the British government, and Vasudeva was a metaphor for the nationalist leaders and their followers imprisoned by the British government.<ref>{{cite web |title=Karagar by Manmantha Ray |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/node/2821621 |publisher=Ministry of Culture, Government of India}}</ref> He expressed his opposition to British rule and patriotic attitude towards the country through many other plays, including ''Mahabharata'', ''Mir Qasim'', ''Ashok'', ''Chand Saudagar'' and others.<ref name="euro">{{Cite web |title=Variegated Exertion in Bengali Drama : Dramatist Manmatha Roy |url=https://europub.co.uk/articles/variegated-exertion-in-bengali-drama-dramatist-manmatha-roy-A-30736 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=europub.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
When he was imprisoned in the Presidency Jail by the British due to the intensity of his theatrical activities and when he went on a hunger strike once in the jail, it was Rabindranath Tagore who asked him to give up the hunger strike, saying, "Give up the hunger strike, our literature needs you."<ref name="euro" />
== Career == His first play, ''Bange Musalman'', written while Ray was a Bachelor of Arts student.<ref name="Banglapedia" /> He wrote ''Muktir Dak'' in 1923.<ref name="BFA" /> 1927, he wrote and acted in the play ''Chand Saudagar'' (meaning: Chand the Trader) , in which he played the role of a Bengali rebel.<ref name="Banglapedia"/> Also his first full-length work, ''Chand Saudagar'' was based on the story of Chand Sadagar.<ref name="Oxford" /> In 1933 he wrote historical drama ''Ashok'', based on the life of king Ashoka.<ref name="Oxford" /> The 1938 historical drama ''Mir Qasim'' is based on the life of Mir Qasim.<ref name="Oxford" />
Ray responded to the socio-political conditions of India at the time through his plays. ''Dharma ghat'', written in 1953, focuses on the role of mill owners in breaking a workers' strike and causing riots between Hindus and Muslims,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Sisir Kumar |author-link=Sisir Kumar Das |title=A History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, struggle for freedom : triumph and tragedy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sqBjpV9OzcsC&dq=manmatha+ray+died&pg=PA393 |year=1995 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=978-81-7201-798-9 |page=393 |language=en}}</ref> in ''Totopana'' (1956 and 1958), he dealt with the neglected poor, and in ''Santal Bidroha'' (meaning: The Santal Rebellion), written in 1958, he dealt with the exploited tribals.<ref name="Oxford" />
At least 17 of his plays have been adapted into films.<ref name="BFA" />
Ray, who introduced modern one-act plays in Bengali, wrote many such plays.<ref name="knit">{{Cite book |last=Sivasankari |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=irwOEQAAQBAJ&dq=manmatha+ray+bengali+1899&pg=PT307 |title=Knit India Through Literature Volume II - The East - Bengali |date=2024-05-23 |publisher=Pustaka Digital Media |language=en}}</ref> ''Bidyutparna'' (meaning: A leaf of Lightning), written in 1927, is one of the best of his one-act plays.<ref name="knit" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=George |first=K. M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eTXougCB-NMC&dq=manmatha+ray+bengali+1899&pg=PA67 |title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Plays and prose |date=1992 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=978-81-7201-783-5 |language=en}}</ref> He is often referred as the father of one-act drama in Bengal.<ref name="anandabazar"/>
While working in the publicity department of the state government, in 1957, the Government of West Bengal commissioned him to make a documentary on Kazi Nazrul Islam.<ref name="BFA" /> Manmatha wrote the script for the documentary film ''Bidrohi Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam'' and Manmohan Ghose narrated it.<ref name="BFA" /> He was also the first president of Paschim Banga Natya Akademi.<ref name="Amal Alo"/>
==Awards and honors== Manmatha Ray received the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1967, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for drama in 1969,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-12-31 |title=Bratya gets Sahitya Akademi for plays, first for West Bengal in 54 years in this genre |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/bratya-gets-sahitya-akademi-for-plays-1st-for-bengal-in-54-years-in-this-genre/articleshow/88602055.cms |access-date=2025-07-17 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> the State Academy of West Bengal Award in 1971, and the award from University of Calcutta in 1972.<ref name="Banglapedia"/> He was the first recipient of the West Bengal government's highest drama award 'Dinabandhu Puraskar' in 1984.<ref name="anandabazar"/> The University of North Bengal honored him with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.<ref name="Banglapedia"/>
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Manmatha}} Category:1899 births Category:1988 deaths Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Category:People from Tangail District Category:Dramatists and playwrights from British India Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Category:People from the Bengal Presidency Category:Bengali nationalists Category:Indian hunger strikers Category:Prisoners and detainees of British India Category:Indian independence activists from Bengal Category:Scottish Church College alumni Category:University of Calcutta alumni