Kolkata, Jan. 10 -- Veteran actress Madhabi Mukherjee's entry into the world of acting was by a twist of fate, and marked by hesitation.
Recalling her first encounter with the stage, at the 17th edition of Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, the 83-year-old actor said she was just four years old when she was asked to step into a play at Sri Rangam Theatre after a child performer fell ill at the last moment. Standing backstage with her mother, she became the last available option. "The prompter looked at me and said, 'Let's try her and see,'" she said.
The play was being directed by the formidable Sisir Kumar Bhaduri, whose presence alone was enough to unnerve the child. Too young to understand the weight of the occasion, Mukherjee depended...