Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal: The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator (The Pride List)

Roy, Sandip

ISBN 10: 1803095512 / ISBN 13: 9781803095516

Published by Seagull Books, 2026

About this Item

This book is in Very Good condition,but doesn't come with a dust jacket. Clean Copy, May have light wear on cover/edges, otherwise very good! Established Seller, We Ship Daily!

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal: The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator (The Pride List)
• Publisher: Seagull Books
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1803095512
• ISBN 13: 9781803095516
• Binding: hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included

About this title

Synopsis

Blending biography with evocative vignettes, Chapal Rani traces the career of Bengali stage actor Chapal Bhaduri and his struggle for artistic identity in a changing world.

As the last great female impersonator of Bengali theater, Chapal Bhaduri—known as Chapal Rani—once held audiences spellbound in the jatra tradition, where men became goddesses and heroines. But when women finally took their place on stage, Chapal found himself exiled from the world he had ruled. In this groundbreaking biography, Sandip Roy captures the rise and fall of a performer whose art was inseparable from his identity.

Told in Chapal’s own voice and interwoven with evocative fictional vignettes, Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal brings to life Kolkata’s golden age of theater and the resilience of a man who refused to disappear. Through decades of research and deeply personal interviews, Roy crafts a moving portrait of gender and belonging.

About the Author

Sandip Roy is a writer, columnist, and podcaster currently living in Kolkata. He is a columnist for Mint Lounge, The Hindu, and the host of the Sandip Roy Show on Indian Express. His work has appeared in The New York Times, BBC, The San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, Huffington Post, Conde Nast Traveller, among other publications. For over a decade, Roy was editor of Trikone, the world’s oldest magazine on LGBTQ+ South Asian issues. He is the author of the novel Don’t Let Him Know.