{"product_id":"chapal-rani-the-last-queen-of-bengal-the-life-and-times-of-a-female-impersonator-hardcover","title":"Chapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal: The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eSandip Roy\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBlending biography with evocative vignettes, \u003ci\u003eChapal Rani\u003c\/i\u003e traces the career of Bengali stage actor Chapal Bhaduri and his struggle for artistic identity in a changing world.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Told in Chapal's own voice and interwoven with evocative fictional vignettes, \u003ci\u003eChapal Rani, the Last Queen of Bengal\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSandip Roy\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer, columnist, and podcaster currently living in Kolkata. He is a columnist for \u003ci\u003eMint Lounge\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Hindu\u003c\/i\u003e, and the host of the \u003ci\u003eSandip Roy Show\u003c\/i\u003e on \u003ci\u003eIndian Express\u003c\/i\u003e. His work has appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBBC\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe San Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNPR\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHuffington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eConde Nast Traveller\u003c\/i\u003e, among other publications. For over a decade, Roy was editor of \u003ci\u003eTrikone\u003c\/i\u003e, the world's oldest magazine on LGBTQ+ South Asian issues. He is the author of the novel \u003ci\u003eDon't Let Him Know.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 520\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.8 x 9.1 x 6.4 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 02, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52005244240173,"sku":"9781803095516","price":30.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/kGSnBAVvGu9781803095516.webp?v=1776756093","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/chapal-rani-the-last-queen-of-bengal-the-life-and-times-of-a-female-impersonator-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}