Manoj Mitra resigns as West Bengal Natya Akademi president

Thespian Manoj Mitra Tuesday resigned as president of the state-run West Bengal Natya Akademi, a body that works for promotion of theatre and drama, saying he did not have freedom to take decisions on his own.

"Though I was the president, I had no freedom. I could not work," said the veteran theatre personality, a front-ranking playwright, stage director and actor in Bengal.

"I have taken the decision to resign. I am sending my resignation today (Tuesday) itself," Mitra said.

He, however, said no one should try to cite any political reason for his decision.

Mitra's resignation follows a spate of resignations in the pro-Trinamool group theatre platform Natya Swajan, amid allegations of power play.

Only two years since it was formed as an umbrella body of 500 theatre groups spread across West Bengal, Natya Swajan is now seemingly on the brink of collapse with its president Bratya Basu and general secretary Arpita Ghosh - both famed theatre personalities - putting in their papers last week.

Actor-director Debesh Chattopadhyay had also resigned last week while Manish Mitra quit in November last year.