A night in honour of the incomparable ‘Shilpi Bhai’
The evening was rife with the sound of children laughing in their joyous, innocent manner. The quiet reminiscence of old friends and admirers channeled the spirit of one of Bangladesh’s most beloved figures, “Shilpi Bhai”. They were gathered to celebrate the 91st birth anniversary of the late artist and master puppeteer, Mustafa Monwar.
Organised by Multimedia Puppet Theatre, the September 1 event paid tribute to the life and work of the legendary artist, who passed away on June 29 this year at the age of 90.
The evening opened at 7:35pm with “Agamon” and “Sishu”, two stage segments featuring iconic puppet characters Gittu and Parul. Young audience members from across the country filled the auditorium with cheers as the puppets took the stage, setting a lively tone for an evening dedicated to a pioneer whose creative work enriched the childhoods of several generations.
A short documentary followed, offering a look back at Monwar's life and his philosophy on artistic freedom, captured in his famous line: "Chhobi akar niyom hocche chobi akar kono niyom nei" (The only rule of drawing is that there are no rules). The program also featured a rendition of Rabindranath Tagore’s “Akash Bhora Surjo Tara”, one of Monwar's favourite songs.
Former Bangladesh Television (BTV) Director General Mahbubul Alam delivered the keynote address, recalling his time working with Monwar on classic BTV productions, including “Raktakarabi” and “Bindu Theke Sindhu”. Alam spoke of Monwar's guidance when he joined the station in the 1980s, calling him a generous mentor and a "tree of wisdom".
Alam also shared a story from March 23, 1971—Pakistan Day—when Monwar deliberately kept playing patriotic Bengali songs past midnight on air so BTV would not have to broadcast the Pakistani national anthem or hoist the flag in East Pakistan. Alam added that Monwar was an early champion of technology at the station, pushing for computer programming at BTV in the late 1980s when it was still rare.
During the Liberation War of 1971, Monwar used puppetry as a medium of cultural resistance in refugee camps across West Bengal, creating iconic puppet plays such as “Agachcha” (Weeds), “Rakshas” (The Monster), and “Ekjon Shahosi Krishok" (A Brave Farmer).
Later at BTV, he helped shape generations of young talents through the historic talent show “Notun Kuri”, while introducing household puppet characters like Parul, Bagha, and Mini. His acclaimed television adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew”, “Mukhora Romoni Boshikoron”, earned international recognition, nominated for inclusion in Granada Television's A Global History of Television Drama.
Renowned painter Monirul Islam, who studied under Monwar at the Art College in 1962, remembered his teacher's advice: "Mustafa Monwar said watercolour is like poetry—you cannot overdo it. You have to treat watercolour as poetry."
Islam recalled eyeing a fine paintbrush Monwar owned during his student days. Seeing his enthusiasm, Monwar gifted it to him. Decades later in Spain, when Monwar spotted the same brush still preserved in Islam's collection, the veteran master was visibly moved, Islam shared.
As Islam spoke from the stage, young performers peeked out from the wings waiting for their turn—a scene that echoed Monwar's lasting influence on emerging generations of artists.
The cultural lineup included a group dance directed by Nrityanchal's Irene Parveen set to “Probhato Bina Tobo Baje”, as well as a performance by child dancers from Upamaya set to “Aha Ki Anondo Akashe Batashe”. Reciter Nima Rahman took the stage for a poetry recitation of “Palki Chole Re”, written by Monwar's father, poet Golam Mustafa.
Dancers Subhashree, Urmimala, and the Natya Sangeet and Dance Group presented pieces inspired by Monwar's work, while Multimedia Puppet Theatre gave a brief presentation on puppetry and performed two of Monwar's signature puppet plays, “Matro Ekti” and “Bera”.
Merry Monwar, President of Multimedia Puppet Theatre and wife of the late artist, delivered the presidential address and vote of thanks, noting that her husband spent his life in pursuit of line, colour, imagination, and aesthetics, and that the evening aimed to share that devotion with the young.
Monwar was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2004 for his outstanding contributions to fine arts, and received the Sultan Gold Medal from Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 2018.
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