Kolkata’s robust and highly varied engagement with Shakespeare began with a 1780 performance of Othello. Since then, Kolkata’s academic and literary circles have made extensive study of the original works, and its writers and artists have adapted the Bard’s works, characters, and themes to Bengali language and history. This site presents a selection of the print editions and stage and film performances that have captivated Bengali and global audiences.

Shakespeare in Bengal is a collaboration between the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., and the Jadavpur University Centre for Advanced Studies in English & School of Cultural Texts and Records. The site is made possible through the generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, as part of the initiative to develop the Miranda digital asset platform at the Folger.