Tapas ‘Light’ Sen

I remember watching a play — ‘Mahatma Vs Gandhi’ by Feroz Abbas Khan — at Chandigarh’s Tagore Theatre as a child. Although I was too young to understand the play fully, I distinctly remember an image of the character of Gandhi. He was standing on a ramp and looking back and speaking to his son. The light was placed in such a way that the audience could only see the silhouette of his profile. The image was so powerful, I remember it to this day. That was the impact of Tapas Sen’s lighting. It forever imprinted the image of Gandhi in a child’s mind, and I remember what all was said by the character of Gandhi.

I never personally met Tapas Sen, but as a lighting designer myself, I have been an ardent follower of his craft. As a student at the National School of Drama (NSD), I was exposed to a lot of his work. My lighting philosophy has been influenced by his outlook. As India celebrates his birth centenary (born on September 11, 1924), I can’t help but remember ‘Tapas Light Sen’, lovingly nicknamed so by his peers and the values and design philosophy he stood for. Tapas Sen was a pioneering figure in the field of stage lighting design and a key contributor to 20th century Indian theatre. His work was revolutionary, transforming the way theatre was experienced in India and played a crucial role in shaping its visual landscape.

Tapas Sen began his journey during the late 1940s and was deeply involved in the vibrant Bengali theatre movement in Kolkata. In this early phase of his career, he collaborated with two of the most prominent directors of the time, Utpal Dutt and Shambhu Mitra, who were both influential in the development of modern Indian theatre. Sen’s work during this period was marked by his unique ability to create visually stunning stage designs that complemented the intense emotional narratives of these productions.

His career took a significant turn when he became a founding member of the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) in Delhi. The association brought together a community of artists dedicated to progressive causes, and Sen’s involvement in its Delhi chapter cemented his reputation as a leading figure in the Indian theatre scene.

Tapas Sen was not merely a lighting technician; he was a creative artist who understood the power of light in storytelling. His work transcended the functional role of stage lighting to become an integral part of the performance itself. Sen’s mastery lay in his ability to manipulate light to create atmosphere, highlight key moments and enhance the emotional resonance of a scene. His work was characterised by its subtlety, innovation and attention to detail.

Sen believed that lighting could become a storyteller in its own right. Now, why is this important? Because prior to this, lighting was only seen as a functional element of theatre. Even today, I meet artists who look at lighting as only a source of illumination. He viewed it as a language that could communicate mood, emotion and subtext, aligning with the themes and narrative arcs of a play. His designs blended traditional Indian aesthetics with modern lighting techniques. He was deeply inspired by cultural motifs and philosophical ideas inherent in Indian literature, such as Tagore’s works.

Sen was known to prioritise emotional resonance over technical showmanship. His subtle use of chiaroscuro (light and shadow interplay) and colour palettes was tailored to enhance the psychological and symbolic dimensions of the performance. Also, the cornerstone of Sen’s philosophy was collaboration. He believed in aligning his lighting designs with the director’s vision, the performers’ movements, and the overall stagecraft. His work was a collective artistic expression, not an isolated technical feat. And he collaborated with the world’s best, across fields — filmmaker Mrinal Sen, thespian Ebrahim Alkazi, choreographer Birju Maharaj, among others. He also did monument lighting for places such as the Red Fort and Purana Qila and the millennial New Year celebrations at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Every lighting cue was designed with the narrative in mind. Whether creating the suffocating atmosphere of a coal mine in ‘Angaar’ (the video of which I was fortunate enough to see in the NSD archives), or the poetic interplay of light and shadow in Tagore’s plays, Sen’s designs were integral to the story.

Working in an era when sophisticated equipment was not widely available, Tapas Sen relied on ingenuity to achieve complex effects. For instance, he used basic implements like tin boxes, manually assembled water dimmers and makeshift filters to craft focused and dynamic lighting effects. He often used moving light sources, rotating cutouts and changing patterns to create fluid, almost cinematic, transitions on stage. His ability to simulate natural phenomena, such as the rising of water or an approaching train, was revolutionary for his time. His designs were always rooted in the cultural and thematic context of the performance. For instance, in productions like ‘Visarjan’, his lighting mirrored the spiritual and dramatic undertones of Tagore’s narrative.

Sen’s work reflected a deep understanding of psychology, architecture, and visual arts. This interdisciplinary approach allowed him to craft designs that were both aesthetically striking and intellectually engaging.

Tapas Sen passed away on June 28, 2006, but his work continues to resonate in the world of Indian theatre.

— The writer is a National Award-winning stage lighting designer