The Electrifying 8th Edition Of Stagecraft Awards Honours The Unsung Heroes

Kolkata, 21st November, 2025: The star-studded 8th Edition of the Stagecraft Awards 2025 was held today amidst grandeur, splendour and spirited celebration at the Science City Auditorium, Kolkata. The evening witnessed the august presence of celebrated personalities from the Bengali film, television and music industries, honouring the invisible yet indispensable pillars of the entertainment world.

Stagecraft Awards is a philanthropic initiative spearheaded by Padmabhushan Ms Usha Uthup, Chairperson of Stagecraft Foundation dedicated to celebrating the contributions of the Behind-the-Scene Stars, the live stage technicians, creators and production professionals who form the backbone of every performance. Superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee continues to serve as the face of Stagecraft Foundation.

This year's edition embraced the vibrant and thought-provoking theme "Stagecraft Ke Sholay", exploring the longstanding usages of body doubles, look-alikes and performance impersonators. From ancient theatrical mimics and royal decoys to today's impersonators and AI-generated doubles, the theme highlighted evolving questions of identity, illusion and authenticity. The show delved into how these parallel personas enrich entertainment and amplify the magic of storytelling.

"It fills my heart with immense joy to celebrate the unsung heroes of the entertainment world at the 8th edition of the Stagecraft Awards. This year's theme, 'Stagecraft Ke Sholay,' pays tribute to the incredible artistry of look-alikes and body doubles, individuals who bring illusion, creativity and depth to performance. They represent identity's fluidity and the beautiful complexities of showmanship. Tonight, we honour the extraordinary backstage magicians who make every moment of entertainment come alive, even when they remain unseen. To all our behind-the-scenes superheroes, the Stagecraft Awards is dedicated to you", said Ms Usha Uthup, Chairperson of Stagecraft Foundation.

The audience were enthralled by a power-packed lineup of performances throughout the evening. Electrifying dance and musical acts featured Usha Uthup with Amit Ganguly, Bullet, Ranjini Sengupta, Ananya Chakraborty and Pranjal Biswas, followed by soulful performances from Rathijit & Team. Spectacular dance acts by Monami Ghosh and the duo of Idhika Paul & Biswanath Basu added glamour to the night. The show was anchored by RJ Somak, Kanchan Mullick and Farooq Omar, whose engaging camaraderie elevated the energy of the ceremony.

Adding to the excitement was a special look-alike entry segment and a much-anticipated conversation where Shehzad Sippy engaged in a captivating interaction with Prosenjit Chatterjee. The team of the much - anticipated upcoming film Mitin - Ekti Khunir Sandhaney, headed by Koel Mallick, made an enthusiastic appearance on stage much to the delight of the audience.

Special recognitions such as the Foundation Recognition Award, were conferred to Mr Rajib Banerjee - Hall Operation & Maintenance Staff of Science City and the prestigious Hall of Fame Award were conferred to Ms Reshma Pathan, First Stunt Women of the country.

Winners from all categories received heartfelt applause from the audience and members of their fraternity as they stepped on stage to receive their honours.

The core members of Stagecraft Foundation are Ms Usha Uthup, Mr Shiladitya Chaudhury, Mr Dibyendu Lahiri and Mr Gautam Jain, whose combined vision and dedication continue to elevate the platform each year.