Theatre

Samina Luthfa, widely known as Nitra in the theatre world, is one of the most dedicated actresses in Bangladesh. Her journey in the performing arts began in 1996 when she joined ‘Subochon Natto Shongshod’. After leaving the troupe in 2008, she and her colleagues founded Bottala—A Performance Space, where she served as CEO for two terms. Her influence extends internationally as a member of both the Oxford Theatre Guild and Women Playwrights International.

As an internationally acclaimed playwright, actress, and choreographer, Nitra has made profound contributions to the stage. Her plays Teerthangkar and Khona are recognized as her most significant works as a playwright. She also authored the influential street play Jotugriha, written in response to the tragic destruction of a Bangladeshi garment factory by fire. Furthermore, she collaborated with Soumya Sarker to adapt Shahaduzzaman’s novel, Crutch-er Colonel, and Shaheen Akhter’s Novel Shokhi Rongomala for stage.

For more than two decades, Samina Luthfa Nitra has remained a captivating presence on the Bangladeshi stage. Following her debut in Rashtro Bonam, she performed in a wide array of productions including Teerthangkar, Rupoboti, Khudhito Pashan, Khona, Ekjon Ruhul Amin, and Dhamail. Her extensive acting credits also encompass Jotugriha, The Trial of Mallam Ilya, Modhushikari, Ar Noy Chup Thaka, Shundarban Gatha, Crutch-er Colonel, Dog, Woman, Man, An Inspector Calls, and Rehearsing the Witness: The Bhawal Court Case. In addition to her acting and writing, she provided the choreography for several of these works, most notably The Trial of Mallam Ilya, Crutch-er Colonel and Rise and Shine.

Samina Luthfa’s artistic and social contributions have been celebrated through several notable honors within the cultural landscape of Bangladesh. In 2009, she was recognized with the ‘Mohila Parishad Shommanona’ for her dedication to women’s rights and social causes. Her creative vitality in theatre was further acknowledged in 2010 when she received the ‘Srijonsheel Natya Tarun Tanusree Padak’ (Creative Youth of Theatre – Tanusree Award). Her prowess and commitment to the stage were continually honored throughout the decade, earning her the ‘Md. Zakaria Padak’ in 2013 and the ‘SM Solayman Pronodona’ (SM Solayman Motivational Award) in 2014. More recently, her enduring impact on the theatrical arts was commemorated by Jahangirnagar Theatre with the ‘Alok Kumar Roy Smriti Podok’ in 2020.