Amidst the fields of Kannauj stands a crumbling, forgotten mansion — Miss Gulab Jaan Bhavan. But this is no ordinary ruin. It holds within its walls the soul-stirring story of Gulab Bai, the legendary queen of Nautanki. Born into the marginalized Bediyan community, she defied the odds, chose art over oppression, and rose to become the first woman to perform in male-dominated folk theatre. Her love was betrayed, her voice celebrated, and her name etched in history.
Awarded the Padma Shri, Gulab Bai's journey from heartbreak to national acclaim is one of unmatched courage and resilience. This video uncovers:
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Her forbidden love with Chander Seth
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The pain of abandonment and her artistic rebirth
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Mentorship under Trimohan Ustad and eventual defiance
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Founding of the iconic Great Gulab Theatre Company
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Her rise as a cultural icon
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And the silence that now haunts her abandoned mansion...
A forgotten legacy waiting to be remembered.
