Bhikhari Thakur, Indian actor, singer, and playwright (d. 1971)
Bhikari Thakur (18 December 1887 – 10 July 1971) was an Indian Bhojpuri language poet, playwright, lyricist, actor, folk dancer, folk singer and social activist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest writer in Bhojpuri language and most popular folk writer of Purvanchal and Bihar. He is often called the "Shakespeare of Bhojpuri" and "Rai Bahadur". His works consist of more than a dozen plays, Monologues, Poems, Bhajans which appeared in print as nearly three dozen books. His noteworthy works are Bidesiya, Gabarghichor, Beti Bechwa and Bhai Birodh, Gabarghichor is often compared with Bertolt Brecht's play The Caucasian Chalk Circle. He is also known as the father of the naach folk theatre tradition. He is also credited as the first person to cast male actors in female roles.Thakur was born and raised in Kutubpur village of Saran, in his adolescence he married Matuna from whom he had only one son: Shilanath Thakur. In the early 1900s, he started his career as an actor, writer, singer and dancer. He remained active till his death in 1971. He published most of his works between 1938 to 1962. His early works were dialogues and musical plays, later he wrote some philosophical works, Bhajans, Harikirtans and other poems.