Reliving the past

How ugly incidents can come to haunt one was unambiguously conveyed in 'Abaar Ekattor' while 'Pakhi' highlighted the ignominy faced by a lower middle-class couple.

A scene from “Abaar Ekattor”.

There was a time when Bengali theatre was thriving in the Capital. Apart from local groups, great theatre personalities from Kolkata like Utpal Dutt, Sombhu Mitra, Amar Gangoli and Rudraprasad Sengupta staged their productions in Delhi which evoked tremendous response from discerning theatre-goers. Sadly, the visibility of Bengali theatre in the cultural landscape of Delhi has become minuscule.

Of course, Bengali youth in the Capital are engaged in theatrical activities despite financial constrains but these well-meaning efforts are isolated. It is heartening that Impresario India is making concerted efforts to encourage these activists by providing groups platform to showcase their artistry.

One such evening organised by Impresario India at the India International Centre this past week illustrates the fact that Bengali theatre in the Capital retains its critical tone, conveying human dilemma in urban chaos. The evening opened with the presentation of

Abaar Ekattor (

Return of 1971 ) which was written and directed by Niloy Roy, whoalso played the part of the protagonist. The play opens in the drawing-room of a retired professor of economics who lives with his wife Anusuya and Nikhat, the survivor of Mumbai communal riots. The couple has an adopted son who is abroad.

The professor is honoured with a State award for his book. A journalist, who has done homework, comes to interview him. He asks disturbing questions to the professor. In the course of the interview, the traumatic past of what all the characters went through comes to the fore.

During the Naxalite movement, the professor’s brother was tortured to death by the police. He himself was subjected to torture, rendering him impotent. Professor’s wife tells the journalist that she was raped and her house was burnt down by the Pakistani occupied forces in Bangladesh and she managed to escape to India.

Nikhat has her own terrible story to tell whom professor has accommodated with his family. The wife is constantly haunted by her traumatic past living with a husband who is impotent.

The journalist asks the professor why he has become a turncoat, betraying his convictions. He tells the professor that he is honoured by the State because in his book he has eulogised the policy of the State. It is a case of rank opportunism.

Writer-director Roy has used minimal stage property. There are four blocks that suggest drawing room. The fifth block is used to place telephone which is used to link the adopted son with his mother. In the first call the son informs her that he is coming to see the family. First there is an expression of happiness on the face of the mother and in subsequent calls she does not wish her son to come to India because it continues to be plagued by social anarchy and State violence. Her traumatic past has darkened her vision about the present.

There are images with performers holding bamboo sticks evoking a sense of terror. The stylised lighting effect and staccato sounds of the bamboo sticks create a menacing ambience. The director has used the chorus, which is kept in low tone, strike discordant note which conveys regional chauvinism and violence that stand in the way of creating a humane society.

Niloy Roy as the retired professor, Sarmistha Saha as the wife of the professor and Prabi Chakravorty as the journalist give impressive performances. This was followed by “Pakhi” written by Manoj Mitra which depicts the miseries being suffered by the lower middle class. There are some light-hearted moments but the dominant mood is one of pathetic irony. On the insistence of friends Nitish decides to celebrate his wedding anniversary.

A travelling salesman by profession, Nitish takes loan from his provident fund for this purpose. Living a life of hardship, the couple hopes that the celebration will offer some moments of happiness. In the midst of the decoration of the home to receive the guests, Chaitali Chakravorty arrives, demanding the payment of her money that the couple owes to her. To discover that the couple is indulging in celebration rather than repaying their loan, she becomes furious demanding her money back. In the course of the heated discussion, she tries to grab the bag containing stuff to be served to the guests. After creating violent scene, Chaitali leaves. The husband receives a letter. It was sent by her friends, expressing their inability to attend the party because he is already in debt.

Designed and directed by Shomik Ray, the production is neat and adequately rehearsed. It captures in a subtle way the agony of a couple whose life is marred by economic deprivation. Towards the end when the husband and wife are alone in the aesthetically decorated room, they weep bitterly for being insulted, humiliated, betrayed and abused simply because they are poor. But the couple gathers strength and decides to celebrate the wedding anniversary, symbolising that life is after all not all pessimistic and there is a ray of hope.

Ivy Sengupta as the worried wife, Shomik Ray as the travelling salesman, Bishwjit Bhattacharya as Gopal, self styled helper and Shahana Chakravoray as Chaitali act admirably. Shomik and Shyama strike a deeply-felt poignant note in the climactic scene.