Bhubaneswar: Founded on April 18, 1976 by Dhira Mallick and some like-minded theatre enthusiasts, ‘Satabdira Kalakar’ has long been a torchbearer of serious theatre in India. The group is celebrating its golden jubilee from April 18, 2025 which will culminate on April 18, 2026, pulling out all the stops to mark the milestone in style.
“It’s celebration started with holding a theatre festival in Bhubaneswar from April 18 to 22,” said secretary Dhira Mallick, adding, “After that, we hit the road, staging our productions in places like Hirakud, Berhampur, Bhadrak, Keonjhar, Baripafda, Puri and Khordha.”
“On April 18, 2026, a day-long celebration is planned. Among the several activities, a seminar and a play by Space Academy theatre group has already been finalised. I owe this journey to our well-wishers and loyal audience- without their unwavering support, it would have been Impossible to come this far,” Mallick added.
Meanwhile, its five-day 28th edition of National Kalinga Natya Mahotsav concluded on February 24. On the concluding day, ‘Uttara Purusha’ theatre group staged ‘Karna’, written by noted playwright Dr. Bijay Kumar Satapathy and directed by the group’s president Dr. Prasanna Mishra.
The production breathed new life into the tragic hero of the Mahabharata, proving that old stories never lose their sting when told with conviction. Far from being a mere retelling a myth, the play holds a mirror to modern society. Karna emerges not only a mythological figure but a timeless symbol of neglected identity and the uphill battle for dignity. By seamlessly weaving together mythological, historical and contemporary threads, the narrative drives home the harsh truth that the marginalized often fight tooth and nail for recognition — only to pay the ultimate price.
At the heart of the story is Surya Prakash, born out of wedlock and abandoned by his mother Kunti only to be raised by a humble taxi driver. Fate plays a cruel trick when Kunti later marries an industrialist and gives birth to Partha, who grows up to take charge of ‘Partha Group of Industries’ after his father’s death. Meanwhile, Surya blossoms into a well-educated young man, living with his ageing foster father. He remains hunted by the shadows of his birth. Unable to shake off his inner turmoil, he turns his vback on his personal happiness, refusing to marry his college sweetheart Krushna, who eventually weds Partha.
What follows is a slow-burning rivalry that comes to a head when Surya champions labour rights and locks horns with Partha over workers’ exploitation at the factory. As tensions escalate and financial losses mount, the plot thickens. Kunti eventually pieces together the devastating truth — Surya is the son she abandoned years ago. In a bid to set the record straight, she reveals the truth to him.
Determined to mend fences, Surya approaches Partha. But in a tragic twist of fate, Partha, blinded by rage and unaware of their blood ties, shoots Surya dead. By the time the truth dawns on him, it is too little, too late, leaving him consumed by remorse.
Director Dr. Prasanna Kumar Mishra, a seasoned actor and theater practitioner with over a hundred performances under his belt, handl;ed the layered narrative with a steady hand, infusing the production with depth, restraint, and theatrical finesse.
While the cast rose to the occasion, delivering their best, Pratap Rout’s evocative music and Rakesh Satapathy’s atmospheric light design struck all the right notes, elevating the production’s emotional pitch.As the final curtain fell, theatre lovers remained glued to their seats — a telling sign that Karna had struck a deep emotional chord.
On the stage: Prasanna Kumar Mishra, Lakshmi Narayan Acharya, Debadatta Pati, Rupesh Kumar Mishra, Gaurav Panigrahi, Chinmay, Gourav, Amlan, Rajat, Abhisekh, Anil, Mama Biswal, and Pranati Mallick
Off the stage: Music: Pratap RoutLight design: Rakesh SatapathyCostume and Makeup: Mama
Earlier in the evening, dignitaries like Ekamra MLA Babu Singh, Korei MLA and actor Akash Dasnayak, BJP leader and social activist Jagannath Pradhan, senior journalist Sriram Das, eminent playwright Shankar Tripathy inaugurated the evening by lighting the ceremonial lamp. President Dr Gourahari Das and secretary Dhira Mallick were also present on the dais.
The spotlight then shifted to felicitation ceremony. The Sambad’s editor Tanaya Pattnayak was felicitated with Sumitra Samman, Parthabara Bhuyan, an actor of Satabdira Kalakar, with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, theatre director Subash Pradhan (Belpahad) and theatre director Chinmay Das Pattanayak (Baripada) with Natyakar Rabindranath Das Samman, journalist Subhranshu Sutar with Satabdira Kalakar Samman and actress Samitarani Mohanty was honoured with Dr Gayadhar Samman.
