Bhubaneswar: Kalinga Natya Sangha on Thursday observed World Theatre Day. On this occasion, Shantikrupa, a member of the association, staged a play titled ‘Hey Bhagaban’ at Bhanjakala Mandap in Bhubaneswar.
Originally written in Hindi by Samta Sagar, it is translated into Odia by Sushant Kumar Satapathy, who has also conceptualized and directed the play. He has also designed the music.
A dramatic household incident filled with emotions, humour and social commentary received applauses at different scenes. What worked for it was it’s story telling and portrayal of characters.
The three-hander revolves around a retired IAS officer Bhagaban Das, his daughter Ankita and his son-in-law Chandan.The play depicts seventy-year-old Bhagaban Das sharing his house with his son-in-law Chandan after his daughter Ankita lost her battle with cancer.
Before her death, Ankita met her father and husband separately and made them agree that they would live together at least for one year after her death because she knew that they don’t like each other.
The play is about the conversations starting from heated arguments to pleasantries taking place between Bhagaban Das and his son-in-law and the incidents happening on the day when it completes a year since they started living together.
It is pre-decided that Chandan will leave his father-in-law’s house at 10 am. Since morning, while Bhagaban Das is reminding Chandan that the time of his leaving the house is arriving, Chandan is reminding him that the time of leaving alone is arriving. But after leaving together for one year under a roof, they somewhere in their hearts realise that they can’t live a moment without any of them.
When the clock strikes 10 and Chandan is about to leave the house, Bhagaban Das asks him “Do your conscience permits you to leave an oldman alone?”, “Can’t you call me father?”
In the climax scene, they embrace each other in a tight hug.
Bimal Kumar Pattjoshi, Sushant Kumar Satapathy and Kalpana Rout were excellent in portraying their respective characters like Bhagaban Das, Chandan and Ankita. Music rendered by M K Sameer while stage and light designed by Nrusingha and Govinda Jena respectively.
The play was first staged on December 4, 2024.
The theatre group is only four years old, with being established in 2022. Yet, it has already set it’s foot in the theatre world and Kalasanskruti is wishing a bright future for it.
