Theatre festival to pay tribute to Irom Sharmila
Source: The Sangai Express
Kolkata, December 13 2011:
Rabindranath Tagore's 19-26 dance drama 'Natir Puja' based on a Buddhist legend, has now been adapted by a prominent theatrician of the city to pay tribute to Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila.
"I have changed the climax of the play a little.
This is dedicated to the lone struggle of Sharmila.
Although I have not named her anywhere in the play, but there are similarities with her life," theatrician Koushik Sen said.
It was after he read that Sharmila has not eaten a morsel of food for the last 11 years to protest against the 'draconian' Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), he saw Tagore's work in a different light.
"It immediately made me think of her and so when I decided to direct it, the change came automatically.
Theatre has to be kept contemporary and we cannot keep on harping on the past," Sen said.
Inspired by a tale from the Buddhist series in 'Abadan Shatak', 'Natir Puja' is the only instance when Tagore interacted closely and directly with the medium of cinema.
In 1932, new theatres had made it into a film.
Tagore had himself essayed an important role in this dance-drama which he also directed.
Sen's 'Natir Puja', to have Arpita Chatterjee and Kanchan Mullick in key roles, will be one of the five plays during the 11th edition of Vodafone's five-day Odeon theatre festival beginning December 17 .
Yet another adaptation of Tagore's work would feature in the theatre festival.
'Juta Abhiskar', which echoes the bard's views on social issues, has been adapted in Raja Bhattacharya directed 'The Great New Life' and would view the subject through the eyes of those working in a circus.
Rajat Kapoor's 'Clown Lear', which sees King Lear from the eyes of a clown, will be the opening play.
Salim Arif's 'Hum Safar', which features a poem written by Gulzar and is a modern day tale on the relationship of a couple and their search for emotional stability would also be staged during the festival.
The theatre fest will also present 'Ashalin', a play written by West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu.