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From the lab to the stage

Mrittika Sen

Mukhosh, a theatre group formed by Bengali students and alumni of IISc, recently staged two short plays.

At a time when the reigning debate is whether science has become the new religion for the thinking world, a few scientists and researchers from IISc Bangalore decided to demonstrate what they are almost religiously passionate about. They took to the stage, and showed that research need not only be confined to the laboratory. It can easily also become a search for one’s true calling.

Mukhosh, a theatre group comprising Bengali students and alumni of IISc, staged two short plays at ADA Rangamandira recently. The first was Moni-Kaanchon, a play by Baadol Sarkar. It revolves around a magician couple, Moni, and his thought-reader wife Kaanchon. The initial script is taut and the audience is deftly involved in a thought-reading show. They are later fooled as usual, Moni revealing the trick.

Suman Chakraborty as Moni is eerily spontaneous, his mischievous confidence straightening out some awkward moments of silence. The deft handling of the play-within-play structure, is highlighted by the difference in the stage persona of Kaanchon and her ‘real’ self.

Anindita Bhadra is successful in playing the reticent thought reader and the chirpy wife with ease. The climax however, is a dampener.

The second play, however, is superlative in its handling of a tried-and-tested theme. Maybe because we refuse to shelve what was relevant centuries back in a world that has not changed much. Shoorpanakha by Jyotsnamoy Ghosh looks at the morality behind Shoorpanakha’s humiliation and Sita’s abduction from the non-Aryan point of view. There is absolutely no justification in conquering others’s land, looting the harvest, killing men and raping women.

This is a disturbing message that keeps on surfacing in the play. And no one can deny its relevance even today. One poignant point that is made is that the vanquisher is not only satisfied with his conquest, he also has to prove that his culture is superior to that of the vanquished and thus he has every right to not only conquer, but also convert them.

If Ram and his band of Aryans did that to the non-Aryans and even to the lower castes of their own kin (the Shoodras, represented by Nibaar, the farmer) centuries back, we know who is doing that where and to whom even now.

And while Bush and Blair are never short of words to justify their action in Iraq and Afghanistan and their ignorance of the plight of the poor in their own countries, the Aryans too scored in that department.

On the other hand, Ravana, the Rakshasa king’s lack of communication with his subjects is apparent, and eventually he comes across as a misunderstood king. Ayan Banerjee (also the director of both plays) as Ravana is exemplary. He portrays the angst of the king, torn between his morality and duty.

His brother Bibheeshan (Suman Chakraborty) is perhaps the world’s first diplomat, relying heavily on words and then fleeing the scene when logic fails him. Aniruddha Mitra as Oshilome, Sushovan Roy Choudhury as Baaskal and Sourangshu Bhattacharya as the court poet are appropriate.

The proposition of the court architect Sreemoy (Arnab De) to beatify Lanka demonstrates how the so-called underdeveloped communities relied heavily on developing their own civilisation rather than conquering others. They had less power and more thought. And isn’t it true that in the lands the West calls barbaric, once sprouted the world‘s greatest civilisations?

Shoorpanakha is a mature play, enacted to perfection by so-called amateur actors. But their enthusiasm and love for what they have chosen to do is apparent in every move they make on stage.

The director says that a little support will enthuse them into doing more. They have plans despite gaping shortfalls in time and monetary matters. The next staging of the two plays is at Rangashankara in December. May Mukhosh prosper and may the curtain never be drawn on passion.