Kathputali -The revolt of a puppet ('कठपुतली' बनी नारी का विद्रोह)

Played on 28.6.2016

Played at Kalidas Rangalaya, Patna

Occasion of 56th anniversary of foundation of Bihar Art Theatre, Patna

(Name of all artists given below the story. Send your views or suggestions to hemantdas_2001@yahoo.com)

REVIEW BY HEMANT 'HIM': ‘Kathputli’ was a director’s play though it should have been of actors. Nevetheless, the veteran director showed his remarkable skills. The actors playing the roles of Advocate, his wife, friend doctor, governess, servant, employee and others definitely did justice to their and performed perfectly what they were asked for. Though, in general more leeway of acting was required, the character of advocate’s wife came out remarkably with her realistic flavor.  She actually lived the grief of neglected housewife in a true sense.  Kudos to her. The advocate and servant were also natural in expressions. The governess did well while delivering dialogue and feminine gesture towards the doctor was impressive. The doctor also did justice to his character though there perhaps is some more scope of agility befitting to his amative character. Costumes, dress, light and sound were fine. The story is very relevant and raises the genuine grievances of a housewife whose husband has no care of her feelings.

STORY IN DETAIL: The character of successful advocate is rather stoic while at home. In the beginning he seems to be an average husband but it is not long when it is conspicuous that he has hardly any regard for even the routine-life freedom of his better half. He takes account of each and every penny spent by her and objects why she goes to the market without someone’s company. Though there is no dearth of money in the house at present and it is well off enough to hire a regular governess who takes care of children and a servant. The wife has no such obligation of chores or shortage of money though she is peeved for the attitude shown by her advocate husband. His behavior lacks chivalry and persuasiveness, the essentials of husband lately. In such a circumstance it is no wonder that she gradually feels herself dragged emotionally towards a family doctor who is bachelor and is a regular visitor to the house. Here you may wrongly assume that you have caught the plot. You haven’t yet.

The main twist in the story is a subordinate employee of the advocate’s company who had stolen some money and is now facing fierce prosecution by the advocate. He is on the brink of getting severe punishment and loss of job. He urges the advocate’s wife to save him from loss of job and reveals that  the money was stolen actually on the directive of her father for medical treatment of the advocate who was seriously ill at some point of time in past. He gives some documentary proof which makes it starkly evident that the advocate’s wife was also complicit in that theft though with a pious purpose of saving the life of her husband. The advocate comes to know about the complicity of her wife in the theft of money and is flabbergasted as he is in an impression that the money was theft for sybaritic purpose of his wife’s father.  He conveys his wife that he is enraged on her act and ordains her to stay in the house with a status of a servant and should keep herself aloof from the her own children. The advocate thought it would save their children from the bad nature of their mother.

Now the wife feels that the water has gone above her head. In a touching climax she calls her husband who is shivering seeing the furious mood of his wife. She declares that she is leaving his house for ever in search of a life where she can breathe freely.She leaves the house while the advocate stays as a hangdog.

Playwrite by Anil Kr. Mukherjee

Translated by Ramesh Rajhans & Ajit Ganguli

Direction and Concept by Ashok Ghosh

Acted by Chakrapani- Udit Kr, Nirmala- Ujjwala Ganguli, Shankar Narayan- Alok Gupta, Avinash-Vishnudev Kr, 'Vishu', Kirtiman- Umang Kr & Vinita- Divya Singh

Backstage support-  Stage design-  Pradip Ganguli, Music composition-  Vaiwabh Vishal, Light by Raj Kr. Sharma, Sound by Upendra Kr. , Make-up - Chandana Ghosh, Shashank Ghosh, Costumes & Dresses- Sandip Kr, Stage property- Krishna Naidu, Stage design- Hira Mistry, Further support- Santosh, Pravin, Rajesh, Sarfuddin, Birbal, Sanjay, Pravin, Madhukant, Asstt Directors- Karishma Suman, Divya Singh, Special thanks- Amiya Nath Chatterji, Announcer- Arun Kr. Sinha, Production Asstt- Gupteshwar Kr, Production Controller- Kumar Anupam.