'Trilokinath Zindabad' - a stage play performed by Image Art Society on 13.5.2017 in Patna

Ethical dilemma of lower middle class

(इस आलेख का हिन्दी संस्करण यहाँ पढें: http://biharidhamaka.blogspot.in/2017/05/1352017.html)

  The urban hapless class is truly represented by a clerk Trilokinath who has not got any promotion since last fourteen years. He is the senior most clerk in his office and there is nothing eerie in his aspirations. But the point here is that he belongs to lower middle class who must not possess any kind of rights and must not dream any good experience. The real unfortunate matter is that his biggest enemies are not the persons seated in higher economic rungs but his own colleagues who are facing the same destiny.  This paradox has been presented in the story ‘Sifarasi Chitthi’ authored by eminent national writer Bhishm Sahni in a superbly realistic manner. And  this was dramatic portrayal on the stage with the help of  a group made mostly of green actors.  Subhro Bhattacharya, the prodigious director showed his mettle in portraying the same.

STORY: Trilokinath is a honest and punctual clerk working since fourteen years without any promotion. His aspiration is justified to get promoted to head clerk though his colleagues make fool of him because of his dream of getting promoted.  It is revealed that he was the most promising student of his class in BHU while studying in college when his then professor (now a retired head of education department) visit his office and meets his director. Both are friends. The professor thumps the back of  Trilokinath publicly and mince no words in his eulogy. All of the colleagues of Trilokinath and even the boss are taken aback. Not only this, he offers to write a letter to the authorities in favour of Trilokinath recommending his promotion. Trilokinath feels himself on cloud nine.

    When Trilokinath returns home he shares the good news of expected recommendation from his ex-teacher for his promotion. Initially his wife shows no interest in these mundane kind of official jargon. Though she suddenly feels the news very interesting when she thinks that promotion may mean scope of great deal of illegal income. She showers all her love and affection on her husband in hope of the large amount of illegal income he may bring in future.  But when Trilokinath proclaims that he would not accept any bribe, she is again disenchanted. Trilokinath tries to sleep though in vain. He is restless thinking that if his ex-professor writes a letter in his favour then his Work Superintendent would not like it and would put adverse remark in his annual confidential report which would put a scar in his so far a flawless career. If his ex-professor writes such favourable letter for him, his own colleagues would outcast him from their group and would make him a butt of ridicules. Trilokinath is unable to sleep thinking these disturbing matters. His wife tries to console but Trilokinath is so disturbed internally that he snubs her badly.  

    After an absolute sleepless night, Trilokinath comes to the conclusion that the letter of recommendation would prove a bane rather than a boon for him. He goes to the doorsteps of his ex-professor and requests him not to write a recommendation letter for him. When he reaches his office, his colleagues come to know all that happened and treats him in the familiar impolite tone but to everyone’s surprise, Trilokinath feels it soothing.

REVIEW: This was definitely a director’s play in which most of the actors followed the lesson taught to them.  Subhro Bhattacharya is a skillful director full of innovative acumen. The way he used a team of actors in back side of the stage with lamps or other articles in their hands and swaying their bodies in rhythm with a tune played in background  truly protryed the inner dilemma of Trilokinath. The dreaming of Trilokinath was adeptly shown by the sequence of a group play in which Trilokinath is chasing a file which is moving through the hands of all the employees having superb maneuvering skills.  

      Also, an acrobatic actor stole the hearts of all the audience with his stunning body movements which was actually meant for and fully succeeded in showing the interactions of the feelings of Trilokinath at the climax of the play. Of course, some actors  like Ranu Babu (Trilokinath), Amit Kumar (Office Director),  Alok Arav (Office Superintendent) and Harendra Singh (ex-Professor) created their own space successfully. Also, Shandilya Manish Tiwari as ‘Chanawalla’, Nishant Priyadarshi, Vijay Kumar, Sandip Tiwari, Anoj Kumarand Avinash Kumar (all of them as Office Employees) acted well as per the demand of the director. And last but not the least, Kunti Singh, the heroin of the play, acted her best and gave her valuable support to the other eminent actors like Ranu Babu.

   The play was presented by Image Art Society in which Rajiv Roy’s  lighting, Sudhanshu Shekhar’s souond and Jeetu’s make-up were absolutely appropriate as per the needs of the play.

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