'Arshinagar' enthralls audience with 'Rahu Chandaler Har'
Theatre troupe 'Arshinagar' made a name for itself in the theatre arena with its first production 'Se Raatey Purnima Chhilo', an innovative adaptation of Shahidul Zahir's novel with the same title, back in 2015.
The troupe premiered its second production 'Rahu Chandaler Har', an adaptation of Abhijit Sen's novel, to the delight of theatre lovers on Thursday at Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Director Reza Arif, who was director of 'Se Raatey Purnima Chhilo' too, has used the narrative style to present the novel. Through narration and dialogues, using live music and dance choreographies, the production was gripping and riveting.
The story of the gypsy community, which has lived on the margins of society across the Indian sub-continent, was captivatingly portrayed in the play. Being true to the storyline of Sen's novel, the play presents how the gypsy community constantly moves from one place to another not only to earn a living by entertaining people but also to avoid oppression by the society and the state.
The gypsy community, which prides itself on being a group that has learnt the art of not being governed and not being fixed to any place, beliefs or customs, sadly often finds itself amidst ongoing conflicts.
The play unfolds struggles of a gypsy leader named Pitem and his troupe and follows them from the highland of northern India to the lowland of the present day Bangladesh.
Set in the nineteenth century, the play shows how the gypsies, who have nothing or the least to do with the state, get caught into the santal rebellion and how their known world eventually gets divided into different countries with new names.
