Breaking the Shackles of Exploitation

Photo: Mumit M.

To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, Theatre launched its new production, “Muktadhara”. It has been interpreted as a symbolic play that indicates Tagore's admiration for Gandhi and his rejection of the machine in favour of the spirit of life. “Muktadhara” is the 43rd production of Theatre.
Bangladeshi actor-director Naila Azad, who has worked in Hollywood and U.S. TV shows, has directed the play. Azad also designed the set and costume, and planned music for the play.
“Muktadhara” premiered on May 5 at the National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
While seasoned actors such as Ferdausi Majumdar, Paresh Acharya and Traupa Majumdar have enacted key roles, the cast mostly featured young, up and coming artistes.
Speaking about the play, Tagore once suggested, "This play is not an allegory for the nationalist movement that is sweeping the country. The play is rather about opening up paths for the broader convergence of all human civilisation." The play is the Nobel laureate poet's observation on the human greed and exploitation generated by machine and how this greed is linked to imperialism.
In the play, although there is appreciation of the boons of the machine, Tagore reminds us that it is arrogance and the misuse of machine that leads to the sufferings of man.
The plot zooms in on a dam. The King of Uttarkut, Ranjit (played by Maruf Kabir), has ordered the royal engineer Bibhuti (Ferdausi Majumdar) to build a dam on Muktadhara (a forceful waterfall). The intention is to teach the people of Shibtarai a good lesson, since they often disobey the King. Bibhuti does so but the kind and compassionate Prince Abhijit (Noor Zaman) does not agree with his father's plan. His love for the freedom of the waterfall and his refusal to allow the King to exploit the people of Shibtarai, prompts him to demolish the machine and let loose the force of the waterfall.
Many feel that the character Dhananjay Bairagi (Tofa Hossain), a mystic singer and sage, who leads a non-violent resistance against the King, was an allusion to Mahatma Gandhi.
Considering the contemporary world, riddled with exploitation and violence, the play still seems very relevant. Ramendu Majumdar, chief of Theatre, thinks so: “We strongly believe that this play is pertinent against the backdrop of today's world.”
The director has chosen to incorporate far eastern elements (i.e. costume, gestures and moves inspired by martial art), which put a new spin on the familiar play. However, at times execution of the martial art inspired movements did not go smoothly.
Shekanul Islam, Ershad Hasan, Nurul Islam and Robin Bashak played other roles.
The production received a grant from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The ministry commissioned grants to at least 15 theatre troupes to produce Tagore plays on the occasion of the bard's 150th birth anniversary, informed Ramendu Majumdar (also president of ITI Worldwide). BRAC Bank also assisted the production.