50th show of “Mahajoner Nao” staged

A scene from Mahajoner Nao. photo: jamil mahmud

Subachan Natyasangshad's biographical play on the folk legend Shah Abdul Karim saw its 50th staging on December 21 at the Experimental Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Written by architect Shakoor Majid and directed by Sudip Chakrobarthy, the play is a journey into the life and philosophical doctrines of the bard endearingly known as 'Baul Samrat' among the masses.
Prior to the staging, the landmark show saw a brief formal arrangement at the venue. Members of the troupe sang Karim numbers. After the show, invited eminent personalities including poet-playwright Syed Shamsul Haq warmly expressed their appreciation of the play.
Apart from shows in the city, the play has been overseas on a couple of occasions, as it was showcased at the 24th Keochang International Festival of Theatre in South Korea this year. The play has also featured in several Indian theatre festivals in Kolkata, Assam and Tripura.
The director of the play informed that it will be staged at another Kolkata theatre festival this week.
Apart from Dhaka, the play was also staged in several other cities of the country. Four public universities including Jahangirnagar University and Rajshahi University were among the venues as well.
Written in a lyrical form, the play features nearly 20 songs from the repertoire of Karim. His life has been articulated partly through these songs, as he saw 'Nao' or boat as an allegorical representation of the human body while 'Mahajan' symbolically represents the creator. Karim's stance against bigotry and social injustice has also been depicted in the play.
Mysticism, that was the core aspect of Karim's life, has been delineated in the play through music and dance.
Multiple actors played the role of Karim at different stages of his life. The cast included Ahmed Gias, Mohammad Ansar Ali, Asadul Islam, Sonia Hassan, Saiful Imam, Amirul Islam, Tanveer Dipu, Lithu Rani, Sohel Khan, Imtiaz Shaon.
Apart from directing, Chakrobarthy also designed the set, light and costumes for the play.