nSOS Children’s Village in BK Block celebrated its founder’s day with a colourful cultural show. The village is part of an international organisation for orphaned and neglected children where the kids live in several “homes” on campus and are looked after by employees who take up the roles of “mothers”.
A host of dignitaries had come to wish the children. “I am very fond of these children and appreciate the management’s efforts to give them a family,” said civic chief Krishna Chakraborty.
The kids danced to patriotic songs in a show titled Mera Desh Mahan. There was a medley of songs like Jai ho and Lehra do. With every pyramid or cartwheel that the kids performed, the audience, comprising mainly of their friends, erupted with cheers and applause.
“We could perform these moves as we are taught karate. I have a white belt and, like the theme of our dance, I want to join the army someday,” said a boy in Class VI. Due to child protection policies, names and photographs of the sheltered children cannot be disclosed.
There was also a street play about gender equality. Girls expressed how they want the freedom to study, not to be forced into child marriages, to feel safe returning home late at night, and to step into male-dominated careers. Vice-president of the centre, Sonali Das, followed it up by reciting a poem on women wanting to be recognised as entities other than their roles of mother, daughter, and sister.
“We celebrate our founder’s day on the birth anniversary of Hermann Gmeiner, the Austrian philanthropist who started the Villages,” said Village secretary Amitava Chatterjee. "He began with just a few children, but the network now spans over 130 countries and has helped millions.”
Village in-charge Nipuna Sen added their endeavour: “We are committed to ensuring every child receives the warmth of family, strong family bonds, protection, and the promise of a brighter future."
Ritwik tribute
nAn audio play adaptation of Ritwik Ghatak’s 1960 film Meghe Dhaka Tara was staged at Rabindra Okakura Bhavan recently by the Salt Lake–based theatre group Britya. This was both a tribute to the filmmaker, whose centenary it is, as well as a celebration of Britya’s 38th annual day.
Accompanied by live music, the play depicted the exploitation of women and the shattered dreams of countless young women in Bengal grappling with poverty. Nita, the elder daughter of a refugee family, supports her loved ones by imparting tuitions and hopes to marry Sanat, a scientist who initially loves her but ultimately deserts her to wed her younger sister, Gita. As in the film, the climax of the audio play too had the tuberculosis-stricken Nita cry out, “Dada, ami bnachte chai”, with her voice echoing across the hall.
Nandita Chatterjee, as Nita, delivered a moving performance, blending her skills as a singer and actor. Her duet with Debashis Dutta, Je raatey mor duarguli, in particular, left a lasting impression.
“When offered such an iconic character, one gives one’s best. The script was so powerful that I immersed myself in Nita’s world. In the audio drama format, we must compensate for the lack of visuals through voice modulation and music. This role is one of the most cherished in my career,” Chatterjee said.
Debashis Dutta, as Nita’s brother Shankar, impressed with his voice, reminiscent of the actor who played the role in the film, Anil Chatterjee. His reading of Sanat’s letter to Nita was emotive, as was his rendition of the thumri, Piya bholo abhimani, that showcased his musical prowess too.
His wife Sutapa Basu Dutta, played Gita, the flirtatious and self-centred sister, in her maiden audio drama. “Being a singer helped me understand microphone technique,” said Sutapa, a lecturer at Rabindra Bharati University. “Bijanda’s (Britya’s director and figurehead Bijan Ghosh) guidance was invaluable in helping me shape the character.”
Soumitra Kumar Maity, as Nita’s school teacher-father fond of quoting Wordsworth and Keats, drew applause for his delivery, while another debutante, Uma Basu, as the mother, effectively conveyed the depth of her role. “This was my first audio play, though I’ve been performing on stage for over 30 years,” Basu said.
“I experimented with the script, and the audience’s overwhelming response after the show was encouraging,” said Ghosh, who had written the script and directed the play. “Debashis Dutta’s soulful singing, Nandita Chatterjee’s riveting performance, and the commitment of every actor made my creation more effective and entertaining.”
Before Meghe Dhaka Tara, Britya staged another short audio play based on Tagore’s dance drama Chandalika. It was performed by Kaberi Paul and Mousumi Dutta.
The evening’s final act was the stage play Nishabdo Bonhi by guest group Platform. Based on a story by Chandan Sen and directed by Ranjit Sen Chowdhury, the drama depicted a real-life incident from a tribal village in Bihar. It exposed the cruelty inflicted by a landlord on the local tribal people, the Bhumihars, and their struggle against him.