Jalpaiguri Kalakushali

SYNOPSIS

The play is an adaptation of Tagore's epic novel Gora. It advocates against all kinds of orthodoxy. Gora the male protagonist, a leader of fundamental religious organisation falls in love with his fierce competitor Ankhi, a left activist. His orthodoxy gradually vanishes away even he indulges in direct conflict with his own organization.
Lastly both of them starts their journey in search of a true nationhood in unison.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Such are the times now in the country I belong to, that there can be no perfect definition or ideologies regarding caste, religion, or nationalism, and it seems as if everything is in dire need of mature and stable redefinition.

In such troubled times that force us into a vague state of identity-crisis, we, the Bengalis feel the need to seek refuge from our "Thakur". Hence, this time around, we demand answers from his novel, "Gora", and safe to say, we have in fact found a light to guide us.

We derive the original protagonist used in the novel, Gourmohan into the scabrous and bloodshed backdrop of the present day. One who bears the crude tilak of orthodox, normative religion, and the flame of radical nationalism in his heart.

We introduce another pivotal character, Aankhi, a rational thinker and an active communist, whom quite consequently and obviously Gora has his fair share of conflicts with. But when seeds of love begin to get sown between them, they stop two warring flags of polar ideologies, and vaporise the fragile robes that shelter religion and conflicts.

These two people, who impose their thoughts, pour out their positives into each other, find themselves standing in the shores of the millions that this nation comprises, and promoting the thought that they have evaluated together-

"We have no religion, no caste, nor any creed
A map of our existence is all there is,
Torn, in tatters, with dust that hides the path to
revelation, a path to which we see no horizon to limit.

It has its source in the distant waters of South, passes the valleys of Vindhyas, And tearing the deserts and forests into halves, reaches the high peaks of the Northern hills.

In that path, may start our surreal adventure. We'll pass cities, villages and towns; humans will resurrect humanity , and through love, trust, peace and harmony, we'll rediscover the nation we dream of."