“APSARA THEATRE-ER MAMLA

“APSARA THEATRE-ER MAMLA” PRESENTED BY CHARBAK
VENUE: GIRISH MANCHA
DATE: 31ST MAY 2008

Satyajit Ray has been the undisputed pioneer of Bengali thriller stories on the basis of his undying creation of Feluda series. “Apsara Theatre-er mamla” is one of the celebrated Feluda stories based on the disappearance of Mohitosh, a minor actor in a professional theatre.

Charbak’s stage adaptation of “Apsara Theatre-er Mamla” revives the characteristic charm of Ray’s Feluda successfully. The script has been deftly developed by Arindam Ganguly and the play unfolds under the expert direction of Sabyasachi Chakrabarty.
The characters are convincingly portrayed. Sabyasachi, through his effortless acting brings out the indomitable investigator Feluda in full regalia. Subir Roychoudhury does an appreciable job in the role of Jatayu. Kheyali Dastidar does the role of a snob, rebellious and aged actress Bidisha with the expected expertise. But Sujit Ghosh deserves a special mention in his role of a lustful producer Bhikharimal. Sujit Ghosh’s fluent non Bengali accent and comical gestures evoke unprompted laughter among the spectators.
Though the play has kept its theme to the original story, there has been some necessary contemporizing. Ray’s original mentions the struggle of professional theatres of the times and the main focus is on the disappearance of Mohitosh and the murder associated with it. But in Charbak’s adaptation, the survival of professional theatre has been the primary focus. The awareness for the restoration of theatrical glory is communicated in the emotionally charged outburst of the murderer Mohitosh after being unmasked by Feluda.

The use of stage props has been innovative and appropriate. The depiction of a car with the aid of sound and light is laudable. The music stimulates the ray-aura in the play.
The play has undoubtedly justified Ray’s brilliance in contemporary attire.

Swagata Basu
3rd Year, English (honours)
Scottish Church College
(published in Telegraph Young Metro)