Stereotypes define people. For example, patriarchy and children who are forced to give up their dreams just to sustain their lives monotonously. Walt Disney had said, “All dreams can be fulfilled, if only one has the courage to pursue them.” But do we have the courage? To courageously act one’s heart, liberty is essential. But people in a society are as free as a caged bird. In this scenario, the system imposed on mankind has been victimizing consciences for eras.
So, why don’t we challenge the enslavement that societal hierarchies have been imposing on minds? Because we are afraid of the consequences. And someone who is able to free himself from any kind of constraint flies high, bravely. Like Gopinath Samanta, the protagonist of the play. He narrates the story of every common man who faces the same hindrances in the world, when he speaks his mind. Gopinath has lost a lot in his life. But his spirit has always remained unharmed.
In this era of war between dreams and system, “Dana” is a realistic eye-opener that tells a harsh truth about people. Like a signature Kaushik Chatterjee’s play, the finale’s interpretation is binary; whether Gopinath could instill the urge to break free among the rest, or was he subdued and crumpled by the powerful heads of the society. An urge to fly is seemingly impregnated among the viewers, with a hope that even if one person learns to spread his wings, it will result in a successful trail of similar responses.
Director
Kaushik Chatterjee is a director, playwright, actor, essayist and trainer. He was born on 22nd November, 1968. He was born and brought up in a theatre family. Besides teaching, he practices theatre for more than 45 years. He was ex-member of Paschimbanga Natya Academy. Director of Minerva repertory theatre. He was an external examiner of Rabindrabharti University. He was the invited lecturer of Sahitya Academy. He has his own theatre group Santipur Sanskritik. He has been awarded Sundaram puraskar, Satyen Mitra puraskar, Dwijendralal Roy samman, Shyamal Sen smriti puraskar, Anya Theatre samman, Shambhu Mitra puraskar of West Bengal govt, Jateendranath Sengupta samman and best actor & best director awards in various competitions.
Director’s Note
In every individual, dwells another. Their fatigued existence is often overlooked and forgotten in the monotony of surviving every day. ‘Dana’ is the tale of a persistent conflict between one’s outer and inner self. This story overflows from reality into the more illusionary and abstract realms of life, which has helped me in bringing out the shades of an impractically practical society, while directing. Light, set, music and makeup –all have successfully spread their wings of imagination and have complemented to the essence of the play beautifully. My technical directors have with great finesse executed my dream. All actors have been very dedicated and have put in their best. I am grateful to Sangshaptak for giving me the opportunity to work with them.
Let all of us have wings!
Group
People often say that good things take time, patience and perseverance. Whether it’s a novelist’s twelve years’ of collecting anecdotes or a tennis player’s sweaty hours on the green court, everyone appreciates the final Nobel or Grand Slam. Sangshaptak was only a utopian idea to us four years ago, and today we can proudly claim to be the parent of two one-act and one full-fledged play. Years of proliferating hope and beliefs were finally manifested in early 2016, which marked the birth of our first one-act play. And we have certainly come a long way since.
It is because of a group of passionate and utterly devoted youths that this Herculean task of a new beginning felt achievable. Smt. Dola Bandyopadhyay (ex-member of Nibha Arts), Raju Khan (ex-member of Rangakarmee), Rahul Tribedi and Palash Karmakar (noted face in regular Bengali theatre) are a few notable names who had shouldered this responsibility with flair.
The production with which Sangshaptak began its journey was Anagato (Yet to Come), in the year 2016. Almost instantaneously, this Dr. Anup Chakraborty written play turned a few heads and raised a few brows here and there. The play was directed by the group’s closest friend, Prasenjit Bardhan, who was associated with Minerva Repertory Theatre in Kolkata from the very beginning. Anagato was also invited to Natyamela, 2017, organized by Govt. of West Bengal, where it had received a resounding applause. Our next one-act play was revered playwright, director and actor Manoj Mitra’s creation, Brishtir Chhayachhobi (Celluloid Rains). Also directed by Bardhan, this psychological thriller keeps the viewer gripped at the edge of his/her seat till the very end, much like a Hitchcock movie. Narigon (Women), a play in verse, written by Syed Samshul Haque, a renowned poet, novelist and dramatist of Bangaldesh, is also staged by us under the direction of Kaushik Chatterjee. The play narrates the night, following the slaying of Nawab Siraj Ud Daullah, when all the women of the Palace of Heerajheel including the begums of the royal family were ruthlessly heaved together on the courtyard and were waiting for their nemesis. The eternal nemesis, women have come across, who came from a loser side in a war.