Chaak is the last play written by our beloved founder-Director S. M. Azhar Alam.
The play is about the various challenges and issues faced by Indian Muslims during the partition of Pakistan and East Pakistan in 1971. The play is a commendable piece displaying the struggles of one such Muslim family where Gaffur Khan (the father) is entangled in unending court trials for his inherited family property and Arshad (the middle child/son) is showing a canvas of emotions with varying degrees of vexation, misery and anxiety. Zohra (the mother), Majid (eldest son), and Razia (youngest child/ daughter) have their own trauma and travails.
Writer
- M. Azhar Alam, founder & artistic director of Little Thespian, was an amazing personality who had the ability to create spaces within space, which naturally instigated the stimuli of actors, who could travel through different characterized moments with ease. This is generally a realm between fantasy and realism, which embarked upon his excellence in the art. He was an indigenous set designer, an actor par excellence and an author of a different perspective.
He was a recipient of many awards for his contribution to theatre such as Best Playwright in 2001 for his play Namak ki Gudia and Best Director in 2007 for the play Question Mark by Pashchim Banga Natya Akademi, he was also awarded Nemichandra Jain Best Playwright Award 2020 for play his Roohein by Natrang Prathisthan, New Delhi He was the editor of the first ever theatre magazine in Urdu Rang Rasa, Azhar had written & adapted 8 plays. Acted in more than 70 plays and had directed more than 35 plays for Little Thespian including Rangkarmee, SRC and many more plays for different colleges. He had also played a leading role in a feature film “The four curses” (a SRFTI production) & “Geru Patra” (a Mufi Arts Original production).
Director
Uma Jhunjhunwala, founder of Little Thespian and member of Paschimbanga Hindi Academy, Govt. of West Bengal, has been active in theatre since 1984. She is a Recipient of Junior Fellowship from Ministry of Culture, Govt.of India, for research and presentation of Story Theatre. She has directed 32 full length plays, 48 stories, 12 one-act plays, 8 children play and acted in more than 50 plays. She has written 5 full length plays & 10 one-act plays, stories, diary and many poems. She has translated many plays, stories and articles from English, Urdu & Bengali into Hindi. She has also written the script and conceptualised the light and music show for Rani Laxmi Bai Museum, Jhansi in 2009-10. She is a recipient of many awards such as Yashaswini Award 2025, Nari Sarokar Sammam 2024, Niaz Ahmed Khan Award 2023, Pragati Natya Samman 2023, Rachnakar Surabhi Kala Vibhuti Samman 2022, Madhav Shukla Samman 2022, SNU Samman 2022, Janak Dulari Mishra Kala Ratan Samman 2022, LIFFT India Honour Award 2020, Rashtriya Rang Samman 2020, Setu Natya Shiromani Samman 2019, Culture & Literature Award 2019, Ananya Award 2018, Sant Rang Shiromani Samman 2018 and various other awards for relentless & outstanding achievement in the field of theatre from many organization. Apart from this many Awards from 1994 to 1998 in State Youth Festival organized by Ministry of Sports & youth Affairs, Govt. of West Bengal.
Director’s Note
Directing this play has been a privilege, allowing me to pay tribute to Azhar’s legacy and his artistic vision. What drew me to this poignant play is its universal language, transcending borders, castes and cultures. It lays bare the relentless struggles of the lower middle class families worldwide. Just as the potter’s wheel shapes, breaks, and re-shapes clay, these families face shattered dreams, only to rise again, willing to thrive against all odds. Their resilience in the face of adversity moved me profoundly. But what sealed my decision to direct this play was the fact that it is Azhar’s final masterpiece that embodies his compassion and creativity. I feel honoured to bring this timeless story to life, to give voice to the voiceless, and to celebrate the intrepid human spirit.
Group
Little Thespian is one of the foremost Hindi theatre group of Kolkata. The founders, Mr. S. M. Azhar Alam and Mrs. Uma Jhunjhunwala are on an unceasing effort towards building a pathway for Hindi/Urdu theatre amidst a strong influence of Bengali theatre. It offers audiences intellectually stimulating and socially relevant plays mounted with artistic skill and professionalism. It believes: Theatre should be thought provoking entertaining art & should be a medium to motivate audience to think and act accordingly. It has produced 34 full length plays, 48+ stories under Katha Manch, 10 one-act plays under Natkhat Manch, 100+ stories & poetries under Qissa Khwani Manch. Its annual national theatre festival is a much awaited event in Kolkata since 2010. It also organizes theatre training course, Rang Adda, theatre seminars and publishes bilingual theatre magazine Rang Rasa (earlier was published in Urdu).