Cultural Correspondent
Renowned theatre troupe Dhaka Theatre staged its recent production titled ‘Putra’ at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy last week.
The play is written by renowned playwright Selim Al deen, who finished it just before his death in 2008. It is directed by thespian ShimulYousuf. The play, which revolves around a couple’s bewailing and lamentation over their dead son, is believed to have some autobiographical touch in it.
Putra opens with a couple, SirajMaittal and Abchha, sitting on their yard on a winter night in front of a bonfire. Dried roots of a mango tree blazing into the bonfire reminds them of their son, Manik, who committed suicide hanging himself from that very mango tree whose roots they are burning now for warmth.
The roots, alternately suggestive and symbolic, make Siraj and Abchha to take up a reflective, often with heated argument, journey to see and evaluate their lives which are characterised by challenges, poverty, love and dreams.
Like the dried roots, their lives also appear to have dried up and lie before them like a barren land. Abchha wants to break herself free from this barren land. She leaves Siraj at the end of the play to search for a new life and meaning.
