Prajok Theatre Group Presents Two Short Plays

Shankha Bhattacharyya

On Friday, May 30, 2025, at 6:30 PM, Prajok Theatre Group successfully staged two short plays — “Goyna Bori” and “Sheshkritya” — at Tapan Theatre, under the deft direction of Apu Ganguly.

The evening opened with “Goyna Bori”, based on a story by Anubha Nath. The narrative highlights the exquisite craft of Goyna Bori, a decorative lentil-based delicacy from the Medinipur region, often exported internationally. The story centres around Padma, an illiterate woman whose artistry so touched Rabindranath Tagore that he once accepted her handcrafted Goyna Bori. That tender moment became the essence of Padma’s life, filled with the poet’s warmth and blessing. The play evokes a luminous emotional connection with Tagore and also touches upon the spirit of martyrdom through the portrayal of Matangini Hazra, the valiant freedom fighter from Tamluk.

Anubha Nath, already recognised as a writer, proved her strength as a powerful actress through her portrayal of Padma. Matching her performance were Apu Ganguly, Samaresh Kumar Bhattacharya, Bholanath Acharya, Tarashankar Dhar, Bijali Sarkar, Sanchita Chatterjee, Maitrayee Chatterjee (as young Padma), Nilesh Nandi, Mousumi Mondal, Nandini Natta, and child actor Master Tamojit.

At the end of the first play, storyteller Subhamanas Ghosh and playwright-poet Chanchal Bhattacharya were felicitated on stage.

The second presentation was “Sheshkritya”, a story by Subhamanas Ghosh, adapted into a play by Chanchal Bhattacharya. The drama revolves around the forgotten martyr Jibanlal Basu. A 26-year-old revolutionary who had set out to assassinate Kingsford in Muzaffarpur, Jibanlal was captured and executed. His corpse, preserved in formaldehyde, was sent back to Kolkata. Historian Dr. Tirthankar Raychowdhury, deeply moved by this unsung hero, becomes tormented by the present-day neglect of such sacrifices. In an act of anguish and reverence, he burns all his research documents and performs Jibanlal’s symbolic final rites — “Sheshkritya.”

Under Apu Ganguly’s powerful direction, Arpan Ray as Tirthankar Raychowdhury delivered a deeply impactful performance, breathing intense life into the character. Shantanu Chakraborty was natural and convincing as Pulak C Basu. Debomita Pal Choudhury, portraying Sahana, was exceptional in both dialogue and demeanour. Saheli Ghosh was well-cast as Beethika, and Pritam De was apt as Chandra Sen. The child actor Master Sanglap playing the son of Pulak and Sahana also left a notable impression with his performance.

Babul Sarkar’s lighting enhanced several key moments of the production, while the sound design occasionally surpassed the dialogues in emotional intensity.

With a discerning audience in attendance that evening, Prajok’s presentation of these two short plays left a lasting impression. Much credit goes to the skilled direction of Apu Ganguly.