After playing the maverick Galileo, Anjan Dutt returned to stage as a singer-songwriter with Abani Opera, which premiered at Gyan Manch on Sunday.

Featuring Anjan as Abani and Rajorshi Dey as Anirban, two individuals with differing political beliefs, Abani Opera tracks the changing life and times of the men who end up running into each other over the course of three decades.

Anjan Dutt and Rajorshi Dey as Abani and Anirban. Pictures: Pabitra Das

While Anirban is politically engaged, Abani will not compromise on his individuality. One afternoon in 1974, Anirban, a political activist, takes shelter in Abani’s home. The exchange between the two soon snowballs into an argument. “No ‘-ism’ embraces the individual… politics divides people while only art unites,” says Abani. The constant battle of views and beliefs between the two continues till 2004. They meet again in Asansol at a dhaba. As the action unfolds on stage, two screens in the background run visuals of violence, uprising and protests along with clips of paintings, music videos and films by Luis Bunuel and Martin Scorsese.

Abani Opera will be staged on October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26 at Gyan Manch at 7pm. Tickets are available at the venue.

The live band featuring (L-R) Amyt Datta, Neel Dutt, Deboprotim Bakshi and Durjoy Choudhury belted out songs like Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind, Farewell Angelina, Simon and Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence and The Beatles’ Hey Jude