Badal Sircar’s seminal play Pagla Ghoda will be adapted into a movie helmed by National Award-winning filmmaker Sekhar Das, production banner Swabhumi Entertainment announced on Thursday.
The year 2025 marks the iconic playwright’s birth centenary.
Written in the 1960s, Pagla Ghoda remains one of Sircar’s most provocative works, dealing with themes of patriarchy and emotional repression. Known as a pioneer of the Third Theatre movement, Sircar revolutionised the theatrical form, taking it beyond proscenium spaces and into the public consciousness.
Sekhar Das, who has a longstanding association with Sircar’s works, aims to reimagine the play for the big screen. “This film is not a mere translation of a play into cinema. It is a re-interpretation — both faithful and fearless — of Badal Sircar’s spirit, his angst, and his brilliance,” said Das in a statement.
The cast features Gargee Roychowdhury in the lead role, supported by Rajatava Dutta, Sujan Mukhopadhyay, Chandreyee Ghosh, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Dirghoee Pal, Srijata Saha, and Jayanta Hore.
Suprraatim Bholl will serve as the cinematographer for the film, with music composed by Indraadip Dasgupta and editing by Arghya Kamal Mitra. The shoot begins on June 19.
In a joint statement, Swabhumi Entertainment’s Dr Prabir Bhowmik and Bipasha Ghoshal said, “Pagla Ghoda is an enduring mirror to society, and this film is our humble attempt to honour Badal Sircar’s legacy.”
Sircar’s play Ballabhpurer Roopkotha was adapted into a film in 2022. It marked Anirban Bhattacharya’s debut as a feature director.
