“Ek aur waqt beet raha hai, aur ek yudh prarambh ho raha hai…NASBANDI NASBANDI” marks the beginning of the play Nasbandi, presented by Part Time Lovers, on April 19 at Academy of Fine Arts.
This play follows the shrewd, manipulative and power-hungry politician Connie (played by Rijita Chatterjee) who will go to any extent to hold on to her position. Killing people is almost her hobby and she won’t stand anyone who comes in her way or even tries to defy her. Her paralysed husband (played by Sayantan Banerjee), a suppressed man who wants freedom from his conniving wife, can do nothing but shout at the servant in frustration to vent his anger. Saurav Das, who is also the director of this play, is a character that represents the common man living under this oppressive regime.
Nasbandi, meaning the end of fertility, has been used symbolically to show a world where one struggles to find an identity. Through the little anecdotes centred on the village where Connie lives, the play portrays how the individual identities are discarded at the altar of the market. The play celebrates politics by portraying it as a festival that reduces vulnerable human beings to political subjects.
Light and sound effects were employed to depict the darker side of politics. The stage set-up added to the visual appeal of the play. t2 explores moments from Nasbandi:
Pictures: Anindya Shankar Ray
