A scene from Jivonor Sote Kothaa staged at Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati last week. Picture by Eastern Projections

The low-key Brajanath Sarma Memorial Theatre Festival might have got somewhat lost amid all the fanfare that attended the State Film Awards in Guwahati but three of the five plays presented at Rabindra Bhawan from September 12 to 16 made quite an impression.

Of them, Jivonor Sote Kothaa, staged by Barpeta-based amateur troupe Rong Ghar, melded three plots into an expression of the optimism of youth that is so often frustrated by reality.

First, we see an idealistic youth who wants to set up an NGO. But, he soon learns that uniting people of different backgrounds towards a common goal is no mean task. His efforts, however, are rewarded with success, as he tirelessly works to give shape to his dream.

The second story has for its protagonist an unemployed man, Bhaskar, who shares a romantic relationship with a girl working in a tailoring institute. When he finally lands a job as a DTP operator, he comes across a middle-aged writer who lives a life of agony with her autocratic husband. In Bhaskar, she finds solace and a reason to live. Shattered by this relationship, his girlfriend vents her frustration by killing an upper-class philanderer. Soon after, she joins an insurgent group.

The third section reaches a high when an unemployed youth goes a step closer to his dream of donning the CRPF uniform by clearing the physical test. But the story takes a tragic turn when he drops dead after coming first in the 10-km run. The play ends at the cremation ground with all the characters reviewing their lives and the cruel jokes that life plays.

In Jivonor Sote Kothaa, writer-director Jyotiprasad Das has served up some fresh food for thought. Dhrubajyoti Das excels as Bhaskar. Equally impressive were Sanjiv Das, Dhrubajyoti Das, Badal Sinha, Sainu Das and Apar-na Sarma. Pramath Ranjan Das was a surprise as the owner of the tailoring institute and a broker. The music, lights and set design complemented the troupe’s efforts.