Participants at Subodh Patnaik’s workshop in Calcutta. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, May 8: Veteran playwright Bijay Mishra has reiterated the necessity of translating and staging Odia plays in other languages on several occasions. His wishes are now coming true.

While earlier this year, Hindi, Bengali and Assamese adaptations of plays penned by Ratiranjan Mishra and Ramesh Prasad Panigrahi were staged in Bhubaneswar and Paradip, noted theatre director Subodh Patnaik’s play was recently chosen by a Calcutta-based theatre troupe to be adapted and presented in Bengali.

Patnaik claims that it is a rare occasion in the history of modern Odia theatre when an Odia play is being translated into another language.

Last week, he returned from Calcutta after conducting workshops for the artistes of Thealight theatre troupe. The 13-year-old troupe will shortly stage Patnaik’s play Bhoota in Bengali.

The 90-minute play, which was first produced in 2003, deals with the impact of television soaps and movies on our society, especially on youngsters. The play projects TV as a ghost that overpowers the viewers and showcases the adverse effects of advertising.

Atanu Sarkar has translated the play in Bengali.

“I am overwhelmed by their decision. I am also directing the play, and it was really an amazing working experience with the young Bengali artistes,” said Patnaik.

Many theatre personalities believe that though Odia theatre has generously adapted plays of various regional languages, the reverse has never been that prevalent.

“But, the situation is gradually changing.

Though the plays of veteran writers such as Manoranjan Das, J.P. Das and Bijay Mishra have been translated into Hindi and English on several occasions, it is pleasant to know that Subodh Patnaik’s play is also being adapted.

While troupes such as Satabdira Kalakar and Canmass are pushing the adaptation of Odia plays, now even troupes from neighbouring states have started picking gems of our plays willingly,” said president of the Odisha Natya Sangha Dhira Mallick.