Artistes of Bijay Eka Uchwas, a theatre troupe, stage the play, Ekada Labanya, in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 8: The pulsating song of busy metro life is much like the prologue of eminent playwright Bijay Mishra’s Ekada Labanya. With it the curtain goes up, and the audience gets to watch a thriller that emerges out of today’s grim reality.

Celebrating Mishra’s 54 years of play writing, theatre troupe Bijay Eka Uchwasa staged the play at Rabindra Mandap on Wednesday.

As the story moves on, the eponymous lead heroine takes the centre stage. The heroine Labanya, who is the heir of her late father’s multicrore business empire, tries to commit suicide for the third time. Schizophrenia describes her eccentric temper and antics. She smiles one moment, and the immediate next, she screams her lungs out. The secret of her life, according to her doctor Samuel Sahu, is the reason behind her sufferings. However, none has any idea about it.

The play continues with the suspense and thrill. Labanya’s marriage to journalist Parikhit Sahani brings a new twist. Unlike one’s expectation, there is no “happily ever after” moments in their married life. Labanya starts torturing her husband, alleging him to be eyeing her property. But Parikhit, on the other hand, admittedly enjoys the torment till the day, when, much to Parikhit’s shock, Labanya starts behaving like a loving wife. The complexity of Labanya’s character bewilders him so much that he finally decides to put an end to his wife’s lunacy. But, the question remains whether it is the real end to their sufferings.

Parikhit admits in the court that he had killed his wife. But, the role of Labanya’s chauffeur is in question, too. In the catfight between his lawyer and the prosecutor, the court is yet to give its verdict.

“The vortex of city life is the main focus that ultimately leads to chaos,” said Mishra, who has written and directed the play. He has tried to expose the multiple masks that we wear on our face.

“There are multiple personas that reside within us. The play shows what happens when one is caught between Scylla and Charybdis. The plight of Parikhit is a grim reality of today’s metro life. And the helplessness of Labanya is what we all reflect due to the stress and pressure we all bear,” he said.

Rupali Moharana tried her best to portray the swinging moods of Labanya. Dushmanta Pati as Parikhit was natural. Co-director Kailash Mahapatra, who played the role of the chauffeur, was captivating to the core.

Actor Jiban Panda as a judge suffering from “chronic acidity” put the audience in stitches.

“One thing is clear. Labanya is an allegory that is far from the Labanyabati of Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja,” said Punyatoy Behera, a viewer.

Mishra is a legendary figure in the field of theatre. He was conferred with the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award last year for his play Vanaprastha.