Poile Sengupta’s Mangalam is a powerful play that deals with violence and exploitation of women in our society. The drama is divided into two acts. The first part begins with a family mourning the loss of the matriarch, who had been at the receiving end of abuse from her husband all her life. The reason for her life-long suffering unfolds gradually with the arrival of the dead woman’s sister. She reveals that her husband had fathered the deceased woman’s first-born. This announcement is followed by the arrival of the older married daughter. In the second half, an educated, sophisticated urban family comprising a mother and her grown-up son and daughter are seen discussing a play they had been to the night before, which, incidentally, happens to be the first part of Mangalam. Although modern and well-off, this family faces situations similar to what has been witnessed in the first half — abuse, adultery and exploitation. Designed and directed by Rohit Pombra, who is also in the cast along with Madhumantee Kapani, Rajrupa Chakravarty, Sahana Agarwal. Roshmi Lahiri, Mir Imran Ali, Divij Kumar Kak and Rajarshee Bose. The music of this Stagecraft production is by Sumit Ramachandran.

When: Today & tomorrow at 6.30 pm

Where: Gyan Manch