KOCHI: A play within a play, ‘Bhagawante Maranam’ takes the audience to the violence that exists in society. There is a tension created within the play as it is a fight between reality and drama. Hazim Amaravila, the director of the play, has unfolded the violence that is committed against people who stand up for truth and who try to eliminate the evils in society.
K R Meera’s short story ‘Bhagawante Maranam’ was written as a reaction to the ruthless assassination of the renowned writer M M Kalburgi. In this story, Professor Bhagawan gets killed by the religious extremists for his progressive thinking and against whom he gives open speeches. With the same idea, “Although it is a dramatic adaptation, we have tried to give it a different outlook,” says Hazim, who has scripted the play.
The 100-minute play unravels the stories of how the society is affected by political pressure. It is not about women, wealth or anything, but the sole issue here is the power which is misused. The director has woven all the threads together and portrayed how people who raise their voices will be silenced. Here, ‘death’ is the main focus and how the society confronts it.
There is another parallel drama in the play in the production wherein the attempt of a theatre group to stage this story is also portrayed. In this space presented in a realistic manner, the inner politics of actor comes to the fore which is a reflection of our society. What is interesting in both the dramas is the display of the oppressive tactics of the ruling system, whether it is state or Central governments, and even religion or caste.
The play ends with the note where bullets never stop, Bhagawan gets murdered again and again but only to be reborn again.
Amara and Bhagavan take the centre stage in the play. Other characters like Malappa, Shilpa, Shaheed, Sreenath, Kaveri, Kannamma, Christy and the police officers. Amara who comes to kill Bhagavan in the name of religion finally becomes his disciple and understands how the fight in the name of religion can lead the person no where.
The police officers play the role of ‘power’ who are afraid to embrace the reality of the social evils in the society. The play will be staged on Saturday.