Grieving hearts and conflicted minds, tortured souls in tormented times, war hasn’t done anybody good. Shocked and shaken by its effects on an individual’s life, Amar Sah brings you a play called Men Without Shadows, lamenting the futility of war. When life, purpose and human identity become obscure because of it, its does no good to anybody, he says. His script dwells on how post-war existential crisis circumcises human emotions, destroying everything human beings hold as valuable. It takes a hard look at how it destabilises the entire system, leaving nobody outside its purview.
Based on a French play by Jean Paul Sartre, Men Without Shadows sheds light on the mind-numbing dilemmas of soldiers of the French Resistance Forces during World War II. “We’ve adapted the theme of existentialism in the war like situation of India and Pakistan,” says Sah.
War spares no one. It’s dreadful claws rips up an individual’s physical, emotional, psychological and rational beliefs in irreparable ways. It affects everyone from the soldier to civilians. But war can teach us a very important lesson, according to the director. And that is the importance of freedom. “When you are in a combat situation, all you’re doing is following instructions without using your own discretion. You are bound by duty. It’s then that you realise the importance of freedom of choice and to stop when you want to,” says Sah.
The story he is presenting also encapsulates the mental conundrum that soldiers go through. They’re on the brink of breakdown but still hold it together. “It reflects the current geopolitical position perfectly, making the viewer understand the pointlessness of it all,” says the director.
January 22, at Shri Ram Centre Auditorium, 4, Safdar Hashmi Marg, Mandi House, at 4 pm. Tickets are available at bookmyshow.com and at the venue.