His repertoire, thoughts and expressions surpass all linguistic barriers. Masses are his medium; Manipuri his muse; music and movements his language; and the themes of revolt and retaliation his opium. The king of universal theatre, Ratan Thiyam, is finally coming to the Capital with Shakudaba Shaknaiba — a play based on Tagore’s The King of the Dark Chamber. He says, “The King of the Dark Chamber is a tribute to Tagore. I try to understand Tagore and to do this is an uphill task. It is like a meditation. It is like walking on the path of silence and experiencing spiritual depth.”
Today, a number of young Manipuri playwrights are weaving stories from Tagore into theatre after getting inspired by Thiyam’s thought process and broad repertoire. The grand old man bridges the inner and outer worlds with the help of folk and classical nuances to voice the political chaos.