Sajano Bagan

The final evening of the Calcutta Comedy Carnival at Madhusudan Mancha was reserved for Sundaram's production of 'Sajano Bagan', directed by the veteran Manoj Mitra who also played the lead part. Earlier when I showed her the festival banner for the 1st time, my wife exclusively selected this one much to my annoyance as I'd my eyes for another day's play. But as usual, she won the argument and so it was Manoj Mitra's performance that we were destined to watch. Well today when I think of it, it seems that her judgement should sometimes be taken real seriously as if it were not so I would have missed one of the finest display of stage acting, which I will cherish in my memory for a very long time.
Manoj Mitra was just superb. His acting, voice modulation, expressions, gestures, everything was perfect. Also the other actors that worked with him did a splendid job and the lighting of the stage was another classic piece of art that deserves special mention. The entire play is hilarious and filled with witty dialogues and slangs.
The story in not new to those who have watched 'Bancharam's Bagan'. The plot involves the aged Bancha Kapali, the lone gardener of a large plot of land and the local Zamindar, Nakur, who wish to get hold of this land. So he makes a legal contract with Bancha that states that Bancha is to receive a monthly salary of Rs.200 from the former on the condition that in the event of the latter's death the land will pass to the possession of Nakur. The ailing Bancha, who had already driven away his grandson when he came to know that he wished to sale the garden at Rs.12000, readily accepts the offer.
The evil Nakur had actually made this contract observing the frail condition of the gardener as he thought that Bancha's days were already numbered. But his frustration heightens when he finds Bancha to regain his health as each month passes by. The play then becomes a game where Nakur's each and every attempt to gain the land quickly gets foiled in one way or the other.