Other Production
Other Production
Khunje Nao.
"Khunje Nao" is a true story about 'Satyabati' or the 'Satyabits' around us who find the world so different to live in.
Satyabati has loving parents, a father who cares the utmost for his beloved daughter and a mother who loves her despite the natural impatience she occasionally feels for her mal-adjusted daughter. Satyabati has an elder brother who wishes he had a better-behaved sister and a younger brother who has never had the opportunity to be better acquainted with his didi because ever since he grew up Satyabati had been languishing in an asylum for burning a chair worth Rs. 196.
Satyabati is brilliant in studies, brilliant in sports, especially swimming, but she cannot take part in the swimming competition. Something has gone wrong. Satyabati's world has finally turned topsy-turvy and the beautiful girl has slowly inexorably gone mad. Or has she really gone mad? Can one define very clearly who is mad? You or I, this world or another Satyabati?
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Director’s Note on Khunje Nao
At least two years ago Sima Mukhopadhyay of "Rangroop" had elicited a promise from me that I would direct a play for them. I had jokingly said 'yes' because I know I would not do it. I have too much cold feet. But Sima did not let go of me so easily and I managed to find a script, which Rudraprasad had adapted at least eighteen years ago for our daughter Sohini. She must have eight or nine years old at that time. At that time male members of Nandikar were greater in numbers and the play was kept in the archive.
I fished it out, re-hashed it thoroughly and some power within me promoted me to go on with this work.
Sima gave me courage and told me I was free to do whatever I liked, choose whoever I preferred. She gave me all the moral support I needed. I choose all the members of "Rangroop" and Sohini who had missed this play once.
The best feature of the entire production process has been the enthusiasm and pleasure., which has exuded from the entire cast. It has poured life inside me afresh.
I want to mention a little about my experiment with music. My most favourite is Rabindra Sangeet because it touches chords at every mood I experience. Sometimes certain songs enter my ears with different times in my imagination. In this play, the one I have used seemed like a prayer to me. Some of the folk lullabies are written by Rabindranath and one is by Jasimuddin, I have used these.
All through the rehearsals process another person who had encouraged me tremendously was Rudraprasad Sengupta, Nandikar's director and my husband. This is my first directorial venture and I am grateful to Rudra Babu, to Sima , to Sohini and to entire cast for their support.
On Stage (Khunje Nao First Show)
| Sima Mukhopadhyay, Sohini Sengupta, Rani Mitra, Aparna Dhar, Shibani Paul, Gita Sarkar, Gopa Nandi, Shyamal Sarkar, Debashis Ray Chowdhury, Kalipada Ghosh, Swapan Mukhopadhyay, Abhijit Sinha, Siddhartha Chakraborty, Arnab Banerjee, Koushik Mukhopadhyay |
Off Stage (Khunje Nao)
| Story: Alwan Mark |
| Playwright: Rudraprasad Sengupta |
| Direction: Swatilekha Sengupta |
| Stage idea: Koushik Roy Chowdhury |
| Stage making: Bilu Dutta |
| Light design: Badal Das |
| Costume design: Debashis Ray Chowdhury |
| Sound design: Himangshu Paul |
| VOICE: Rudraprasad Sengupta, Rupa Deb, Partha Pratim Deb, Swatilekha Sengupta |
| Musical Hands: Amiya Mandal, Koushik Chakraborty, Bimal Biswas, Samrat Bose, Swajan Srijan Mukhopadhyay |
| Other associates: Minati Sinha, Shubhashis Mukharjee, Ratna Dutta, Dolon Aich |
| Our Gratitude: Dr. Anup Dhar, Dr. Ranjita Biswas, Leena Nayar Sengupta, Minarva theatre, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata Corporation |
| Assistance: Nandikar |
rangroop's
precious moments
Some rare moments of old Rangroop productions
RANGROOP, a theatre troupe of national repute. Since its inception, the troupe has always been active and energetic with its varied theatre productions and performances throughout the country and even abroad. With this spirit, RANGROOP passed 56 years of Glory in Bengali Theatre
The productions mingled with unique variety, subtle aesthetic quality, laden with social relevance and contemporaneity have earned profound fame and accolades from the innumerable theatre-lovers of our country. Awards and honours have been showered upon the troupe and true to its social callings, the troupe has always been responsive and has risen to the occasions whenever is required.
Theatre is a way of life at RANGROOP and that is evident from the array of content rich yet accessible productions she has churned out over the years. The spectrum of RANGROOP’s production is widespread. Dealing with different aspects of middle class existence is a subject that director Sima Mukherjee deals with ever so deftly. Sometimes they are dealt with a light touch as evident in ADHRA MADHURI. Sometimes through a darker brush as in JALCHHOBI or taken to an abstract level like NIL RANGER GHORA. With equal finesse, different layers are dissected in Mother-son relationship in MAYER MATO that keeps audience spellbound.
True to its core values, RANGROOP never believes in gimmick. We have chosen content and delivered in a format that resonates with our audience while always keeping our commitment of producing socially relevant theatre. With this vision RANGROOP continues with its experiment with newer themes, burning issues while adopting new forms and techniques.
Apart from Khunje now Rangroop has presented outstanding prodections like, Boomerang, Sunyapat, Abarto, Panu Santi Chayechilo, Alor Phulki, Boli, Tringsa Satabdi, Bhanga Boned, Bikalpa, Clown, Prahasan, Andhakarer Rang, Kadambari, Kanthaswar, Akay Akay Sunya, Michil.