After a hiatus of more than four months, Mohakal Natya Sampraday will bring to the stage one of the troupe’s most acclaimed productions, Shikhandi Kotha, tomorrow at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 7:00pm.
The production has become the bedrock of this theatre troupe and tomorrow’s staging marks its 157th show. Depicting the struggles of the transgender community in Bangladesh, the play has been a success on stage for more reasons than one.
Written by Anan Zaman and directed by Haroon Rashid, the play narrates the story of a transgender individual named Ratan. When the boy reaches adolescence, Ratan discovers a different gender in him and eventually becomes a “hijra” with a feminine gender identity.
After identifying Ratan’s gender, the family refuses to accept him. Ratan joins others like him and takes the name Ratna. The story revolves around Ratna and other hijras’ woes as well as their rare moments of joy.
The play has also triggered a film produced in 2013 by Impress Telefilm.