The six-day theatre festival titled “Nari Jagorone Natya Ayojon 2013” celebrating women's empowerment ended on August 24 at Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy with the of Theatre Baily Road’s “Mukti” and Desh Natak’s “Prakrita Purangana.”
A total of 12 plays that highlight the complexities faced by the womenfolk of the country were staged by a number of theatre troupes during the festival.
On the last day of the festival “Prakrita Purangana” – a play which speaks against the discrimination of women in our society – saw a houseful audience. Throughout the play, the director tried to establish the point of the intricacy between every religion and social system. While religion gave the highest respect to a woman, the male-dominant societal structure refuses to give them any opportunity to prove their worth. It is a regular norm for the females in a patriarchal hierarchy that the entity they worship is a male figure.
The plot of the play revolves around Rupai and her life. Rupai is unmarried, although society dictates that she should have been married years ago. One day, she meets a spiritual teacher who inspires her to find a life partner. Suddenly, Rupai who gave very little thought to such matters starts to speculate about the perks of finding a suitable life partner.
Her longing comes to an end when she meets the love of her life. But alas! She takes dishonest steps to fulfill her heart’s desire and suffers terribly.
In the end, she dies, and does surrender to the unjust demands of a male chauvinistic social order.
