A theatrical reimagination of Tagore’s "Raktakarabi" is coming to stage on August 8. “Aguni” is a musical puppet production made by Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed.
Keeping the fire of the Bengali spirit alive, “Raktakarabi” speaks about anti-authoritarian thoughts and resistance. Nawshaba describes it as "a symbolic and political retelling through puppetry and song, which extremely relevant in today’s Bangladesh, especially after the July 2024 revolution."
The actress said, "It's not just an adaptation of 'Raktakarabi', we've layered it with the voices of people who fought, bled, and survived—in July and beyond. This is about all those who resisted injustice, in the streets and in their hearts."
"I've seen what unresolved pain does," she said. "I didn't want the same fate for this generation of fighters. Theatre gave me healing, now I'm passing that on."
Activists, students, and cultural workers have worked on this project, and it was deeply personal to many, especially to the director. The rehearsals of the show have been a healing journey for many.
"It's group therapy in the form of theatre," Nawshaba explained. "The stage is where grief turns into strength."
