NIHSANGA SAMRAT & KALLUMAMA: two significant works by Debsankar Haldar

NIHSANGA SAMRAT & KALLUMAMA: two significant works by Debsankar Haldar

In the last few months the Bengali stage-goers had the opportunity of witnessing two very significant dramas starring one of the most versatile actors of the present day, Debsankar Haldar, in two very difficult characters. Paikpara Indraranga’s Nihsanga Samrat and Ushnik’s Kallumama are two very different dramas both in form as well as in content. While the first one is a stage-adaptation of Sunil Ganguli’s novel of the same name based on the life and times of the father of modern Bengali theatre, Natyacharya Sishirkumar Bhaduri, the later one is a solo-acting play written by Ishita Mukherjee. The two dramas naturally have two different characters and the actor predictably, fulfils all the parameters to portray the two. But what strikes the viewers is the fact that in both the dramas, especially in Kallumama, the characters have multiple shades and tones and Debsankar excels in portraying these diversifications on the stage.

Debesh Chatterjee’s adaptation of the Sunil novel is arguably one of the best adaptations on the Bengali stage in the recent past. He has created a collage on the life and struggles of the Natyacharya more as a critical analysis rather than as a biography. The innovativeness of the dramatist has explored the personal life of the legendary thespian with a parallel reference to the characters he portrayed on the stage. Three distinct facets of the persona of Sishirkumar have been shown – one being his personal life and struggles, the second being his interactions with the characters he portrayed, while the third is his relationship with the then Bengali theatre-world. It is a challenge for any actor to do the job and for Debsankar in spite of his versatility is no exception. His power of memorising lines mesmerises the audience and he does a commendable job, no doubt. His ability to take a huge workload is one of the factors that have distinguished him from any other of his creed. But there were signs of fatigue at times especially when he portrays the thespian in the various roles that he had performed. The great actor through these performances had introduced the present day low-key form of stage acting but Debsankar could not bring out these subtleties. Nonetheless, at the end of the day Debsankar could achieve the admiration of his viewers.

This admiration was double folded in and as Kallumama in the play of the same name. This portrayal of a simpleton turning into a Dada due to socio-economic reasons can boast as one of his best works on stage. It would not be improper to mention that at a point of time when Debsankar’s works showed signs of weariness and were almost stereotype, this particular production came about as a windfall for his ardent admirers. Ishita has constructed the character in episodic segments thus each segment has its own protagonist who is the same person but with a mutated character. These changes have been effected by Debsankar with the same dynamism in every instance thus proving without the least doubt his ability to handle a vast spectrum of characters. It was an absolutely astounding performance and should be rated high in all standards.

Before signing off it should be mentioned that no performance by any individual can sparkle if the co-artists and the other departments of the production too, does not keep up to the same high benchmark. So credits for Debsankar should also be shared with Debesh Chatterjee and Ishita Mukherjee together with the other members of the two groups. Both the director-cum-playwrights have provided enough space in their respective plays for the actor to improvise and cater the best fare to the Bengali audience.