Play brings alive the existential crisis faced by women

Being a woman comes with a different set of challenges in every era. Has the world changed for the better for women or are we still fighting everyday for our right to live, dress, work, make decisions or just be the way we want to?

Raising some questions and reminding people in the audience of the reality of being a woman in today’s time or at any point of time, eminent playwright, director and theatre person Anita Shabdish brought to stage the challenges of being a woman in her play, Man Mitti Da Bolya.

The play was staged at Virsa Vihar as part of the ongoing 25th National Theatre Festival. Written and directed by Shabdish, the play was staged by actors of Suchetak Rangmanch, Mohali.

The play is a work depicting the fate of women in Indian society. This play narrates the tragedy of women, who are victims of crime like rape and sexual abuse. The play realises a serious problem in the context of the global phenomenon of ‘manosphere’ popularised by the likes of Andrew Tate and how it influences a generation of men to antagonise women. The one-character play was not a verbal monologue, but advances the storyline scene by scene.

Beginning with a poem that is a reference to Virginia Woolf, it raises the question of why there is a gap of centuries between women and men in the dynamic development of society and in writing to express their feelings? This gap in countries considered to be developed, leads the protagonist, representing a conscious Indian woman, to understand the truth. She feels the pain of sexual abuse occurring in society, but remains hidden from the eyes. This abuse takes place in homes, which our respectable society covers up.

“The play depicts the pain of women from different sections of society, including Dalit women from families suffering from extreme poverty and women, who are conscious about political and social issues and their rights. As soon as a conscious woman falls on the path of suicide, Pakistan’s Mukhtaran Mai stands in front of her, who has kept the torch of struggle burning despite poverty while facing the powerful. The play seeks a solution to the historical crisis in the development of consciousness,” said Shabdish.

It also questions the capitalist feminism of the West. Anita Shabdish played the protagonist and commanded the stage with her presence and sharp commentary. The song was written by Mini Dilkhush and the music was by Dilkhush Thind. The lighting and sound effect was by Harmeet Bhullar.