'An Inspector Calls' to be staged on November 27: Sight & Sound

'An Inspector Calls' to be staged on November 27: Sight & Sound

Prantik Deka

'an inspector calls' to be staged on november 27

After a long gap, the Assam chapter of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) will present a new Assamese play in the form of 'An Inspector Calls' on November 27, 2019, at the Kumar Bhaskar Natya Mandir, Uzanbazar, Guwahati, for the theatre lovers of the State.

IPTA, which has worked for the development of humanity through culture since 1947, has produced a number of famous plays like 'Xunali Dhanani', 'Seujia Kuhipaat', 'Tofaan', 'Navaprabhat', 'Sapasalor Seka', etc, and many shadow plays like 'Poharaloi', 'Amar Jatra', '15 Augustor Ahbaan' and 'Tirut Singh', which were unanimously praised by the masses. Hemango Biswas, the founder secretary of the Assam chapter, worked with some of the prominent personalities of the state such as Jyotiprasad Agarwala, Bishnu Prasad Rabha and Dr Bhupen Hazarika among others in its early period. The golden period of IPTA, from 1952 to 1962, coincided with the golden days of Dr Bhupen Hazarika's musical career.

'An Inspector Calls', a play written by English dramatist J. B. Priestley, was first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945, and made its English debut at the Old Vic, the following year. As one of Priestley's best-known plays, 'An Inspector Calls' has been hailed as a classic of mid-20th century English theatre. The play has been adapted into Assamese by none other than Natasurjya Phani Sarma. The three-act drama which takes place on a single night, focuses on a prosperous upper middle-class family, who live in a comfortable home in a fictional town of the State. The family is visited by a man calling himself Inspector Parasuram Kakoti, who questions the family about the suicide of a young working-class woman in her mid-twenties. Long considered part of the repertory of classic 'drawing-room' theatre, the play has also been hailed as a scathing criticism of the hypocrisies of capitalist society and as an expression of Priestley's socialist political principles. The play has an impressive cast comprising of noted Assamese film actor Alok Nath along with Mrinal Das, Priyanka Sarma, Queen Hazarika, Hemanta Debnath, Sameer Jyoti and Jayanta Gogoi. Directed by filmmaker Prodyut Kumar Deka, the other associates are Namrata Datta (Art), Sudeepta Sarma Bharali (Music), Puna Kalita (Lights), Babi Chakrabarty (Make Up), Dhanjit Das (Design), etc. The cast and crew are currently devoting much of their time, energy and talent to the challenge of recreating this thrilling, classic tale. The entry for the play is free for all theatre lovers.

3-day sampurna raas leela concludes at kalakshetra

The three-day Sampurna Raas Leela presented by BB Creation in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs, concluded successfully recently at the Srimanta Sankaradeva International Auditorium, Kalakshetra, Panjabari.

This was BB Creation's eleventh year of Raas Leela celebration and seventh year as Co-ordination Raas Leela under the direction of Basanta Kumar Baruah. He had started Coordination Raas Leela in 2011 and so far he has assimilated six different communities – Bodo, Karbi, Deuri, Mising, Tea Tribe and Nepali in the festival by showcasing Raas Leela in their own languages/dialects.

This year the artistes of Ranjumuk, a Rabha socio-cultural organisation from Dudhnoi, performed Raas Leela in their own language on the opening day under the banner of BB Creation.

The opening day's Coordination Raas Leela was inaugurated by Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi.

The programmes on November 13 and 14 saw attractive performances by noted artistes Gayatry Mahanta, Aime Baruah, Atul Pachani, Rajib Kro, Padmarag Goswami, Nila Saikia, Debabrat Dutta, Saranga Bordoloi, Mun Rajib, Nilakhi Bora, Ashramika Saikia, Jayanta Phukon, Bipul Baruah and others.

Monikut, the annual souvenir of the Raas Leela, was released on the occasion by eminent litterateur Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora.

audio album 'Jiya Anubhuti' released

In a tribute function, coinciding with a day-long programme, held to mark the 8th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika as well as the birth anniversary of noted litterateur, lyricist, dramatist and musician Sushil Kumar Rai, an audio album containing nine lilting modern tunes entitled 'Jiya Anubhuti' was released by noted musician Anupam Choudhury in Dudhnoi recently. Produced under the banner of PKD Production, the compassionate album, conceptualised by Kripamoy Das, contains the wonderful lyrics of Sushil Kumar Rai, including Swagatam Samagata he Shudhigon, Jiri Jiri Nijarai, Lajuki Lata mur kotha kuwa, Mur Mondirot tumar arati, among others, which were rendered to perfection by Janardan Hazowary, Kripamoy Das, Hargobinda Deka, Dhritishree Devi, Sangeeta Chamuah and Mamoni Seal. Made as a tribute to the illustrious artiste Sushil Kumar Rai, the album contains the delightful musical compositions of Nanda Banerjee, Abhijit Barman and Gopi Rabha. The tribute function, anchored by Madhusudan Das, was graced by a number of noted celebrities from various walks of life, including Kirti Kamal Bhuyan, Sushil Kumar Rai's better-half Dalimi Devi, Raju Sarma, Khirod Khaklari, Mukul Rabha, Sashindra Kumar Kakati, Deben Kachari, Arabinda Pathak, Munindra Kumar Saikia, Dr Anamika Deka, Biren Bantho, Rajen Hazuwari, Parul Rabha, Sukumar Rai, among others.

national anthem of bangladesh goes sanskrit on dr Bhupen Hazarika's death anniversary

The national anthem of Bangladesh has been given a Sanskrit makeover on the eighth death anniversary of the State's cultural icon – Dr Bhupen Hazarika by the well-known Sanskrit singer, lyricist and translator from Assam, Ranjan Bezbaruah.

Bezbaruah, who has been playing a pivotal role in promoting and popularising Indian music through Sanskrit renditions, has translated a number of Assamese, Hindi and Bengali songs into Sanskrit, included the Sanskrit version of the national anthem of Bangladesh in his 11-song album, which was released recently.

The prolific singer refutes allegations of any political motive behind accommodating the Sanskrit version of 'Aamaar Shonar Bangla', the national anthem of Bangladesh, in his album.

'Aamaar Shonar Bangla' was composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. In his new album, Bezbaruah has also accommodated the state anthem of Assam – 'O Mur Aapunar Desh', which was written by Lakshminath Bezbaroa, who revolutionised modern Assamese literature. Dr Bhupen Hazarika, who called himself a cultural nomad, believed in building bridges between communities and countries divided by political boundaries. Besides, he was and is as popular in Bangladesh as he is in Assam and elsewhere in the country.

'Amaar Shonaar Bangla' features in 'Anandini', the new Sanskrit album that Bezbaruah has conceptualised, as 'Ayee Swarnila Bangla' and 'O Mur Aapunar Desh' as 'Aho Atmanah Desha'.

The two anthems on either side of the Assam-Bangladesh border feature alongside some of Dr Hazarika's popular compositions as well as two of A.R. Rahman's hit songs.

The songs of A.R. Rahman, which have featured in the album, are 'Bharat Humko' (Bharatam Hi Nah) and 'Dil Hai Chhota Sa' (Hrin Me Laghutaram).

The album also features a Bhajan by Meerabai, a Borgeet by Srimanta Sankardeva, 'Saare Jahaan Se Achchhaa' (Sarvalokeshu Ramyam) and Mahatma Gandhi's favourite Bhajan 'Vaishnava Jana To'.

Bezbaruah has rendered the songs along with Pronoti Baruah, Krishna Borah and Riturani Mausumi.

ne international fashion week at shilpagram

The fashion enthusiasts in the city are in for a major surprise with an upcoming show that will redefine fashion to the next level. Presented by Teron Wardrobe, the show, scheduled to be held on December 6 and 7 at the Shilpagram, is initiated by designer Jitumoni Teron, and will showcase well-known models from Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur and Jaipur, besides the North east. Representing different states of India, the models will be seen in their traditional outfits in the show, which will see the participation of some 24 top fashion designers of the country. It will be quite a treat for fashion enthusiasts to see models like Arjumman Mughal, Rajniesh Duggall, Abhishekh Chaini and fitness expert Kiran Dheer walking the ramp with grace and elegance. The local models and the movie stars too will be able to strut their stuff on the runway, besides getting a chance to work under the expert guidance of the designers and models.

The show's creative aspects are being looked after by Rajdeep Art, which is owned by the State's art and crafts maestro Nuruddin Ahmed.

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