EXCLUSIVE: Social play 'Sawar', directed by Kanyaka with actor Satyam Bhattacharya playing a powerful pivotal role, is all about inner consciousness and harmony
Actor Satyam Bhattacharya and theatre director Kanyaka join hands for the first time for Kolkata RomRoma’s latest production Sawar, directed by the latter. We caught up with the actor-director duo ahead of its premiere this weekend.
Excerpts:
Tell us about Sawar. What themes have you explored here?
Kanyaka: It depicts a village on the banks of Ichemoti River, which thrives on communal harmony. This is not a political play, but the story of a man (played by Satyam) who, due to his dual communal background, is a symbol of harmony. This play is about how people introspect. For instance, we search for solutions to our problems everywhere, but the answer lies within us.
Why did you get Satyam on board?
Kanyaka: Satyam has the innocence required in the character. His face is very relatable and easy to connect with. That is why I thought his presence will make it easier for the audience to believe in this character.
What made you say yes to the script?
Satyam: Kolkata RomRoma and HypoKrites are contemporaries. But I have never worked outside HypoKrites. This play is special because it is something Kolkata RomRoma has never done before, which is a social drama. It is a relevant subject, even though the play is set in 1996-97. Sawar deals with the philosophy of a well-known philosopher and I get to play an avatar of this philosopher. Here, I play a slightly eccentric villager, which is very unlike me.
How was the experience of directing the play?
Kanyaka: The challenging part was to pick up the local dialect. I did not know it. So I went to the actual location and picked it up. I have incorporated the local lifestyle, their gestures, postures, colloquialism, common words, what makes them angry etc. Somewhere this is a play that challenges my abilities.
How did you get into the shoes of the character, especially in keeping up with the dialect?
Satyam: There is an actor in the group, Deb Sarkar da whose ancestral house is near the Ichemoti river. Their Bangal dialect is slightly different. So, he and Kanyaka both helped us understand the dialect. For the last few weeks, I have been practicing the same. Even when I’m talking to my wife or family, I use this dialect so that I can imbibe the language naturally.
An iconic element of Kolkata heritage is closely bound to your character. What do you have to say about it?
Satyam: My character is one who has lost everything in life but still finds something to cling on to. This iconic Kolkata element is that to him. He lost his parents as a child. His entire lifestyle is based on this object that he inherited from his father. It was his father’s last memory. Everyone in the village wants to discard the object, but he wants to keep it at a safe space where no one can reach it. He is not a lonely guy, he has friends. But his thoughts have become an entity in themselves, which do not collide with anyone. He is a philosophical person so the people of the village love him.
Tell us about the ensemble cast and what goes behind managing them.
Kanyaka: Difficult ! Sometimes, I don’t manage; I leave it up to fate. But this play has certain integrity where no one speaks once the rehearsals begin. There are over 40 + cast members. I’m lucky to have Timir Biswas on the music, and senior actors inlcuding Turna Das and Deep Basu on board.
What are your plans post the premiere?
Kanyaka: I want to do a show every month but it might not be possible in several halls due to the technicalities of the stage build-up. Hopefully, we can take it outside Kolkata too. I feel they might be able to connect a lot.
Your movie Bhutopurbo is also slated to release this month. Tell us about your character.
Satyam: It’s aesthetically a well done movie by Kakoli Ghosh and Avinab Mukherjee. They are also from theatre background and this is their first film. I play the iconic Phonibhushan Saha of Monihara. Bhutopurbo is an anthology of three stories albeit bound by a common link. Phonibhushon was my entry to Rabindranath Tagore’s world and I loved doing it.
What are your upcoming works?
Satyam: Achinta Aich, Raktabeej,and Vijaynagarer Heere.
Sawar will be staged on June 14 from 6.30 pm onwards. At Academy of Fine Arts.
