From Rawther Roshi to Brindavan Ki Brajabuli, multi-disciplinary Bengali classics come alive in Hyderabad

As May gathers the legacies of Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Satyajit Ray into one shared cultural moment, Teen Bhuboner Paarey by shOi and Jajabor Collectives unfolds as a multi-disciplinary tribute — where theatre, dance, music and poetry converge into a single, evolving narrative.

From Rawther Roshi’s charged resistance to Brindavan Ki Brajabuli’s lyrical devotion, Teen Bhuboner Paarey blends poetry, performance and tradition to speak to a contemporary audience

At its core is Rawther Roshi, directed by Praloy Patra, a play that proves just how enduring Tagore’s writing remains. “The symbolism in the original text was already very strong and coherent,” Praloy says, explaining that the production resists over-explaining, choosing instead to translate the text organically for contemporary audiences. That translation is most visible in the reimagining of characters: the Shudras are positioned as manual scavengers, grounding caste in present-day realities of labour and invisibility.

The poet — played by Praloy himself — is re-envisioned within the queer community, subtly suggested through costume and visual language. The recurring image of the rainbow, absent in the original, expands the play’s emotional terrain to include questions of gender and identity. Even the language is recalibrated: swords give way to bullets and bayonets, while chants shift to “Jai Bheem,” anchoring the narrative in a recognisable socio-political present. Relationships, too, are reshaped — the dynamic between a capitalist and a minister reflects the workings of crony capitalism today. “It’s not about changing the core, but finding a contemporary vocabulary — both visual and emotional,” he notes.

The production’s sensory language amplifies this tension. Kazi Nazrul Islam’s Kuli Mojur becomes a powerful entry point, its defiance shaping the introduction of workers on stage. Live music by Tramline builds from percussive rhythms rooted in the physicality of labour to the fragility of piano, tracing a journey from oppression to possibility. Songs like Dheu Uthchhe Kara Tutchhe and Tagore’s Udiye Dhwaja carry this arc forward, while a Bangla rock-inspired arrangement injects urgency without losing melodic integrity.

“Each line inspired a visual motif… we attempted to make the poetry visible — almost like watching verses unfold in space,” Tanushree shares.

Moving away from a purely romantic lens, the work explores Radha’s inner landscape — longing, devotion and transcendence — less as linear storytelling and more as fragments of feeling. The musicality of Brajabuli shapes the choreography’s fluid, introspective quality, where pauses and stillness carry as much weight as motion.

Blending Bharatanatyam with Rabindra Nritya, the production allows technique and emotion to coexist organically. “We allow technique to serve emotion rather than overshadow it,” Tanushree explains, noting how structure anchors the piece while lyricism expands it. The result is what she describes as a “visual poem,” where music, movement and staging flow seamlessly — immersing the audience rather than simply presenting to them.

Bringing a distinctly Bengali literary work to Hyderabad, she emphasises the universality of its themes. “Art goes beyond language… the aim is for the audience to connect with it emotionally in their own personal way.”

Together, these works define Teen Bhuboner Paarey — not just as a celebration of legacy, but as a living, breathing dialogue. One that moves between resistance and devotion, stillness and flow, and reminds us that tradition, at its most powerful, is always in conversation with the present.

Tickets start at ₹350. May 2, 5 pm onwards. At Phoenix Arena, HITEC City.

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