Obolokon Theatre stages political drama ‘Gandhasutra’ today

Obolokon Theatre is returning to the stage with a new production titled "Gandhasutra", a politically charged play that probes power, fear, and personal rupture in an age of fragile democracies. Written by Apu Shahid and directed by Kazi Toufiqul Islam Emon, the play will premiere tonight at 7pm at the Studio Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. A second show will be staged at the same venue and time tomorrow.

At the heart of "Gandhasutra" lies the story of a woman whose life takes a dark and unsettling turn. Her personal autonomy is crushed with the complicity of the state machinery. Within the confines of her own home, she comes face to face with her abuser—an encounter that shatters her faith in law, justice, and social order. The narrative insists that this is not an isolated story. It could unfold in any country, any city. It is happening somewhere right now—and will happen again. Such violence, the play suggests, becomes especially frequent in societies emerging from prolonged fascist rule, where democracy struggles to find its footing.

Playwright Apu Shahid describes "Gandhasutra" as a raw, urgent work forged from contemporary political realities. Drawing from present-day Bangladesh while speaking to global conditions, the play examines how instability, authoritarian impulses, and moral collapse seep into everyday life.

"The world has become a global village," Shahid says. "Economics, politics, development, globalisation, war, and violence have created such turbulence that remaining mentally intact as an individual feels almost curious. We could sense the character of domination everywhere, but couldn't quite give it a structure. In that unrest, I was reminded of Argentine-American playwright Ariel Dorfman."

He notes that in the age of global circulation, texts and images cross borders effortlessly—from original English plays to Roman Polanski's films and even Hindi cinema. "That led me back to Dorfman's work," Shahid explains. "The central gravity of 'Gandhasutra' rests on Polanski's film "Death and the Maiden"."

Director Kazi Toufiqul Islam Emon echoes the play's broader relevance. "When I first read the script, it felt like a story not only about our state, but about any place in the world where democracy is collapsing," he says. "A tortured woman seeks retribution for her personal suffering. Opposite her stand two men, creating intense dramatic conflict. By the end, the woman and the stranger arrive at a terrifying discourse. When the political character of the state becomes contradictory, ordinary citizens turn into enemies of one another."

The cast of "Gandhasutra" includes Nasrin Anu, Sarwar Jahan Upol, Kazi Toufiqul Islam Emon, and Diana, among others. Music is composed by Charles Niloy Chowdhury. Set design is by Abu Bakar Siddiqui, lighting design by Mokhlesur Rahman, and costumes by Irene Parveen Lopa.