Indur is a fictional tale of a young boy named Prabhat. Prabhat, the only child of his parents, was more popularly known by his nickname, Patol, a high-spirited, happy-go-lucky person. He was always up for sports but was a laggard in studies, failing numerous times in exams. And this made him the butt of everyone’s petty jokes; his classmates, school-teachers, private-teacher, neighbors never let go of a chance to take a dig at him. Though Patol never cared for them, this was to the ire of his parents.

So, one day when his parents came across an advertisement on the local newspaper, they immediately fall trap to it. The ad by Dr. Buddhidhar Pakrashi claimed to increase the intelligence of any person by medication. By much ado, appointment was made and the first dose was forced into the boy.

Patol instantly becomes intelligent but his spirits dwindle away. The very next exam he ranks third, but it doesn’t satisfy him much. Suddenly the prankster in him dies away, he doesn’t play anymore, and he fervently refuses to be called by his nickname anymore. Next exam he ranks second, but instead of any joy, he only gets enraged not being able to be first. This upgraded version of Patol, Prabhat convinces his parents to let him take the next dose of the Dr. Pakrashi’s medicine in a bid to reach the top.

Suddenly, being first is the only thing that matters to him. He sees every obstacle on his course as his enemy and he stops at no measure to clear them. So when he catches a mouse (indur in vernacular) destroying his books, he simply drowns it to death and in the same act schemes to drown anyone who ranks better than him. Prabhat Roy is ambitious, Prabhat Roy is cold-blooded brutal.

Getting scared his parents seek the help of the sham doctor. To beguile them from his malpractice, Dr Pakrakshi prescribes the anti-dote, a dose that would reverse the effect of the previous doses, a dose that would return Prabhat to his former self, the high-spirited but ever failing boy, the eternal “Failtoos”. Alas!

Having an experience of working with and for children for more than 15 years, I have noticed that the term, ‘Children’s Theatre’ is not yet established in our theatre or in the erudite fraternity. The primary reason for that, I suppose, is unawareness. Serious Theatre with Children is possible only when we, adults will consider them seriously and will render due respect to a Child Actor. Theatre with Children is no child’s play at all. In fact, this is a complex corridor of Theatre and whoever is associated with this occupation, knows well. Secondarily, whenever we think of ‘Children’s Theatre’, we think of fables, myths, allegories or a Theatre that contains simple comedy which the children would love to watch. The demands of these stories are everlasting, no doubt, and they are often educative, too; yet they actually
restrain us from the desire of present-day children & youth and its fulfillment, with which if a play is produced might ask the elders far too many questions.

So, I have decided to compose a play where Children can question the responsibility of elders in Society, who bring them up, who judge them and, often curse them for their involuntary ‘sin’.

INDUR [the rat] is basically all about the rat race our children have to take part in. Parents usually made them child labours, merely a machinery to make their ‘lost’ dream come true. So, the children are becoming sandwiched between the expectations of their parents. Their entity has been shrunk into obtaining marks on exams and being ‘careerist’ to have a centrifugal future that does only mean earning more money. Being human is secondary to them.

Though, this play cannot be labeled as ‘based on a true story’. Instead, in respect to the psychoanalysis of current social scenario, being an imaginary tale, this play is much closer to reality. The root of misdeed has been accentuated more than the misdeed itself, although this play does not intend any personal assault.

The play is a product of a five-day workshop with the brilliant actors of Kalakushali: it has been an everlasting radiant experience to me. We have used several Theatre Games and the whole lot, except the songs, has been improvised by the actors. Unique is the fact that the play still has no written script. The actors got lines of their own and memorize them. My job was to create an atmosphere so that they can easily set the scenes; and also to stitch the coherent scenes to compose the play. And later on, some edition helped a lot as well as rehearsals have made the scenes better.

I personally believe, Theatre is the best medium that can think aloud our words, physically and politically. Our task is to find the Truth from the darkness of Life where children have been thrown. Though the Truth is not pleasant always, yet if it leads us to the great path of self-beautification it would be the ultimate celebration of Humanity.

Hope, INDUR [the rat] will cut the net and set us free in the light of realization.

Drama, Set, Music, Design & Direction
Raja Bhattacharya