Anirban, Sujan team up for Suman’s next production

As theatre group Chetana gears up to celebrate its 50th year, the group’s veteran director Suman Mukhopadhyay is gearing up to stage a collection of two short plays this November with Anirban Bhattacharya and

Sujan Mukhopadhyay

in the lead. Based on

Harold Pinter

’s The New World Order and Eugène Ionesco’s Leader, Suman’s new productions are named Notun Bishwa Byabastha and Netaji.
“I translated Pinter’s play many years ago. However, Ionesco’s play is something I discovered much later, after staging

Mephisto

. I immediately translated that too,” said Suman, adding, “Chetana will complete 49 years and begin its 50th year celebration. It is a very special occasion for all of us. While these are two short plays, I have made it a continued and connected production. We have started our work in full swing.” Cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay has started designing the lighting. “We’ll also use a song by Kabir Suman,” he said.
Anirban and Neel both played important characters in Suman’s last production, Mephisto. “It’s easy for me to direct them. Both of them are talented and seasoned actors and hence, it has become easier for me to communicate. Anirban not only grasps what I would want intellectually, he takes no time to enact it. He and I may do several plays together,” Suman said.
Sujan, on the other hand, is also busy hosting a gala event on the group’s birth anniversary on November 22. “My father Arun Mukhopadhyay established this group in 1972. Since then, it has offered a range of plays that are still considered important. We’d love to celebrate our legacy. We will publish a book by dada (Suman). There will also be other events, including a panel discussion. Despite our tight schedule, we have set our rehearsal timings,” he said.