A retelling of a Tamil epic in Bengaluru

Director Shatarupa Bhattacharya’s The Anklet, set to be staged this weekend, reimagines the Tamil epic Silappadikaram for today’s time, turning Kannagi’s story from myth into a powerful reflection of justice and truth. “Kanna gi’s courage feels urgent even in today’s time; her silence is still familiar. It’s a story that refuses to fade. I wanted to bring that emotion back to the stage, in a way that speaks to today’s audiences,” shares Shatarupa. Excerpts from a chat:

‘A WOMAN’S VOICE COULD DEFINE JUSTICE FELT TIMELESS’
“The idea of staging Silappadikaram came from deeply personal conversations. My Tamil friends spoke about Kannagi with such passion — as if she wasn’t a myth, but someone who still walked among them,” Shatarupa recalls.“Their connection to her made me curious. The more I read, the more I realised how radical the text was for its time — a woman’s truth shaping the moral conscience of an entire civilisation. A woman’s voice could define justice felt timeless. That’s what I wanted to explore: what it means for a woman to speak her truth across centuries,” she states.

‘WOMEN’S ANGER IS OFTEN DISMISSED’
The central theme of The Anklet is women’s anger, but Shatarupa was determined not to make it dramatic. As a woman, she relates to that experience significantly. “Women’s an ger is often dismissed as hysteria or overreaction. In this play, I wanted that anger to take up space — to breathe, tremble, and finally find form without apology. Justice here isn’t revenge; it’s dignity reclaimed,” she says.

‘THEATRE IS A COMMUNION OF EMOTIONS IN THIS DIGITAL AGE’
Live performances are an act of healing, especially after the pandemic, believes Shatarupa. “Theatre doesn’t heal by solving anything. It heals by allowing us to feel together. When an audience sits together and watches a story unfold, something collective happens. In that way, theatre becomes almost ritual-like again and not just performance, but communion. In a fragmented world, that kind of connection feels revolutionary,” she adds.