Shumang Leela Festival : Leikanglada Satpi' showcases rich-poor struggle
Source: Chronicle News Service / Mission Oinam
Imphal, February 19 2023:
'Leikanglada Satpi', a play by Kamakhya Sangeet Mandal, marked the second day of the Nupa (male) Shumang Leela category of the ongoing 51st All Manipur Shumang Leela Festival 2022-23, which is being organised by Manipur State Kala Akademi at Th Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Palace Compound, on Sunday.
The plot of 'Leikanglada Satpi' is centred on the retribution that a wife of a powerful minister experiences for destroying the life a poor young girl.
The play shows the consequences her (minister's wife) children had to face for her bad judgement.
It basically tries to show how the rich looks down and ill-treats the poor and vulnerable in the society.
In the play, Leima, the wife of the works minister, is an arrogant and snobbish lady.
Her son Ingocha falls in love with Sangbannabi, the daughter of a poor widow.
Leima disapproves of the relationship and more so of Sangbannabi.
As such, she hires her misogynist and chauvinistic nephew Gojen to hurt Sangbannabi to "save" her son Ingocha.
After numerous molestation attempts, Gojen strangulates Sangbannabi one day and buries her body at an undisclosed location.
When Sangbannabi goes missing, Ingocha loses his mind and becomes deranged.
Meanwhile, Sanatombi and CID Inspector Bidur, who happens to be close to Sangbannabi's mother, investigate the case discreetly.
As suspicions rises over the involvement of Leima and Gojen in the case, the people protest against the Works minister.
The minister loses his reputation due to his wife's actions.
Although Leima and Gojen tried to cover up their crime, Sanatombi and Bidur were able to learn about the murder through a cook working in the minister's house.
Bidur avenges the death of his sworn-sister Sangbannabi by shooting Gojen dead, while the heartbroken Ingocha kills himself.
The play has been written by Dr Chonjon Ningombam and directed by Hiyang Lukhoi.
The male characters were portrayed by Hiyang Luk hoi (Works minister), Levis (Bidur), Christopher/Tutu (Ingocha), Samurou Milan (Gojen), Varun (Eigyamacha) and Purnachandra (Minister's PA).
The female characters were played by Somokanta (Minister's wife Leima), Athoi (Sanatombi), Roy (Sangbannabi) and Bemma (college teacher).
Meanwhile, Joykumar (male voice), Baby Thoi/Macha (female voice), Dev Sharma (Tabla and Music Direction), Arjun (Guitar), Nikin (Keyboard), Somon (Pad Drum) and Tomba Mayai (choreography) helped enrich the play from the backstage.