A play based on letters shared between Sarat Chandra Bose and his son, and Subhash and his nephew reveals their personalities against a historic backdrop
A scene from The Bose Legacy that will be screened on January 23, Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary
More than insentient messengers, letters push open personal windows and teach through the totality of one’s lived experiences. Didn’t Franz Xaver Kappus find similar moist imprints in Rainer Maria Rilke’s letters? Didn’t Indira Gandhi hear her father’s voice in his writings? When messages by great minds are brought out, there’s often a reaching after relevance.
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Young Amiya Nath Bose received letters from his father, Sarat Chandra Bose and his uncle, Subhas Chandra Bose when he had completed his matriculation. The brothers share their vision for India, their contribution towards Independence, and role in the freedom struggle in these letters; they also guide Amiya, who is not too sure which college to attend. The Bose Legacy, a cine-theatre that takes after elements of cinema and stage, resolves the want for relevance. As Subhas had said, an idea incarnates itself “in a thousand lives”.
Nikhil Katara and Himali Kothari
Himali Kothari, co-writer of the script, says the original text helped them keep together the life and learnings of two iconic figures together. “Adapting the book by Amiya’s daughter (Madhuri Bose) gave us direction. Symbiotically, the play lent structure to the book and the letters, as staging requires a narrative and characters,” she maintains, adding that it was Madhuri’s wish that the book be adapted into other art forms. That’s when Playpen Performing Arts Trust got Kothari and writer-director Nikhil Katara on board. But would an exhaustive compilation of letters on screen interest the non-history buff? Katara explains that The Bose Legacy is not a history lesson. “The letters unfold human qualities, where a father deliberates with his son, and an uncle counsels his nephew. It is a common relationship that grants an uncommon peak into their extraordinary lives.” The co-writer elaborates they had decided to not structure the piece around political insight: “Our play shines a light on how family seniors write from prison hoping to pass on their teachings to their own progeny, someone they have not met in a long time.”
The theatrical adaptation was conceived for the stage, but after only a few shows, the country went into a lockdown. It was re-imagined for virtual audiences. Madhuri, who has authored the book, The Bose Brothers and Indian Independence, is happy that its contents will now reach more people across the world, “I have watched the on-stage production. I am glad we are able to celebrate it in a hybrid format now. I couldn’t congratulate the makers enough for having done this.”
On: January 23, 6.30 pm
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