Rehearsal pictures of ‘Daag’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

StainCo-directed by Suman Chakraborty and Shruti Rao, invites its audience to explore class, ambition and moral conflict through the life of Bindiya, a tailor with aspirations for a better life.

Bindiya’s reality – a world of a small tailor shop and constant financial stress – collides with her lofty dreams. Suman, who wrote the story and first conceived it as a short film, says his directorial debut has deepened his connection with the material. “It’s surreal to see my words take shape on stage,” he says. As the performance date approaches, Suman acknowledges the enormity of his debut, even as he struggles to come to terms with it. We also accept the challenges ahead. “I have learned a lot over these months, and every rehearsal reveals something new,” he says, thanking his co-director Shruti. “It’s an ongoing effort to better understand this story and these characters.”

“I wrote Stain Imagining society as a pyramid, where power dynamics and exploitation, overt or subtle, dictate interactions at every level.

Rehearsal pictures of ‘Daag’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Bindiya’s life, located near the base of the pyramid, is shaped by daily humiliation as customers demand last-minute orders or pay less than her labor. Suman says, “In a way, Bindiya’s story reflects the lives of many people who serve without getting what they really deserve.” And I wanted to question whether this exploitation can ever really end.

to bring stained On themes of class and survival, Suman bases herself in real-world observations, from childhood memories of sweet shop workers in Kolkata (who couldn’t eat the sweets they made) to conversations with local artisans. Drowned. For example, her conversations with a neighborhood tailor provided insight into Bindiya’s world – his tools, techniques and the mental resolve required to work long hours with little financial reward. He also took inspiration from his professional life in the software industry, where “social status dictates how people treat each other, from parking attendants to coworkers.”

challenging the status quo

Co-founded by Suman in 2019, Dramarsis has always prioritized dramas with originality and social relevance. His previous presentations, Endingused absurdist humor to address gender roles, and, Aparajita, From time to time, women’s resilience has been celebrated. with StainThe group embraces the harsh realities of class and power dynamics. “As a team, we are dedicated to making our theater a safe place both on and off the stage,” says Suman. “Our goal is to tell stories that challenge audiences, as well as We also respect the creative voices behind each production.”

Suman admits that he does not have the answers to the questions that his play raises. He says, “There’s something deeply human in this play, and it’s not about solving anything, but about mirroring our own roles in this hierarchy.” “At the end of the day, Stain It’s not just about Bindiya; It’s about all of us and how we choose to interact with the world around us.”

In search of Bindiya’s story, Stain It opens a rare window into the psyche of a working woman who has little control over her daily interactions but an indomitable desire to break free of her circumstances. The play’s conclusion forces Bindiya – and the audience – to consider the broader human condition: what are the consequences of our collective reliance on hierarchy, and can individual ambition co-exist with social responsibility?

Stain (30 minutes) will be staged at Ranga Shankara on November 2 at 6.30 pm.