‘Tuvem ghovak garbage kelia’

-Brian Mendonça

 Disha revolves around a man who is determined to use his land to set up a waste disposal plant in Goa. His son-in-law, who is a builder, has other plans. He marries the landowner’s sister Shenaya. When his black money is rendered useless after demonetization, the builder pleads with his father-in-law to transfer the land to his name so he can repay his debts.

The son-in-law stoops to the extent of threatening to kill Shenaya. The ‘doll scene,’ with echoes of Annabelle, had a few little children wailing in the audience. In this scene, the son-in-law/ husband suspends a rope from a beam in the roof. One end he ties to the neck of a doll. Then he strings the hapless doll up.  The backlights come on and only the grotesque dangling silhouette of the dangling doll is seen as the curtain falls. Faced with third degree, the brother relents. But there is a slight hitch. The document will only be valid if it is signed by the sister.

The brother’s descent into madness, and his subsequent death are vividly portrayed on stage. He chastizes himself for not living up to his dead parents’ dreams of doing something for society. Following her brother’s death, Shenaya is resolute about not giving her brother’s land to her husband. She castigates him of not being around when her brother dies. In exasperation, her husband says, ‘Tuvem ghovak garbage kelia.’

In a memorable scene the entire stage is just lit up by a pontio (tongue of  flame) with the rest in darkness. This signifies the depth of depravity and utter hopelessness of the situation.

The subplot between the sidekick and the flower-seller, Shakuntala  --endearingly called Shakuntale by her lover -- is a burst of relief in an otherwise sordid tale. They come across as very human, their exaggerated courtship and asides drawing chuckles from the audience. In her quest for a good husband, Shakuntala prays at the khuris complaining to God that He is taking too much time to do the needful.

The opening song (‘Sakor’) lists the pitfalls of eating sugar. Excessive eating could lead to triglycerides going over the top. In extreme cases limbs also needed to be amputated. ‘Xezari’ was between two young ladies, each distinguished by their distinctive attire. One was dressed in Western wear, the other in Indian wear. Each was listing the foibles of the other in a humorous way.  In ‘Film Actress’ a young girl presents her case for making a career singing Hindi songs. The huge payouts, wider audience, and hip lifestyle of Bollywood actors are presented as prime allurements. However in this duet, the other singer is a wizened uncle who counsels her to stay in Goa to make her living. He distrusts the industry abroad, and says she will have to make many compromises though she will earn well. These were tracts for the times presenting to the audience the reality of living in Goa.

---------------------------------------------------------

Disha, written by Carlos Fernandes and directed by Shirish Naik, was staged by Merxechim Porzolith Kirnam, Merces for the 43^rd Kala Academy ‘A’ group Tiatr Competition 2017-18, at Kala Academy, Panaji, Goa on 19 October 2017. 

Published in Gomantak Times Weekender, St. Inez, Goa on Sunday, 5 November 2017.