A scene from the play. Photo: STAR

Theatre troupe Mangolik from India mesmerised Chittagong audience with their play “Manush Bhoot” on the second day of Nandimukh South Asian Theatre Fest. The comedy, directed by Samir Biswas based on the story of Syed Mustafa Siraz, was enjoyed by a houseful of audience at the Chittagong Shilpakala Academy on Saturday evening.

The play begins with a distressing scene where the family members of Botokeshto are seen wailing as his death news has just reached home from hospital. His son Ghonoshyam cremates the body in the city, as per the suggestions of village bigwigs, without even bringing it home for the last view of the family members. As soon as the funeral ends, Nibaron, Honna and Mandal, the three big shots of the village plan to misappropriate the assets of Botokeshto by tricking his naïve son.

But a month later, at a night, Botokeshto returns home to the utter surprise of his family members—wife, son and daughter in law. He says he left the hospital without telling anyone, as he was not feeling good there. Meanwhile, failing to find his father in the hospital bed, Ghonoshyam had mistaken a decomposed body in the morgue as his father, and cremated it. Family members keep Botokeshto confined in the house so that the return does not create a scandal. Meanwhile, the village bigwigs come to their house one by one, tell Ghonoshaym his father owed them money and demand assets like land and gold-ornaments.

Hearing their false claims from his hideout, Botokeshto plans to scare the frauds as a ghost, and redeem his properties for his son. He appears before the three frauds and threatens them with dire consequences if they don't return the properties. When the trio complies with the order, Botokeshto leaves the house for good so that the villagers could never know what actually happened.

Samir Biswas and Somu Biswas played Botokeshto and Ghonoshyam respectively, while the Ujjal Biswas, Asim Bosh, and Habul Saha were also among the cast. 

The Daily Star is a partner of the event.