Hypokrit Theatre Company and Junoon Performing Arts present Indian classics re-imagined with the showcase of Devdas and Choker Bali. The presentation of the dual performances will run from November 4th – 20th, at the Theater for the New City in New York.
Devdas – a modern day dance spectacle is set in India’s hyper-competitive and hyper-masculine reality dance competition world. It’s the story of two women who coveted both, the main prize and the man. Devdas will be portrayed from the point of the two women that loved him through a ballet set in modern India. This theatrical presentation will use original music composed by Aalap Desai, and contemporary choreography by Swarali Karulkar.
Choker Bali is an exploration of the life of widows in 20th century Calcutta, in which our one particular widow Binodini becomes entangled and forbidden love triangle. The performance is adapted by Dr. Partha Chatterjee from Rabindranath Tagore’s novel of the same name. Hypokrit’s performance of Choker Bali will be adapted as a Greek tragedy and showcase the world of 20th Bengal as it relates to the world now.
“We’re bringing together the brightest South Asian talent for Devdas and Chokher Bali. For those familiar with the stories, the experience will be unlike anything they have ever seen. This modern retelling will also bring new audiences to the theatre. So often, the word ‘classic’ is relegated to works from the West, Devdas and Chokher Bali continue our mission of showing that works of art from South Asia have universal themes. Anyone that comes to our show will be able to see something familiar in something foreign.”
Arpita Mukherjee, Festival Co-Chair of Tamasha and Co-Founder of Hypokrit Theatre Company.
