Why must one vote?

That is the question city-based theatre group Prayoga Ranga will answer this Thursday through its new play Senior Citizen that shows an old couple in despair

What happens when you watch an incident on television that makes the last bit of your belief in the political system crumble? While many would choose to keep themselves away from the ballot box, for some like Paul Sudarshan it resulted in inspiration to pen down a play that urges you to vote. "There was a time when I was watching TV and a lot of matters in today's Bangalore especially political ones were taunting me," says Sudarshan, director and playwright of the play. And thus was born Senior Citizen, a Kannada production by Prayoga Ranga, a city-based theatre group.



The story revolves around an unnamed senior citizen in the city, who lives with his wife. The man, now a retired Government employee awaits his pension claims even after months of visiting the Pension Office. The couple's only son lives in the USA and fails to be of any support emotionally or financially in their day-to-day lives. Tired and frustrated of the constant delays in getting pension, he considers working again in his old age to keep the family going. His wife, unnamed again, is the only support driving him through the ordeal.

Also, in the picture is a television set that keeps the couple appalled due to the daily happenings in the city, especially with regard to the political situation where money is the only thing that does the talking. The senior citizen remains disturbed and files petition after petition against the injustice he watches. The only results his petitions receive are a life threatening call one fine day. Just when the couple is losing hope, the pension letter arrives to the wife at their doorstep. Hoping to keep this as a surprise for her husband, she is greeted by a rather battered and despaired man.

Paul Sudarshan says that he never really thought of giving the characters a name. "Putting a name to them would attach a caste or a community to them. The flow of the story did not demand that. Besides, this could be a story of any senior citizen", he says. "Also, the problems faced by them are general in nature and need not be associated with any particular sect. In this city today, a senior citizen cannot even cross the road," he adds.

Talking about the relevance of the story in today's times and the message one would take back from watching this play, he says, "It is relevant to all Government employees and will answer the question as to why one must vote in this country".

At: Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar
On: March 31, 7.30 pm
Call: 26493982
For: Rs 50