Enjoy a gripping Bengali play at this 94-year-old pujo pandal in South Mumbai

Performers rehearse a scene from Rajarhat Rohoshyo

MA has arrived at her maternal home; the smell of dhuno fills the air, and the sound of the dhaak welcomes the evening sky. If there's anything Bengalis love as much as pandal-hopping and binging on bhog during Durga Puja celebrations, it is cultural events - an integral part of ushering in the homecoming of the goddess. Committee members work hard and assemble a line-up that includes acts by the local community, as well as celebrities.

This year, as part of their cultural entertainment programme, south Mumbai's Bombay Durga Bari Samiti (BDBS) will stage Rajarhat Rohoshyo (The mystery of Rajarhat), a gripping detective drama. "We began the tradition of an annual play almost a decade ago. It is directed, scripted, and performed by members of the organising committee. The rehearsals are a great way for the community to bond. The play ends up being quite a professional production every year despite amateur performers," shares Susmita Mitra, President, BDBS. Madhuchhanda Mukhopadhyay and Dr Sumita Ghosh have directed the production.

Dr Susmita Ghosh, co-director of the play, enacts a scene

The plot, based on a story by popular writer Suchitra Bhattacharya, is set in the times of the cell phone. It revolves around two girls who work at a call centre, and live in a beautiful rented apartment. One of them suddenly dies. Whether it's a suicide or a murder, the audience will find out only at the end. "Bhattacharya passed away about three years ago. Her stories were always woman-centric; this one is about a lady detective. We have taken inspiration from different filmmakers as well. For instance, there is an element inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window [1954]. We script it on our own and redo the story," reveals Mukhopadhyay. "When you stage a play during Durga Puja, it can't be long. People's attention spans are short. They prefer to interact with others. Detective stories are crisp, short, and gripping; that's how we chose the play," she explains.

The 16-member cast has been rehearsing for about two months with some help from technology. "Everyone is busy with hectic work schedules. On weekends, we rehearse by meeting in person while on weekdays, we meet on Zoom. Some of our cast members live in other cities and abroad, but will be visiting for pujo, also join online rehearsal. Honestly, we enjoy the rehearsals more than the actual performance," Mukhopadhyay admits. Apart from the play, BDBS will host several performances by students, as well as by artistes from across the country.

On: October 21; 8.15 pm onwards
At: Tejpal Auditorium, Tejpal Road, near August Kranti Maidan, Babulnath, Gowalia Tank, Tardeo