In the play The Other Side of History, Prakash Belawadi shows the similarities between the 1960s and the present time
In the play The Other Side of History, Prakash Belawadi shows the similarities between the 1960s and the present time
For the present generation, 1960s signifies the era that witnessed pathbreaking international music, feels theatre personality Prakash Belawadi.u00a0 However, he believes that contemporary worldwide issues are not different from the bygone era. According to him, The Other Side of History, is a testimony of how the problems that we have left behind are part of our contemporary society. Directed by Belawadi, the play is the translated version of Bengali revolutionary playwright Badal Sircar's famous play Baki Itihas. 
Sharing that the play is a tribute to Sircar, who passed away recently, Belawadi says, "In the 1960s revolution was like drug. Suddenly it's back again with West Asia, North Africa and USA being in turmoil and the public anger rising." He explains that like most of his European counterparts, Sircar did not aim to portray war. Instead he stressed upon domestic squalor. 
The play seeks to invoke middle class aspirations like career, promotion and so on. It revolves around Sitanath and his wife, who one day, receives the news that one of their acquaintances has committed suicide. Both are shocked and decide to write a story seeking the reasons behind the untimely death. Sitanath's version turns out to be a psychological thriller while his wife's is more melodramaticu00a0 bringing out the inherent difference of opinion between genders. And then one night, Sitanath has a nightmare in which his friend shares the cause of his death.
Describing the play as a straightforward story, Belawadi explains, "Sircar mocked the serialised style and narrative structure thatu00a0u00a0 most literature on the middle class followed at that time. It was mostly tamed melodrama focusing on gross tragedies like a girl becoming a prostitute and ignoring simple tragedies like someone losing a job."
According to Belawadi, the play is a call of conscience and through Sitanath's nightmare, the overwhelming reality is exposed. He has adhered to the original script, changing certain names of character and places to portray the universal theme. Also, since the play is a caricature of the middle-class fantasy, the set is abstract and unrealistic. The play is relevant to the contemporary audience. "The current situation is exactly like that in the 60s when impersonal attacks on culture and street fights were rampant. The disenchantment of those days are resurfacing in this millennium."
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