This writer reckons psychological dramas centred on themes like mental health, sexuality, dysfunctional relationships and coming-of-age struggles accentuate the phenomenon of character bonding. The reason varies: it could either be relatability; the urge to witness symbolic articulation of one’s lived experiences or the wish to fix subliminal feelings in fiction. Theatre group The Trance is set to present Ekant, a performance that will bring together Girish Karnad’s Bikhre Bimb and Ashish Pathak’s Red Frock. Director Barun Sinha shares, “Matters of the mind can never lose their relevance. They will always stand the test of time. We decided on these two pieces based on their individual contexts of, and approaches to the human psyche.”

LJ Mehta and Amit Tripathi