This is how the play Bhittiprostor, an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Pillars of the Society, an Anya Chetana, Kolkata production began on May 18. The play was staged at the National Theatre Stage as part of the ongoing theatre festival titled 'Staging Ibsen in Asia', which is a part of the Ibsen Commemoration '06, Bangladesh programme.

The central character of Bhittiprostor, Krishnadas Haldar is a god-like figure in his locality for his honesty. However, he has a dark past. To achieve the heights where he is today, he had often made his close relatives scapegoats of his own crimes. Debabrata Dasgupta's adaptation adequately represents the structure, story and messages -- selfishness and existence crisis -- of Ibsen's original play.

Though all the actions take place in the living room, Debabrata Dasgupta's directorial composition is balanced. He has successfully created the conflicts: between inner and outer self of Krishnadas; between Krishnadas and Sitesh, his brother-in-law whom he had framed for cheating; Krishnadas and Lila, his sister-in-law with whom he had an affair; Krishnadas and Dipali, who took shelter in his house but the depraved man has used her drawback. The use of mask to portray the duality in Krishnadas is effective in play.

Bijoy Bhatterjee's 'light-dark' effects juxtaposed well with the directorial compositions. However, Debandra Dasgupta's realistic set is pale, which does not represent the ambience of a living room of an aristocrat like Krishnadas Halder.

All the actors performed boldly on the stage. Swapan Das as Ranjit, Chandana Roy as Lilaand Shankar Bhattacharyya as Krishnadas acted as per the required actions of the play.