“This play is a work of fiction. If any character or a scene resembles any actual character or incident, it is, in fact, tragic.” With this message begins the play Ondu Kanoonathmaka Kole (One Legal Murder), staged by the Hongirana team at Shivamogga Rangayana in Shivamogga on Sunday, June 25.
The political satire written by Shivakumar Mavali deals with people’s response when a democratically elected government passes a law to allow every citizen to commit one murder in his or her lifetime. The Chief Minister brings this law, strangely, with the intention of bringing down the population so that the burden of delivering services and welfare schemes on the administration is reduced. Hence, the director’s early caution about ‘tragic’ carries weight.
The plot is built on the responses that such a decision receives from the public. The administration sets up an office to handle applications from the public seeking permission to commit murders as per the new law. Many file applications to kill someone known to them for various, by and large, silly reasons. However, amidst them, a common man, inspired by 12th-century poet and social reformer Basavanna’s famous line Kondavarulidare (Did the killers survive?), resolves to fight against the law. The route he takes to accomplish his task lands the CM, who passed the law, in deep trouble.
The play, directed by Hongirana Chandru, showed how a typical government office functions and how the people in power take citizens for granted. Similarly, the play offers commentary on the current media, social media, besides the astrologers and political activists. The scene of a television debate was very well received by the audience.
At times, the audience burst into laughter and gave the actors a round of applause. Dr. Sasvehalli Sathish, who plays the role of Chief Minister, and Dr. H.S. Nagabhushan, the common man, are among the actors who won the hearts of the audience. Many theatre lovers were spotted walking up to individual actors and expressing their appreciation after the show. Hongirana, the team, has been active in Shivamogga since 1996. So far, it has staged more than 40 plays and organised several theatre festivals, besides contributing many actors to the theatre.
