Shrishti Cultural Centre will stage their much-acclaimed dance drama titled ‘Badi-Bandar Rupkatha’ today evening at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Segun Bagicha in the capital. The production will be brought to the stage as a part of the ongoing four-day festival ‘Srishti-Meena Bazar Dance Drama Festival’, which has been organised by renowned dance school Srishti Cultural Centre.

The production, based on the Arabian Nights story ‘Alibaba and the Forty Thieves’, features multi-media inputs, including 3D Projection Mapping on stage for the first time in Bangladesh. The production, planned and directed by Sukalyan Bhattacharya, has been produced with an urge to do something other than commonly performed genres like Nazrul, Tagore, folk dance and others.

The story is about a Kafri (an African Negro) man named Ali Baba and a very beautiful woman- slave Morgiana. Morgiana is the heroine in the tale of Badi-Bandar Rupkatha. The triumphant of Morgiana is the basic content of the story. But the role of Abdullah is also not less important! In this backdrop, the story of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves has been presented in a new contemporised form with multi-media inputs and a new style in Badi-Bandar Rupkatha.

Abdullah is an unsuccessful lover. Following the self-told story of poor Abdullah, the viewers will reach to a packed slave market in Baghdad where the maids were being sold. Later, the covers of episodes of the tale start to be unveiled one after another... How Qasim, the greedy elder brother of Ali, made him a street beggar.... How Ali would make a living out of selling timber cut from the forest. The rest of the story is known to all. Use of the magic spell ‘Open Sesame!’ to open the secret magical cave of bandits where they used to hide their looted wealth.... and later death of greedy Qasim... tricks of Mustafa and complete victory of Morgiana. The story finally ends with unison of love without slavery.

The lead role of the production includes Shamim Ara Nipa, Shibli Mohammad, Dolly Iqbal, Sabrina Nisa, and Anisul Islam Hero. The music of the production is arranged by Joy Sarker, while popular singers Lopamudra Mitra, Nachiketa, Srikanta Acharya, Anwesha, Jayoti, Raghab and Monomoy lend their voices for the unique production.

Sponsored by University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Kazi & Kazi Tea and Organikare, Srishti Cultural Centre has organised the event in association with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Where: BSA, Segun Bagicha

When: 7pm, today