Popular theatre troupe Theatre School Praktoni staged its highly acclaimed play ‘Prothom Partho’ yesterday at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Segun Bagicha in the city.  ‘Prothom Partho’, which has been written by noted academic Buddhadeb Basu, depicts the ‘War of Kurukshetra’ fought between the Pandavas and the Kauravas for the power of Hastinapur, based on the great Indian epic ‘The Mahabharata’. Karna is the central character of the play. The other characters in this drama are Kunti, mother of the Pandavas, Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, and Krishna, a divine incarnation with great political and analytical mind and a well-wisher and good friend of the Pandavas, and two old Brahmins.
The play, directed by Joyita Mohalnabish, opens prior to the beginning of the ‘War of Kurukshetra’. The two old Brahmins and Kunti are trying to convince Karna that he should quit the side of Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava, and join the Pandavas in the war. Karna is also a son of Kunti and his father is Surya. Kunti’s other name is Pritha and that’s why Karna is referred to as ‘Prothom Partho’, the first child of Pritha. Though Karna initially became angry that Kunti abandoned him, as he was born before her marriage, and thereafter became emotional, as he came to know his real mother, but he held firm and decided to fight the war taking the side of the Kauravas. Karna, who is also known as Radheya, is one of the central characters in the Mahabharata. He was the King of Anga. Karna was one of the greatest warriors whose martial exploits are recorded in the Mahabharata, an admiration expressed by Krishna and Bhishma within the body of this work. Karna fought against misfortune throughout his life and kept his word under all circumstances. Many admire him for his courage and generosity.