Poetic Injustice

A new play revisits the satirical poems of Baba Nagarjuna

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Actors during the rehearsal of Pratibadhh Hoon. (Express Photo by Oinam Anand)

When theatre director Lokesh Jain is angry with the state of the nation, he seeks kindling in the poems of famous poet Baba Nagarjuna. He had first read him at 18 and been co-opted by the unusual conceits and multi-layered wit — which makes his forthcoming play on the poet more than 20 years in the making.

Nagarjuna’s poems are as rustic and eccentric as the man was. A wanderer, who was famously unable to stay in a place long enough, Nagarjuna visited the deep interiors of India and wrote about the people who had slipped through the cracks. He wrote in Hindi and Maithili between the ’30s and ’80s and the play, Pratibadhh Hoon, attempts to recreate the offbeat humour of imageries, such as “alpsankhako ka achar” and “baaki reh gaya anda”. The production will be staged at Delhi’s Studio Safdar from September 25 to 27.

“I have gone through Nagarjuna’s 2,000-2,500 works. I thought, ‘Why not tie up the poems in a performance text?’ The poems become the dialogues the actors speak but the sub-text is expressed through their bodies,” says Lokesh. He has used physical theatre to express Nagarjuna’s proletariats, from a labourer to a goatherd to an Adivasi, as protagonists of the play. The rehearsal space is chaotic as the five actors try to channel the energy of their bodies into controlled vigour. Sweat flies, muscles are pulled and spines and other organs mined in forceful gestures. “The poems are full of metaphors and the actors needed intense movements to bring these out through actions,” says the director.

Lokesh Jain. (Express Photo by Oinam Anand)

“One thing I saw clearly was that Nagarjuna spoke against whichever party was in power. During the Emergency, he was jailed for 11 months,” says Lokesh, as the actors erupt into a poem about the favourite pastime of politicians — making announcements and promises. “Om ghoshnaye, Om bhashan, Om pravachan, Om tribute ….Om dharti…,” they chant. They switch roles rapidly, picking up lines from one another in ways that split single poems into multiple spaces and characters.

Dead bodies lie on the floor at the beginning of the play. As the Buddhist chants phase in and out — Nagarjuna, a Brahmin, who converted to Buddhism — the characters awaken and rise slowly while uttering a poem about unsung heroes. “Only a few days have passed, but the world has already forgotten them,” they say in Hindi. Pratibadhh Hoon, in which Nagarjuna tackles his existentialism, follows seamlessly and leads into a paean about an uprising grass-root movement that contains the first stirrings of Naxalism — Hum aap hi apney leader hai, aap hi apney mukhiya, jungle aur pahar hamare….

The actors work with props such as a giant egg that breaks open to reveal shoes — a symbol of Dalit profession and oppression. The only female actor in the group, Lokesh’s wife Chhavi Jain, is covered in bubble wrap and plastered with shipping stickers of “Fragile” and “This Side Up”, as she begins to narrate a poem about a poor woman who writes to her migrant worker husband to come home soon, even if empty handed.

When Nagarjuna travelled to satisfy his wanderlust, he told stories of subalterns such as a bus driver, who chats with him about the colourful glass bangles of his daughter, and the rickshaw puller Kalimuddin, who calls himself Prem Prakash and wears chandan and rudraksh to earn a living. “This is one of the most powerful poems. It shows how communalism seeps in and affects the economically weaker class,” says Lokesh, before adding, “It is amazing how so many of Nagarjuna’s concerns still exist in our country.”

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The play will be staged at Delhi’s Studio Safdar from September 25 to 27. Contact: http://www.jananatyamanch.org

dipanita.nath@expressindia.com

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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