After lunch, Shaunak listened to many of Kaurav’s poems. Kaurav was amazed by Shaunak’s library, which contained a thousand books. The library was the first thing that attracted him to Shaunak-da. It shattered Kaurav’s own image of being well-read and offered a refuge for his heart, broken by the argument with Sohini.
In the afternoon, other members of the troupe started arriving one by one. Vismaya was surprised and happy to see Kaurav, so much so that after the evening rehearsal, he bought Kaurav a Gold Flake cigarette. That day, they were rehearsing for another play called “Abhinetri,” written by Shaunak Sarkar himself. During the rehearsal, Ronida suddenly called Kaurav in front of everyone and devised a new scene. He explained how it would be executed and asked Kaurav to act it out. Kaurav had never thought about acting before. He felt comfortable with solo artistry, but in a group setting, he realized how out of place he was in front of a room full of people.
Ronida called Kaurav to explain the design of the scene to everyone and asked Vismaya to act it out. Kaurav returned to his seat behind Ronida, thinking, “Was this really necessary? I never said I wanted to act!” He hesitated to meet anyone’s eyes. Vismaya skillfully presented the scene in front of everyone and received applause, which made Kaurav feel even more dejected and embarrassed. He began to feel ashamed of his previous day’s comment. At this moment, Ronida, without looking at him, said, “Don’t worry, Kaurav, you’ll perform the scene on stage tomorrow!”
Kaurav had nothing more to say. Ronida’s ability to read his mind was something that Vismaya said only happens between a mother and her child. Before returning home that night, Kaurav apologized for his comment the previous day. Ronida jokingly asked in front of everyone if he was regretting the thought of having to act. However, in private, Ronida explained that the artistic elements of the play were created by a particular artist. Out of respect and to avoid displeasing the artist, he was compelled to use it even if he didn’t like it.
Ronida then reassured him, saying, “You spoke your mind, and your feeling was not only justified but true. So, there’s no reason to apologize. Giving wrong advice or making false comments about art is a disservice. It only harms the artist.”
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The views and opinions expressed in this novel are those of the characters and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organization, or entity. Reader discretion is advised.