Leaving behind his dreams of astronomy and finding himself in the glamorous world of theater felt like a significant turn of events for Kaurav, especially considering it had only occurred two years ago. At that time, he was a third-year physics student at Ashutosh College, while his neighborhood friend, Vismaya, assisted Roni with his theater group. One day, Vismaya invited Kaurav to watch their play, Raktakarabi. Writers from little magazines often attended theater productions, and Kaurav had received a complimentary ticket from Vismaya but had bought an extra one for Sohini, his ex-girlfriend. Ironically, their relationship ended just hours after watching the play together.
Before leaving the theater that evening, Kaurav visited the green room with Vismaya to meet Roni. Roni, a middle-aged, somewhat stocky man of medium height, was surrounded by people wanting to talk to him. Amidst the buzz, Vismaya introduced Kaurav: “Roni-da, this is Kaurav, my friend. He’s studying Physics at Ashutosh. He writes well.” Kaurav was both pleased and embarrassed to hear such praise from Vismaya, who had never before mentioned his writing.
Kaurav knew of Shaunak Sarkar, though not personally. He had seen him during the Singur-Nandigram movement, marching in protests and giving media bites. Shaunak wasn’t as well-known then as he became after the change in government. When Kaurav greeted him, Roni warmly hugged him and asked, “How did you like the play?”
Caught off guard by the sudden embrace, Kaurav awkwardly replied, “It was good, but since it was Raktakarabi, a bit of restraint on stage would have been better.” This honest yet blunt feedback might not have been what Shaunak Sarkar expected. Vismaya, who had invited Kaurav, might have regretted it momentarily, unsure if he had brought trouble upon himself. Nonetheless, Kaurav had made the comment and couldn’t take it back, a trait he never regretted.
Later that night, while arguing intensely with Sohini over the phone on his rooftop, Kaurav received a call from an unknown number. After a brief conversation, Roni invited him to lunch the next day, marking the beginning of Kaurav’s involvement in theater.
Kaurav’s father blamed his grandparents for this shift, while his mother was criticized by her in-laws. His grandmother declared, “I will leave all my property to him,” but his grandfather, who had passed away by then, remained silent on the matter. The neighbors, meanwhile, fretted over Kaurav’s career choices. Kaurav has yet to find a solution to this issue even today.
With a sense of quiet satisfaction, Kaurav attended the lunch invitation that day not to join the group but simply to honor the invitation. Shaunak-da asked him many questions—where he lived, what he did in his free time, and some personal ones as well. Although Kaurav answered all the questions plainly, he couldn’t explain why he lived with his grandparents or the reason behind his name, Kaurav. His grandfather had given it to him, but he didn’t know why. Kaurav had read the children’s version of the Mahabharata and heard stories from his grandmother. The most significant thing he knew about the Mahabharata was that his father was like Dhritarashtra! His mother would often remark, “Blind, blind, he sees nothing, understands nothing,” criticizing Kaurav’s father, who was a government officer. Any other person might have faced jail for such a remark, but Kaurav got away with it because he was the officer’s son.
Previously, when a teacher at school had questioned him about his name, Kaurav had retorted, “Did you graduate by copying answers?” This time, he wasn’t as rude because Shaunak-da hadn’t asked him directly. Shaunak-da merely pondered why anyone would name their child or grandchild after a defeated character in the Mahabharata. To resolve this mystery, Kaurav began reading the Mahabharata himself. He started with Rajshekhar Basu’s version and then moved on to Devdutt Pattanaik and other interpretations. Though not entirely effective, this endeavor led him to read the Mahabharata thoroughly.
He also met Parna-di, Shaunak Sarkar’s wife and the lead actress of the group. She had played the role of Nandini in the previous night’s show. Although naturally serious and initially showing little interest in Kaurav, she would eventually become someone with whom Kaurav shared all his sorrows.
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.
