Ranjeet Desai

Loknayak Ranjeet Desai

PAPAJI, AN ARCHITECT DRAWS THE PLANS OF A HOUSE, AND THE CONTRACTOR CONSTRUCTS IT. BUT WHO STAYS IN IT? WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETED, THE RUBBLE, LEFT-OVER CEMENT, BRICKS, AND MORTAR ARE DISCARDED. THE CONTRACTOR DOES NOT DWELL THERE. ONLY THE ONE WHO HAS THE DESIRE TO MAINTAIN THE 'HOMELINESS' OF THE PLACE DOES. ALL YOUR LIFE YOU PURSUED THE DREAM OF INDEPENDENCE, BUT YOU NEVER REALISED THAT YOU DID NOT POSSESS THE CAPACITY TO NURTURE THE NEWLY-INDEPENDENT COUNTRY. THE DREAM WAS DEFINITELY THERE. BUT YOU HAD NEITHER THE VISION, NOR THE STRENGTH TO GIVE SHAPE TO THIS DREAM... "... WHO IS ENJOYING THE FRUITS OF THIS INDEPENDENCE OVER THE YEARS? ONLY THE LOOTERS, THE SELFISH, AND THE CHARLATANS..." THIS PLAY IS A CANDID CRITIQUE OF THE POLITICS OF POST-INDEPENDENCE INDIA.