An Ode to Unemployment.

By Taposiddha Ghosh

characters 

nupur

shourjo

chandra

moitri

tuli

moitri’s older sister

interviewer

employee #1

employee #2

[scene one, maati te boshe, shourjo playing chords, nupur going through mudras, tuli humming, staring at a blank canvas. enter moitri]

m: shobai ekhane? ki korchish, eto mukh bhaar keno. 

t: (sighing) ekta client peyechi, kichutei khushi hocche na, bolche thik rong lagche na, mukh ta hocche na… koto demand… korchi du haajaar e, eto shostay ekta gol eke dicchi na, shetai onek. 

n: pujo shesh… aar show shesh.  kono kaaj nei. 

c: (nodding) pujo shesh, maasher baajaar korei shob shesh. 

s: (guitar pick pocket e dhokay) tui tobhuo maasher baajar korte parli. ami aar… (sighs, nupur pith e haath bholay) 

n: kono byapar noy… kichu hobe na. 

m: ami chaakri peyechi. 

[silence, shobai taakiye thake, aaste kore dariye encircle kore]

c: chaakri? kothay?

m: kono private company te receptionist. didi oikhaner high position. dhukiye dilo.

[flashback]

m: didi. taka lagbe. 

mos: abar? kisher taka? khawai to ami, bill di aami, maa baba r oshudh o ami kini. tor kisher taka?

m: oi… jama phete geche. (shows a phata jama)

mos: to shelai kor? chuuch shuto bari tei ache ja khuje baar kor. 

m: ei rokom keno korcho… choto bon i to hoi…

mos: moitri… (sighs) tor ekhono chaakri nei. tor boyosh to ami o chilam, onek chai, onek iccha thake. kichu to tui kinte parish na. 

m: job market ta- 

mos: ki job market? khujlei paowa jay. 

[pause] 

mos: ami toke chaakri jogar kore debo. erokom amar bon ke ekta bekaar er moto dekhte koshto laage, tui bhujbi na. 

[end of flashback]

m: toder kotha bolbo? 

s: (scoffs) ei capitalist system e amake juriyo na. morle gaan er shathe morbo. 

c: (gatta maare) tui aar tor gyaan. 

t: ami to chaakri korchi. 

n: oi du haajaar e mash cholbe?

t: na…

m: bhalor jonnoi bolchi. ami jani toder shilpi hobar icche ache, kintu na kheye na kichu kora ta solution noy. 

[ s huffs. crosses his arms] 

n: eki nyakami. 

s: tyler the creator na, sauce er packet bati te niye jol mishiye tomato soup kheto. ami or moto boro hobo. 

c: tai bole icche kore na kheye morbi naki. 

n: moitri jodi jogaar kore diyeche, jai na? shobader i bhalo shikkha tikkha ache. dhuke jabo. tai na?

m: interview ta ami mongolbaar e rakhchi. toder mongol hok, baba… 

[scene 2]

[s kicking the floor, looking down, n walks in]

n: abar tor ki holo. kalke mongol bar to!

s: … tui charte parchish ki kore?

n: ki charchi ami?

s: naach? eto bochor dhore bole geli naach tor prem, tor shob? [sits down] shob mithhe?

n: ta keno hobe? keno, amar maa ke bhalo bashi bole jaamai aante parbo na?

s: tsk, oita alada-

n: tai to. alada. duto shompurni alada kaaron, aar alada dorkaar.  

[pause]  shon, shourjo. gaan ke toke chaarte hobe na. tor band, tor gig na gug. kichhu charte hobe na. kintu khete to hobe. 

[enter m, t and c] 

t: resume print kore ashlam. tora korbi na?

s: amar bo-

n: ekhunni jabo. tui. chol. 

s: aree- AREE-

[exit]

t: amar… bhalo lagche na, chandra. freelance kora ta…

c: unstable to? aar chaakri chara aaro unstable. bhanga shiri te naacha naachi korchish. 

m: ami to kaaj korchi. eto baaje noy. shotti. roj roj kore routine hoye geche. 

c: bhaloi hobe. aar jodi na hoye, obhinoy diye mukh dheke raakhbo. amar bhalobasha ke tobe roj roj bhalobashbo. 

m: (laughs) mane… charanoy jaaye na. 

t: jaaye na to. amader nesha ei bhalobasha. pet e khabar thakte hobe bole… ki na ki korte hoye. shudhu taakar jonno. [sigh]

m: korte hobe. kichhu korar nei. shourjo na kheye morbe, o koruk. tora or moton hoye jash na. 

c: jama ki porbo?

m: mane, ami jemon pore achi?

t: baba… amake manabe na. 

m: na porle janbi ki kore? chol dekhi tor ki ki ache. 

[scene 3]

interview with nupur and shourjo. 

i: to… bolo, nam, icche…

n: acha. nomoshkar, ami nupur. chotobelar theke ami naachi. aar eita amar pashe shourjo. 

i: ki pore eshechen apni. 

s: amar right to bodily autonomy ache. [crosses his arms]

i: [silence] dujon beriye jaan. 

enter tuli and chandra

i: bah bah. bolun, naam, icche…

t: ami tuli

c: ami chandra.

t: onek bochor dhore ami aaki, tai ei… graphic design er position er jonno… [hands him the resume] … portfolio. dekhe jaaniye deben. 

c: amio… onek theatre e show korechi. amar teamwork ache, bolbo bhalo leadership skills ache. aar ami onek chaap er nicheo shanto thak te pari. bolun bolun ki kore?

i: ki kore?

c: obhinoy diye!

i: bah bah bah. khub bhalo. apnader dujoner i onek potential ache. janiye debo apnader. 

exit. enter nupur. 

n: sir. ei… arekta jodi…

i: keno? nijeder rights niye amar mukhe churcho je?

n: sir oi… o ekta… fossils shone, nirvana khaaye aar beatles gele. orokom i hoye era. ekta chance din na. ei… ei je amader resume. dekhe bolun na…

scene 4. 

shobai office e. moitri cha khacche. 

m: bah! shobai! eije dekh! amar bondhu ra. 

e2: oh baba. chaarte notun employee…?

e1: tar mane ki…

i: eije. dujon bekaar. OUT!

e1: ebaba. amader chaakri?!

moral. 

capitalism causes artists, both within india and outside, to go hungry, or give up their passion just to earn a currency that does not and will never favour them. i hope i do not face the same fate. 

bow and leave.

By Taposiddha Ghosh