Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe: The Mock Trial That Was Never a Game

 Vijay Tendulkar's Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe first came to the Marathi stage in 1967, and it is still counted among the landmarks of Marathi theatre. On the surface it begins lightly. A small amateur theatre group gathers for a rehearsal, and to pass the time, they stage a pretend court case. Then the game turns cruel.

What is the play about?

The "accused" in the mock trial is Leela Benare, an unmarried schoolteacher who is independent, cheerful and lives on her own terms. As the game goes on, the others accuse her of an immoral relationship and of killing an unborn child. What started as fun becomes a public tearing apart of her private life.

Who are the people judging her?

Kashinath Sawant, Balu Rokade, Sukhatme, Ponkshe, and Mr. and Mrs. Kashikar all look educated and respectable. Sukhatme, a lawyer, humiliates her in the name of law. Ponkshe, who thinks of himself as modern, turns out to be narrow-minded. The Kashikars hide their own disappointments by preaching morality at her. Together, they punish Benare for not fitting their idea of how a woman should live.

Why does the form matter?

Tendulkar used the play-within-a-play device, a Western technique, to great effect on the Marathi stage. The dialogue moves from light banter to something sharp and frightening without any lecture from the writer. The violence is never physical. It is all words, which is exactly what makes it so disturbing.

Who made Benare unforgettable?

Sulabha Deshpande played Benare with energy and mischief in the first half, and with raw helplessness in the second. Benare's closing monologue, around ten to twelve minutes long, is still remembered as one of the finest moments in Marathi theatre.

Why does it still feel current?

Every time social media gangs up on one person, Benare's trial feels like it is happening again.

Read the full Marathi article by Dhananjay Kulkarni on Kalakruti Media.