'Sonaibibir Pala'
(A play based on Ballad of East Bengal)

Design & Direction: Kamaluddin Nilu
Adaptation : Raihan Akhter
Production: Centre for Asian Theatre, Dhaka 

Sonaibibir Pala is a narrative theatrical performance along with music, songs and dance. This production has been made by using device of modern and folk theatrical elements of Bengal. Modern technique has been blended with traditional theatrical elements in this production. 

Ballad in Bengal is one of the very ancient traditional texts in this region. People of different religions live in Bangladesh in a religion homogeneous atmosphere. Religious harmony among the people here is notable and encouraging. In spite, religious excessiveness disturbs the peaceful life and crises are created regarding inter religion affairs. Then religious fundamentalism merges with social feudalism. This fact is a vital issue in Bangladesh at present as well as in the subcontinent. That is why the play Sonaibibir Pala is a relevant production focusing on the times now and a head. 

Beernarayan, son of a zaminder (feudal), while walking on the bank of a river, sits under a tree and gets sleep. The sound of shouting of a maiden gets him wake up. He finds that a merchant is trying to kidnap the maiden. Her name is Sonaibibi. He fought with against the merchant to save Sonaibibi’s life and he succeeds as well. 

Beernarayan is a Hindu young man whereas Sonaibibi is a Muslim young woman. Beyond the religious difference between them they fall in love with each other. But the villagers find faults in their relation owing to religious difference. They declare both Sonai and Beernarayan persona-non-grata in the village and get them bound to leave the village. 

Being ousted from the village, they settle their destination down at a forest and tie their knot. On the other hand, the Zaminder, father of Beernarayan summons for cordoning Beernarayan and determines for punishing his son. 

One day, Beernarayan set for collecting foods leaving Sonai alone in the jungle. When Beernarayan entered in to jungle then Zaminder’s Solder’s arrested him and they brought Beernarayan to his Zaminder father and after seeing Beernarayan zaminder was furious and give order to punish him. Zaminder’s people uprooting his eyes as because he breaks the religious rules and regulation in spite of being Hindu he has got married to a Muslim girl.

Being blind, he moves on the ways for looking for her beloved wife Sonai. On the other hand Sonai is waiting for her dear husband Beernarayan. 

In the end of the play, we see Sonai is crying and singing beside the riverbank. After words water is taking her away.