Sekhar Das to bring Badal Sircar’s Pagla Ghora to life on screen in birth centenary tribute

Filmmaker Sekhar Das is set to direct Pagla Ghora, a powerful adaptation of Badal Sircar’s iconic 1960s play, as a cinematic tribute marking the playwright’s birth centenary this year. One of Sircar’s most searing and celebrated works, Pagla Ghora is a fearless critique of patriarchal hypocrisy and emotional repression — themes that continue to resonate deeply even today.A pivotal figure in Indian theatre, Badal Sircar revolutionised performance art through his radical Third Theatre movement in the 1970s, breaking away from proscenium norms to engage more directly with the public. Das, who was closely associated with that very movement and has staged several of Sircar’s works over the years, is now ready to reimagine Pagla Ghora for a new generation of viewers.“This film is not a mere translation of a play into cinema. It is a re-interpretation — both faithful and fearless — of Sircar’s spirit, his angst, and his brilliance,” said the director.The film stars Gargee Roychowdhury in the lead, alongside an ensemble cast including Rajatava Dutta, Sujan Mukhopadhyay, Chandreyee Ghosh, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Dirghoee Pal, Srijata Saha, and Jayanta Hore.Calling the film “an enduring mirror to society,” Gargee emphasized that this adaptation is a collective effort to honour Sircar’s legacy and vision.Supratim Bholl will serve as Director of Photography, with music by Indraadip Dasgupta and editing by Arghya Kamal Mitra. The shoot begins today in and around Kolkata