A new Hindi play on caste politics

Dakshin Ruchirango is all set to produce an original

Hindi

play on July 10. The play, titled titled Aree, Isne '

Sadgati

' Nahi Dekhi, is directed by Ruchira Mukherjee.

The story revolves around a remote Rajasthani village whose residents have been segregated by decades of brutal politics revolving around caste. “The dominating upper caste uses the only source of freshwater in the village, whereas the

Dalit

villagers are allowed to fetch water only after their ‘masters’. One day, Jhariya, a Dalit woman, accidentally slips into the pond. As a punishment, she is asked to walk fourteen miles to fetch water for the mukhia household for seven days,” said a production spokesperson talking about the play.

He said that in the rural areas of our country, caste dominates and regulates society. “Sanitation workers are dying, people are being raped, beaten to death and lynched in the name of caste and religion. They are threatened about basic amenities like food, water, clothing and shelter, let alone subjugation. When it comes to castes, it is said that it is a theme that never goes out of context when it comes to India. And it is the biggest misfortune that we are dealing with,” he added.

Ruchira, a student of

sociology

, has been avidly passionate about theatre from her school days. She's been associated with the group since its foundation and will be carrying out her first stint as a director in this play. Apart from theatre, she has acted in two short films and played the lead actress in an amateur feature film, which is yet to release.