Oligarchs, Jokes, and a Pinch of Democracy: An Agit-Prop

Oligarchs, Jokes, and a Pinch of Democracy: An Agit-Prop

Posted on 29th May, 2025 (GMT 13:09 hrs)

ABSTRACT

This agit-prop is a sharp, satirical theatrical performance set in a dystopian 2025 Mumbai comedy club, blending the traditions of Charlie Chaplin, Bertolt Brecht, and Dario Fo to mount a fierce critique of India’s current political and media landscape. Using the techniques of “total theatre” and “epic theatre,” the play breaks the fourth wall and demands audience engagement, creating a space where humour becomes rebellion. Anchored by Akash Banerjee’s scathing monologues and featuring an ensemble of comedians like Munawar Faruqui, Vir Das, and Kunal Kamra, alongside journalists such as Ravish Kumar and Dhruv Rathee, the performance employs alienation effects and direct address to spotlight the nexus of politics, propaganda, and profit. The stage becomes a visual battleground of symbols: a Modi impersonator lies in a hospital bed gripping a vial of sindoor, surrounded by forged degrees from “Entire Political Science” and “WhatsApp University”; demonetized ₹500 notes bear the mocking stamp “Black Money Not Found”; a Pegasus spyware phone labeled “Snoop Mode On” links to a rigged EVM; and a “Godi Media” mic is manipulated by puppets of corporate moguls. Even the audience is not spared—projected as part of the performance, they are handed placards reading “Truth is Anti-National” and “Laugh or Be Hacked,” implicating them in the spectacle. With dark comedy and biting wit, the agit-prop exposes the erosion of democracy, the complicity of the media, the surveillance state, and the stranglehold of oligarchic power, urging spectators to become participants in resistance rather than passive consumers of spectacle.

Not A PLAY (Statutory Warning: not an intoxicating mobile game!), BUT AN AGIT PROP

Disclaimer: This agit-prop features the names of notable Non-Godi Media journalists, stand-up comedians and speakers. However, the statements attributed to them in this narrative are entirely fictional, crafted from imagination based on the concerning context of contemporary Indian socio-political issues. They should by no means be interpreted as references, citations, or quotations from the individuals mentioned. This text serves as a tribute to these courageous individuals, who have consistently exposed the facts of BJP’s fascism to the public for years.

Genre of the Agit-Prop:

Total Theatre, Epic Theatre, Black Comedy, Political Satire inspired by Chaplin, Brecht and Pirandello

Participants of the Agit-Prop:

• Anchor: Akash Banerjee (The Deshbhakt), a narrator, part satirist, part agitator, in a crumpled kurta, pacing frenetically, delivering rapid-fire monologues with biting sarcasm, sharp hand chops, smirking, and exaggerated eyebrow raises. His “truth-detector” pen buzzes and flashes red, waved like a Brechtian prop to signal lies. He addresses the audience directly, implicating them in the satire.
• Comedians: Munawar Faruqui, Vir Das, Kunal Kamra, Varun Grover, Kenny Sebastian, Agrima Joshua, each stepping out of character to comment on their role, using alienation techniques to jolt the audience. Shyam Rangeela, mimicking Modi with eerie precision, on a hospital bed as the “non-bio-logical” man, clutching a sindoor vial, breaking character to critique the absurdity of his role. Aisi Taisi Democracy (Varun Grover, Sanjay Rajoura, Rahul Ram) and Neha Singh Rathore, delivering abrasive protest songs and parodies to comment on the action, with musicians stepping into the narrative to address the audience.
• Guest Appearance: Ravish Kumar, Dhruv Rathee  Con-text/Backdrop of the Agit-Prop:

  A stark, surreal underground comedy club in Mumbai, 2025, stripped to its bones—raw concrete, flickering bulbs, and the stench of rebellion: cigarette smoke, cheap whiskey, and defiance. The stage is deliberately artificial, with a few of Satish Acharya’s sa(va)ge political cartoons projected on jagged, movable screens: Modi in a Rs. 10-lakh suit tossing demonetized notes into a flaming “Economy” captioned “Acche Din Bonfire” pyre; Ambani and Adani puppeteering a politician with cash-stuffed strings; a Pegasus phone glowing over a gagged journalist; a temple-shaped ATM spewing “nationalism” coins while a cow labeled “Sacred Economy” lounges on a throne of skulls. A neon sign reading “Aisi Taisi Democracy” flickers, occasionally short-circuiting to reveal “Democracy Dead.” The audience—students, undercover cops, IT Cell goons, and oligarchs’ lackeys visibly part of the actions (light intermittently by roving spotlights), implicating them in the action, heckled by performers, their reactions projected on screens to break the fourth wall. Placards flash slogans like “Truth is Anti-National” and “Laugh or Be Hacked.”. Aisi Taisi Democracy’s “Lie Ho, Lie Ho” (parody of “Jai Ho”) blares, with musicians stepping forward to sing directly to the crowd: “Lie Ho, Lie Ho, Sabka Sapna Fly Ho, Vote Ke Liye Jhooth, Ab Har Din Hai Dry Ho!” A placard flashes: “These Lies Are Your Taxes.”

  THE SCRIPT OF THE AGIT PROP

  Scene I: Shadow Theatre Montage: Cacophony of a Pogrom

  Setting/Con-text: A tattered, translucent cloth screen vibrates under the strain of chaos, set in a Gujarat street during the 2002 pogrom. Silhouettes—jagged, frenzied, and distorted—clash in a stark interplay of light and shadow, amplified by a relentless soundscape of bombing, chants, screams, and cries., burst of rapid gunfire (rat-tat-tat),

  The screen trembles as silhouettes surge into view, a chaotic mass of angular, contorted figures. The primary spotlight flickers violently, casting fractured shadows of men wielding sticks, trident, swords, and torches. Their silhouettes are elongated, monstrous, as they charge forward, their raised weapons slicing through the smoke. The amber footlights flare, illuminating a low, writhing mass of shadows—people fleeing, crawling, collapsing.

  The screen trembles further as saffron-strobed spotlights fracture the darkness, casting jagged silhouettes of attackers chanting “Jai Shri Ram!” Amber footlights blaze, making their shadows tower like ideological giants, weapons raised. The shattered-glass gobo, tinted amber, projects a broken cityscape, while saffron haze swirls, symbolizing the Sangh Parivar’s fervor.

  As “Allah hu Akbar!” cries rise simultaneously, the saffron strobes dim, and a cold blue backlight takes over, diffused by thin smoke. Fleeing silhouettes shrink under high-angle lights, their forms ghostly against the amber-tinted ruins. The contrast highlights their desperation against the ideological tide.

  A woman’s scream—“Allah save me!”—pierces the cacophony. A trembling saffron handheld spotlight isolates the attackers’ predatory silhouettes, their shadows sharp and monstrous, while a red accent light lingers on her crumpled form, stuttering in a slow strobe. The blue backlight surges, isolating her despair.

  Tiny silhouettes dart through a faint blue backlight, the shadows of children compressed by high-angle lights and softened by diffusion, evoking fragility. The saffron haze thins, but amber footlights pulse faintly, a reminder of the mob’s looming presence. A child’s cry—“Amma!”—fades as the backlight dims to a chilling 8000K.

  The chants—“Jai Shri Ram! Har Har Mahadev! Jai Bajrangbali!” “Bharat mata ki jai”— swell, and all lights converge.

  Scene II: Montage of Documentary Footages on the Gujarat pogrom and Pulwama attack

  The montage is designed to complement the shadow theatre’s chaotic atmosphere, The selected footages will be fragmented, abstract, and grainy to maintain a stark, evocative aesthetic, syncing with the established lighting (saffron strobes and footlights for Sangh Parivar fervor, blue backlights for despair, red accents for violence) and soundscape to amplify the pogrom’s horror, ideological polarization, and human cost without glorifying violence. The montage avoids unverifiable claims, focusing on documentary content to provide historical context.

  Overview:

  The montage consists of short, fragmented documentary footage (3–10 seconds each) from India: The Modi Question (BBC, 2023), Final Solution (2004), Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra, and Satya Pal Malik’s interview with Karan Thapar (The Wire, 2023), projected to enhance the shadow theatre’s depiction of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. The footage is deliberately abstract, grainy, and disjointed, using rapid cuts and color tints (saffron, blue, red) to evoke the chaos, destruction, and ideological fervor of the pogrom without explicit gore. It includes burning streets, mob violence, victim testimonies, the Godhra train incident, and official inaction, synced with the soundscape (bombing, gunfire, sirens, chants, screams, cries) and lighting (saffron strobes, amber footlights, blue backlights, red accents) to create a visceral, immersive experience.

  Tone and Intent of the Scene-II:

  A scathing, irreverent, and comedic explosion (hurling of a Molotov Cocktail, targeting Modi’s falsehoods, crony capitalism, and the overall decline of democracy in the Indian “republic” since 2014 under the BJP regime.

  1. Burning Streets and Mob Surge

  • Source: India: The Modi Question (BBC, 2023)
  • Footage Description: Grainy footage of a Gujarat street consumed by flames, with thick smoke billowing and debris scattered across the ground. Indistinct figures of a mob charge forward, waving sticks and torches, their faces blurred to emphasize chaotic motion. A saffron flag flutters briefly in the foreground, symbolizing the ideological fervor associated with the Sangh Parivar. A fleeting overlay of text from a UK government report (referenced in the documentary) flashes phrases like “systematic campaign of violence” or “hallmarks of ethnic cleansing,” too brief to read fully but evoking official critique.
  • Visual Style: Sepia-toned with a saffron hue, flickering like archival newsreels, with jump cuts and digital noise to mimic disorientation. The footage is tightly cropped, focusing on fire and movement.
  • Duration: 5–7 seconds, looping briefly to establish the scene.
  • Soundscape Sync: A bomb blast (50–100 Hz, 100–120 dB) shakes the environment as the footage begins, paired with surging “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Jai Shri Ram” chants (90–110 dB). Crackling fires (30–40 dB) and a faint siren/hooter (1–3 kHz, 90 dB) underscore the visuals.
  • Lighting Sync: Saffron strobes (5–10 Hz) flash as the mob charges, with amber footlights enhancing the saffron hue of the footage, tying it to ideological fervor.
  • Narrative Impact: The burning street and mob surge, with the saffron flag and UK report text, set an apocalyptic tone, highlighting the pogrom’s ideological violence and hinting at state complicity without focusing on individuals.

  2. Victims’ Flight and Destruction

  • Source: Final Solution (2004)
  • Footage Description: Shaky, handheld footage of a panicked crowd—men, women, and children—fleeing through a narrow alley, their forms blurred and indistinct, stumbling over rubble. Brief flashes show collapsing shops and homes—roofs caving, windows shattering—tinted in cold blue to evoke fear and loss. A survivor’s testimony (from the documentary) features a woman’s shadowed face, her voice describing homes burned and families displaced, fading into static to avoid specific details.
  • Visual Style: Desaturated blue tones, with rapid cuts (1–2 seconds per frame) and digital noise mimicking smoke or dust, maintaining an abstract, chaotic feel.
  • Duration: 6–8 seconds, fading in and out to suggest fleeting hope.
  • Soundscape Sync: “Allah hu Akbar” cries (90–110 dB, 2–3 kHz) rise as the crowd flees, interrupted by a siren/hooter (1–3 kHz, 90–110 dB) and a “rat-tat-tat” gunfire burst (110–130 dB). Glass shattering (30–40 dB) underscores the collapsing structures.
  • Lighting Sync: Cold blue backlights (6000–8000K) illuminate the footage, with a blue-tinted shattered-glass gobo flickering. A red spotlight darts across the screen during the gunfire burst.
  • Narrative Impact: The fleeing crowd and survivor’s testimony evoke the victims’ terror and displacement, with the siren/hooter emphasizing the absence of rescue, contrasting the earlier saffron-tinged mob fervor.

  3. Violence Against Women: Testimonies of Horror

  • Source: India: The Modi Question (BBC, 2023)
  • Footage Description: A fragmented clip of a survivor’s interview, likely a Muslim woman (face blurred for anonymity), her voice trembling as she describes widespread rape during the riots, referencing the documentary’s note of “widespread and systematic rape of Muslim women.” The footage cuts to an abstract shot of a mob encircling a smaller group, their forms blurred in saffron hues, with flames flickering in the background. A brief text overlay from the UK report (“climate of impunity”) flashes, tying the violence to state inaction. No explicit violence is shown, but the encirclement conveys menace.
  • Visual Style: Grainy, saffron-tinted with heavy digital noise, using slow-motion and jump cuts to evoke dread. The survivor’s face is shadowed to align with the abstract aesthetic.
  • Duration: 5–7 seconds, fading to static.
  • Soundscape Sync: “Allah save me!” screams (100–120 dB, 2–4 kHz) dominate, with a faint “Bharat Mata ki Jai” chant (90 dB) in the background. A siren/hooter wails distantly, fading as the screams peak.
  • Lighting Sync: A trembling saffron handheld spotlight highlights the mob’s forms, with a slow strobe (2 Hz) and blue backlight isolating the survivor’s narrative. Red accents emphasize the violence.
  • Narrative Impact: The survivor’s testimony and mob encirclement evoke the pogrom’s gendered violence, with the UK report text and saffron hues tying it to ideological impunity, amplifying the horror without graphic detail.

  4. Children’s Despair: Loss and Abandonment

  • Source: Final Solution (2004)
  • Footage Description: A grainy clip of a child’s indistinct figure running through a ruined street, clutching a torn cloth, inspired by Final Solution’s focus on human loss. The footage cuts to a survivor’s voice (child or parent) recounting a lost family member, fading into static. The background shows smoldering debris and a distant siren’s flicker, tinted blue to evoke loss and abandonment.
  • Visual Style: Desaturated blue, with shaky handheld shots and rapid fades to maintain abstraction. The child’s form is blurred, emphasizing universality.
  • Duration: 4–6 seconds, dissolving into smoke.
  • Soundscape Sync: Children’s sobs (“Amma! Abba!”, 80–100 dB, 3–5 kHz) echo faintly, drowned by “Har Har Mahadev” chants (90–110 dB) and a bomb blast. A siren/hooter (90 dB) overlaps, fading as the sobs diminish.
  • Lighting Sync: Diffused blue backlights (8000K) illuminate the footage, with a faint amber footlight pulsing to suggest the mob’s presence. The siren’s flicker syncs with a blue gobo of debris.
  • Narrative Impact: The child’s flight and survivor’s voice highlight the pogrom’s devastating impact on families, with the siren’s futility and blue tones amplifying the sense of loss and isolation.

  5. Godhra Incident: Contested Spark

  • Source: Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra
  • Footage Description: A fragmented clip of the burning Godhra train bogey, flames licking the wreckage, tinted in red and saffron to evoke the pogrom’s inciting incident. The footage cuts to abstract shots of a crowd shouting, their faces blurred, waving saffron flags. A brief voiceover from the documentary questions whether the fire was accidental or planned, fading into static to avoid definitive claims.
  • Visual Style: High-contrast red and saffron tones, with flickering frames and digital noise to suggest heat and chaos. The footage is cropped to focus on flames and motion.
  • Duration: 4–6 seconds, looping briefly.
  • Soundscape Sync: “Jai Bajrangbali” chants (100 dB, 3–4 kHz) rise with a bomb blast, paired with crackling flames (30–40 dB). A siren/hooter wails faintly, underscoring the chaos.
  • Lighting Sync: Saffron strobes (10 Hz) and red spotlights flash as the train burns, with amber footlights enhancing the saffron hues. The flame gobo pulses, blending with the footage.
  • Narrative Impact: The Godhra train burning sets the pogrom’s context, with saffron flags and contested voiceover evoking the ideological spark, while the abstract style focuses on the chaos that followed.

  6. Official Inaction: Political Fallout

  • Source: Satya Pal Malik’s Interview with Karan Thapar (The Wire, 2023)
  • Footage Description: A grainy clip of Satya Pal Malik speaking, his face partially shadowed, describing official silence or inaction (repurposed to evoke state complicity in Gujarat). The footage cuts to archival shots of police standing idle in a riot-torn street, tinted blue, with a siren’s flicker in the background. A brief text overlay from India: The Modi Question references “police prevented from aiding” (UK report), fading quickly.
  • Visual Style: Desaturated blue with static interference, using slow fades and tight crops to maintain abstraction. The police footage is grainy, emphasizing inaction.
  • Duration: 5–7 seconds, dissolving into static.
  • Soundscape Sync: A siren/hooter (1–3 kHz, 90–110 dB) dominates, paired with faint “Allah hu Akbar” cries and a “rat-tat-tat” gunfire burst. Malik’s voice (90 dB) briefly cuts through, muted to avoid specifics.
  • Lighting Sync: Blue backlights (6000K) illuminate the footage, with a red spotlight darting during gunfire. The siren’s flicker syncs with a blue gobo of ruins.
  • Narrative Impact: Malik’s testimony and idle police footage evoke state inaction, with the UK report text and siren/hooter reinforcing the “climate of impunity,” amplifying the victims’ abandonment.

  7. Climax: Converging Chaos

  • Sources: Mixed from India: The Modi Question, Final Solution, Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra
  • Footage Description: A rapid montage of fragments—burning streets (India: The Modi Question), mob encirclement (Final Solution), Godhra train flames (Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra), and a survivor’s blurred face recounting loss. The footage intercuts with flashes of saffron flags, smoldering debris, and idle police, tinted in saffron, red, and blue. Text fragments from the UK report (“ethnic cleansing,” “Modi directly responsible”) flicker briefly, too fast to read fully, maintaining ambiguity.
  • Visual Style: High-contrast, with rapid cuts (1–2 seconds), digital noise, and alternating saffron, red, and blue hues to reflect fervor, violence, and despair. The footage mimics a fractured memory.
  • Duration: 8–10 seconds, building to a blackout.
  • Soundscape Sync: All sounds peak—“Bharat Mata ki Jai,” “Jai Shri Ram,” “Har Har Mahadev,” “Jai Bajrangbali,” “Allah save me” screams, children’s sobs, bombing, gunfire, and siren/hooter—at 130 dB. Crackling flames and glass shattering underscore the chaos.
  • Lighting Sync: Saffron strobes (10 Hz), amber footlights, and red spotlights flash wildly, with the flame gobo pulsing. Blue backlights flicker as victim footage fades, and the environment vibrates from subwoofer blasts.
  • Narrative Impact: The converging footage encapsulates the pogrom’s multifaceted horror—ideological violence, victim suffering, and state inaction—tying the documentaries’ perspectives to the chaotic, visceral experience.

  Scene III: Ravish Kumar on the screen, delivering a commentary on the wounded India

  [The camera focuses on Ravish Kumar, his face etched with concern, eyes steady, hands folded on the desk. The screen behind him shows a fading image of India’s map, cracked like parched earth.]

  Ravish Kumar:
  Namaskar, Mein Ravish Kumar. Aaj hum baat karenge ek aise Bharat ki, jo zakhmi hai. Ek aise desh ki, jiska sapna kabhi “Vishwaguru” banne ka tha, lekin aaj woh apne hi wado ke bojh tale dab raha hai. Yeh kahani sirf sankhyao ki nahi, balki un logo ki hai jo in sankhyao ke peeche jeete hai, aur marte hai. Yeh kahani hai Bharat ke rajnaitik aur arthanaitik giravat ki—ek giravat jo na sirf hamari arthvyavastha ko kha rahi hai, balki hamari samajik aur loktantrik sanrachna ko bhi khaukhla kar rahi hai.

  [The screen shifts to visuals of shuttered factories and jobless youth sitting on street corners.]

  Yeh dekhiye. Yeh woh Bharat hai jahan factories ke taale lag rahe hai, aur yuvaon ke haathon mein degree toh hai, lekin naukri nahi. 2014 se lekar 2025 tak, humne “Make in India” ka naara suna, lekin manufacturing ka GDP share 15% ke aaspaas hi atka raha. MSMEs, jo hamari economy ki reedh ki haddi hai, unka 30% se zyada band ho chuka hai—GST ke jhatke aur demonetization ke sadme se. Ek samay tha jab humne socha tha ki notebandi kala dhan khatam karegi, lekin kya hua? 99.3% purane note wapas bankon mein aaye, aur chhote vyapariyon ka vyapar khatam ho gaya. Aapke mohalle ki dukaan, woh chai ka thela, woh chhota sa tailoring shop—yeh sab is “masterstroke” ke shikar hue.

  [Ravish pauses, his voice softening, eyes piercing the camera.]

  Lekin yeh sirf sankhyao ki baat nahi. Yeh baat hai us naujawan ki, jo roj subah LinkedIn pe naukri dhoondta hai, aur shaam ko thak haar kar ghar laut ta hai. Yeh baat hai us kisan ki, jo apni fasal ke liye MSP maangta hai, lekin uski awaaz Dilli ke gaddi pe baithne walon tak nahi pahunchti. 2020-21 ke kisan andolan mein, 700 se zyada kisan apni jaan de chuke hai. Unki maut sirf ek sankhya nahi—ek sawaal hai. Humara Bharat kisan ke bina kaise jeevit rahega?

  [The screen shows images of farmers’ protests, juxtaposed with gleaming corporate skyscrapers.]

  Lekin yeh sirf arthik giravat ki baat nahi. Hamara samaj bhi toot raha hai. CAA, NRC, NPR—yeh shabd sirf policy nahi, yeh ek bhedbhav ka aayna hai. Jab hum apne hi nagrikon ko “ghuspaithiya” kehne lagte hai, jab masjidon aur mandiron ke naam pe dange hote hai, tab hum kaunsa Bharat bana rahe hai? 2014 se lekar ab tak, mob lynching ke 300 se zyada cases hue, jisme zyadatar Muslims aur Dalits shikar hue. Yeh ghatnaye sirf apraadh nahi—yeh hamari insaniyat pe daag hai. Jab ek samuday ko darr ke saath jeena pade, tab loktantra ka matlab kya reh jata hai?

  [Ravish pauses, his voice softening, almost whispering, as the screen shows a deserted RTI office.]

  Props for the Agit-Prop:

  • Hospital bed with Shyam Rangeela as Modi, draped in a saffron shawl, clutching a sindoor vial, surrounded by fake degree certificates labeled “Entire Political Science, WhatsApp University” with a QR code.
  • Demonetized Rs. 500 notes, some singed, stamped “Black Money Not Found,” dropped from above with placards reading “Demonetization Failed.”
  • A glowing Pegasus phone flashing “Snoop Mode On,” wired to a mock EVM blinking “Vote Secured,” with a sign reading “Your Data, Their Power.”
  • A “Godi Media” microphone with a leash tethered to an Adani-Ambani puppet duo, strings labeled “Crony Capital,” accompanied by a placard: “Media Sold.”
  • A temple-shaped piggy bank overflowing with corporate logos, “nationalism” coins, and a tiny jet, with a sign: “Temples Over Hospitals.”
  • A mannequin in a Rs. 10-lakh Modi suit, labeled “Phoren Tour Couture,” holding a selfie stick, with a placard: “Selfies > Jobs.”

  Scene IV: The Club- “Lower Depths”

  [The stage is shrouded in darkness, pierced by a harsh white spotlight stabbing AKASH BANERJEE mid-stride, mic in one hand, truth-detector pen glowing faintly in the other. Red strobes pulse faintly, hinting at surveillance. He paces frenetically, chopping the air, smirking, with exaggerated eyebrow raises, lit to expose his role as narrator. Satish Acharya’s cartoons loom on a screen in terms of a slideshow]  

  

  Akash Banerjee:
  [Smirking, eyebrow raised, chopping air under a stark spotlight] Arre, bhaiyo aur behno, welcome to Oligarchs, Jokes, and a Pinch of Democracy! [Points to audience, roving spotlight catching their faces] Don’t get comfy—you’re not spectators, you’re witnesses! [Chops air, leans in] This isn’t comedy—it’s a crime scene of India’s democracy! [Points to Acharya’s cartoon, red strobe pulsing] Satish Acharya’s got more evidence than the CBI—Modi ji’s promises burning faster than your savings in a Jio outage. [Holds up buzzing pen, flashing red under a blue spotlight] This pen smells lies, and it’s having a heart attack! [Spots a suited goon scribbling, spotlight swings to him, screen caption: “IT Cell at Work”] Oi, suit-wala, texting the PMO? [Dramatic eyebrow raise] My truth-detector’s catching your panic. If I’m off to Tihar, let me land my punches! [To audience, smirking] You’re complicit if you don’t laugh—and guilty if you don’t think. Perhaps, you are intoxicated by heroin, worth over Rs 350 crore, from the Mundra (fumbled) sorry Modani Port [Placard drops, lit by white flood: “Laugh or Be Silenced.”]

  

  

  

  

  [The crowd roars, students chanting “Aisi Taisi!” under roving spotlights. The goon whispers into a phone, sweat gleaming under a red strobe, his face projected with caption: “Typing Lies.” Akash grins.]

  

  Akash Banerjee:
  [Struts, chopping air, amber spotlight following] Let’s meet the surgeons carving this non-bio-“logical” circus. [Back stage. Gestures to hospital bed, lit by a sickly green spotlight, where Shyam Rangeela, as Modi, lies clutching a sindoor vial, fake degree nearby.] Munawar Faruqui, Vir Das, Kunal Kamra, Varun Grover, Kenny Sebastian, Agrima Joshua, and… [pauses, double eyebrow raise, smirking] the “56-inch” visionary, straight from WhatsApp University’s PhD factory! [To audience, harsh white spotlight] Don’t clap—ask why you’re clapping for a system that hacks your phone. [Placard, lit by flood: “Applause Won’t Save Democracy.”]

  [Comedians enter under shifting spotlights, each holding a prop, stepping out of character to address the audience. Munawar waves the fake degree under a blue beam, Vir dangles the Pegasus phone in red light, Kunal grips the “Godi Media” mic under a white strobe, Varun shakes the temple piggy bank in golden light, Kenny tosses demonetized notes under flickering neons, Agrima brandishes the sindoor vial in amber. Shyam Rangeela sits up under green light, mimicking Modi, then breaks character.]

  Shyam Rangeela (Modi):
  [Mimicking Modi, chest puffed out, green spotlight] Mitron! I’m not sick, I’m… rebooting my vision! [Holds fake degree, lit by a flickering bulb] This degree is real—cloud-certified, QR code included! My suits? World-class! My tours? Global yoga diplomacy! [Sprinkles sindoor, amber spotlight] This unites Bharat—from Ambani’s penthouse to Adani’s coal mines!

  [Breaks character, steps forward, white spotlight] I’m Shyam, playing a lie. This isn’t a role—it’s a warning.]

  Do you know that Sindoor is poisonous? This vermilion powder, is primarily composed of red lead (Pb3O4). Additionally, it contain cinnabar (HgS), which is mercury sulfide. The red color comes from the lead and mercury compounds. You know who is containing such toxic elements within his body. My spurious blood…Yes, he let Bharatmata slip through my blood. She is bleeding! That is the cause and that is the reason; Shah and Yogi, both wanted her. It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul.

  [Points to audience] His lies are your taxes. Stop cheering, start questioning! [Placard, lit by flood: “Question the Lies.”]

  [The crowd gasps, then roars under roving spotlights. Acharya’s cartoon shifts, lit by cold LEDs: Modi in a yoga pose on a jet, captioned “Foreign Tour #47: Selfie Diplomacy.” A placard drops: “Your Taxes, His Selfies.” Akash waves his buzzing pen, red spotlight pulsing.]

  Akash Banerjee:
  [Mock-shocked, eyebrow raised, chopping air under white spotlight] Arre, Modi ji, my pen’s screaming louder than a Godi Media anchor! [Points pen at Shyam, flashing red] Yoga diplomacy? A Rs. 10,000-crore selfie spree! [To audience, amber spotlight] Don’t laugh blindly—think! Why fund his suits while farmers starve? [Placard, lit by flood: “Think or Be Fooled.”]          Shyam Rangeela (Modi):

  Is it your pen? Rubbish! view my pen–Montblanc worth Rupees 1.3 lakhs1! You know that wherever me and my bhakts view vertical structure, we claim that those are the sivalimgas, the peeeeen,, (fumbles…),peniiiiiis…penn-iss…strate–the sacred phallus. Oh! I am now in thought  Mansi2 –in the mind! But no no noooo…I can’t speak without teleprompter!

  Ravish re-appears on his YouTube channel:

  Aur phir, yeh dekhiye. Ek taraf kisan apni zameen bachane ke liye sadkon pe hai, aur doosri taraf, kuchh chand udyogpati apne vyapar ke skyscrapers khade kar rahe hai. Crony capitalism—yeh shabd aapne suna hoga. Yeh woh vyavastha hai jahan sarkar aur udyogpati ek doosre ke saathi ban jaate hai, aur aam aadmi ke hisse mein sirf wade aate hai. Adani aur Ambani jaise naam aaj Bharat ke infrastructure ke har kone mein hai—ports, airports, power plants, telecom. 2014 se lekar ab tak, Adani group ka market capitalization 10 guna badh gaya, jabki sarkari banks ke NPAs—woh loan jo wapas nahi aaye—Rs. 10 lakh crore ke upar pahunch gaye. Yeh paisa kiska tha? Aapka aur mera. Yeh paisa Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi jaise wilful defaulters ke liye diya gaya, aur jab woh bhag gaye, toh bojh aapke kandhon pe daal diya gaya.

  [Ravish leans forward slightly, his voice growing sharper, eyes unwavering.]

  Sawaal yeh nahi ki yeh log kaise bhag gaye. Sawaal yeh hai ki unhe bhagne diya kyun gaya? Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, jo 2016 mein aaya, usne wada kiya tha ki defaulters ko jawabdeh banaya jayega. Lekin kya hua? 2025 tak, 50% se zyada cases unresolved hai, aur banks ke balance sheets ab bhi laal hai. Yeh system aapke liye nahi, unke liye bana hai—unke liye jo private jets mein Davos jaate hai, aur “sustainability” pe bhashan dete hai, jabki aapki bijli ka bill har mahine badhta hai.

  [The screen shifts to visuals of protests against CAA-NRC, juxtaposed with images of communal violence.]

  Scene V: The Oligarch Roast

  [MUNAWAR FARUQUI steps forward under a blue spotlight, holding the fake degree like evidence, twirling it. Acharya’s cartoon, lit by LEDs, morphs: a WhatsApp University logo with Modi’s face, captioned “PhD in Promises, First Class in Lies.” A placard flashes, lit by white flood: “Degrees Don’t Build Jobs.”]

  Munawar:
  [Grinning, voice sharp] This is Modi ji’s degree in “Entire Political Science.” [Holds it up, blue light glinting] Signed by a WhatsApp uncle with a cow DP. Verified by a “Good Morning” GIF with 10 emojis. [Steps out of character, white spotlight] I’m Munawar, your mirror. This degree’s fake, like the “15 lakh” promise. [Smirks] I applied to WhatsApp U, got rejected—my jokes “hurt sentiments.” Mallya’s sipping martinis in London, Nirav Modi’s crafting diamond FIRs. [Rips degree, tosses it under red strobe] Modi ji’s legacy—paper lies. [Points to cartoon] Acharya’s got more truth. [To audience] I got an FIR for saying “Adani.” What’s your excuse for staying silent? [Placard, lit by flood: “Silence Funds Scams.”]

  [The crowd roars. The goon types, his face projected under a red spotlight, captioned “Typing Lies.” Munawar points.]

  Munawar:
  Suit-wala, drafting my warrant? Tell the PMO Munawar says, “Frame this degree next to Modi ji’s Nobel Peace Prize—both fake!” [Smirks, amber spotlight] If I’m in Tihar, I’m roasting in the canteen. [To audience] Laugh, but ask: Why let liars graduate while you beg for jobs? [Placard: “Truth Beats Lies.”]

  [VIR DAS swaggers on under a red spotlight, twirling the Pegasus phone. Acharya’s cartoon shifts, lit by LEDs: a journalist’s phone with Pegasus wings, captioned “Snooped & Screwed Since 2014.” A placard reads: “Your Phone, Their Power.”]

  Vir:

  Namaste, Surveillance India! This Pegasus phone’s dirtier than a Godi Media newsroom. [Mimics Modi, red light pulsing] “Mitron, we’re checking if your biryani’s patriotic!” [Steps out of character, white spotlight] I’m Vir, your wake-up call. Pegasus hacks your chaiwala’s WhatsApp, your journalist’s emails, your dog’s Instagram. [Holds phone, blue light] It knows my search history: “Survive FIRs.” [Smirks] Three FIRs for “anti-national humor.” Pegasus is Modi ji’s leash. [Points to cartoon] Acharya’s pen cuts deeper. [To audience] They hack your life, and you laugh? Ask why your data’s sold! [Placard: “Privacy Sold to Oligarchs.”]

  [The goon mutters, face projected, captioned “Hacked by Pegasus.” Vir leans in under amber spotlight.]

  Vir:
  Suit-wala, Pegasus hacked your Paytm and found your Swiss account. [Winks] Our mics are louder than your trolls. [To audience] If Pegasus is listening, tell it: Stop snooping on my mom’s “Good Night” forwards—she loves roses, not coups! [Placard: “Resist Surveillance.”]

  [The camera zooms in on Dhruv Rathee, standing confidently, his expression serious but determined. The screen behind him shows a graph of India’s declining democracy index. He gestures animatedly, pointing to the data, then directly at the camera.]

  Dhruv Rathee:
  Namaskar, doston! Aaj hum baat karenge ek aise mudde pe jo na sirf hamare desh ke present ko define kar raha hai, balki hamare future ko bhi khatre mein daal raha hai. Yeh mudda hai—Bharat mein Narendra Modi ke regime ke neeche ek autocratic, ya yeh keh lijiye, dictatorial sarkar ka uday. Ab main jaanta hoon, yeh shabd bade heavy lagte hai, lekin facts aur evidence ke saath chaliye iski gehraai mein utarte hai. Kyunki agar hum ab nahi jaage, toh shayad kal bahut der ho jayegi.

  [The screen shifts to a timeline from 2014 to 2025, highlighting key events: demonetization, GST harrassments, CAA-NRC protests, farmer agitation, Pegasus scandal.]

  Chaliye shuru se shuru karte hai. 2014 mein jab Modi ji pehli baar Prime Minister bane, toh unhone ek sapna dikhaaya—‘Acche Din’, ‘Vikas’, ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. Lekin 11 saal baad, 2025 mein, hum kahan khade hai? Freedom House, jo duniya bhar ke democracies ko monitor karta hai, usne India ko “free” se downgrade karke “partly free” declare kiya hai. V-Dem Institute ke according, India ab ek “electoral autocracy” hai. Yeh koi videshi propaganda nahi—yeh data hai. Aur data jhooth nahi bolta.

  Toh yeh autocracy dikhti kaisi hai? Pehla sign hai—institutions ka capture. Loktantra ke chaar stambh hote hai: legislature, executive, judiciary, aur media. In sab par Modi sarkar ka kabza ek dictator ke playbook se seedha nikla hua lagta hai. Parliament mein opposition ki awaaz ko dabaya jaata hai. 2024 ke elections ke baad, opposition MPs ke microphones band kiye gaye, unhe suspend kiya gaya, aur bills bina debate ke pass kiye gaye. Rajya Sabha, jo ek check aur balance ka kaam karti thi, ab ek rubber stamp ban chuki hai.

  [Dhruv points to a chart showing the number of bills passed without debate, then turns to the camera, his voice rising.]

  Aur judiciary? Supreme Court, jo constitution ka rakshak hai, uspe bhi sawaal uth rahe hai. Electoral bonds case mein, jab Supreme Court ne is scheme ko unconstitutional declare kiya, toh sarkar ne uska data chhupane ki koshish ki. Pegasus spyware case mein, court ne investigation se haath kheench liya. Yeh wohi Pegasus hai, jo journalists, activists, aur opposition leaders ke phones hack karta tha. Jab sarkar apne hi nagrikon ki spying karti hai, aur uska jawab nahi deti, toh yeh loktantra nahi, ek surveillance state hai.

  [The screen shows images of journalists in handcuffs and TV news anchors shouting, with a caption: “Godi Media.” Dhruv’s tone sharpens, his gestures more emphatic.]

  Ab baat karte hai media ki—loktantra ka woh stambh jo sach bolne ke liye hota hai. Lekin aaj Bharat mein media ka ek naya naam hai: Godi Media. NDTV, Republic, Times Now—yeh channels sarkar ke PR agencies ban chuke hai. 2014 se lekar ab tak, India ki press freedom ranking World Press Freedom Index mein 161st tak gir chuki hai—180 countries mein! Journalists jaise Siddique Kappan, jo sach likhne ki koshish karte hai, unhe UAPA ke neeche jail mein daal diya jata hai. Aur jo media houses sarkar ke khilaaf bolte hai, unke offices pe Income Tax ya ED ke raids hote hai. Yeh freedom nahi, yeh dar ka mahaul hai.

  [Dhruv pauses, his voice softening, eyes intense, as the screen shows protests against CAA-NRC and mob lynching incidents.]

  Lekin autocracy ka sabse khatarnak roop hai—samaj ka polarization. Modi ji ke regime ne ek aisa narrative banaya hai jahan Hindu-Muslim divide har chunaav ka agenda ban gaya hai. CAA aur NRC ke khilaaf protests hue, lekin unhe “anti-national” kaha gaya. 2014 se ab tak, 300 se zyada mob lynching cases hue, jismein Muslims aur Dalits sabse zyada shikaar hue. Yeh dange spontaneously nahi hote—yeh ek sochi-samjhi strategy hai, jisse vote bank consolidate kiya jata hai. Jab ek samuday ko darr ke saath jeena pade, jab “temple nationalism” ke naam pe hospitals aur schools ke bajaye statues banaye jaye, tab yeh loktantra nahi, ek divisive dictatorship hai.

  [The screen shifts to visuals of farmers’ protests and empty factories, with data on unemployment. Dhruv’s tone becomes urgent, his gestures wider.]

  Aur yeh dictatorship sirf samaj ko nahi, economy ko bhi tabah kar rahi hai. Aapne suna hoga “Make in India,” lekin manufacturing ka GDP share ab bhi 15% ke aaspaas hai. Unemployment rate 8% se upar hai—aur yeh official data hai, jo shayad asli haalat se kam dikhaata hai. Demonetization ne MSMEs ko tabah kiya, GST ne chhote vyapariyon ki kamar tod di. Aur is sab ke beech, crony capitalism apne charam par hai. Adani aur Ambani jaise do-teen udyogpati aaj Bharat ke infrastructure ke har hisse ko control karte hai—ports, airports, power plants, telecom. Adani ka market capitalization 2014 se ab tak 10 guna badha, jabki sarkari banks ke NPAs Rs. 10 lakh crore ke upar hai. Yeh paisa kiska? Aapka aur mera. Jab Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi jaise log bhag jaate hai, aur sarkar chup rehti hai, toh yeh economic justice nahi—loot hai.

  [Dhruv steps closer to the camera, his voice rising with passion, pointing directly at the audience.]

  Toh sawaal yeh hai—kya yeh woh Bharat hai jo hum chahte hai? Ek aisa desh jahan RTI ka gala ghonta jata hai, jahan opposition ko dhamkiyaan milti hai, jahan journalists jail mein hai, aur jahan ek samuday ke khilaaf nafrat failayi jati hai? Yeh autocracy ke lakshan hai—aur agar hum ab nahi bole, toh hum ek dictator ke haathon mein apna loktantra de denge.

  [The screen shows a single candle burning, symbolizing hope, as Dhruv’s tone shifts to determination.]

  [Aisi Taisi Democracy’s “Jhaag” erupts under warm yellow spotlights, musicians addressing the crowd: “Jhaag, jhaag, TV pe jhaag, har headline mein Modi ka daag, Ambani ka paani, Adani ka naam!” A placard flashes: “Godi Media Lies.” The crowd tosses demonetized notes, caught in flickering neons.]

  Scene VI: The Panel of “Truth”

  [KUNAL KAMRA storms on under a white strobe, grabbing the “Godi Media” mic, yanking its Adani-Ambani leash. Acharya’s cartoon, lit by LEDs, shows an anchor with a leash labeled “Adani,” barking at a farmer, captioned “Godi Media Unleashed.” A placard reads: “News Sold to Cronies.”]

  Kunal:
  [Voice raw] Forget Netflix—Godi Media’s the drama. Demonetization? “Genius!” Farmers protesting? “Anti-national!” Adani owning your ports, Wi-Fi? [Mic screeches, yanks leash, red spotlight] “Error 404: Journalism not found.” [Steps out of character, white spotlight] I’m Kunal, your alarm. These Godi anchors are Ambani’s hype men. [Mimics anchor] “Modi ji walked on water, Adani built the lake!” [Points to cartoon] Acharya’s braver. [Smirks] Am banned from flying for roasting an anchor. Godi Media? Private jets on speed dial. Forget about Rafale deal [To audience] They call scams “policy” while you pay GST on oxygen–on your health insurance. Why aren’t you angry? [Placard: “Anger Beats Silence.”]

  [The crowd cheers. Kunal points to the goon, face projected under red strobe, captioned “Typing for Adani.”]

  Kunal:
  Suit-wala, tell your boss Kunal says, “Pay your taxes, then wave your flag.” [Smirks] Pegasus reads your texts—your “Jai Shri Ram” forward’s boring. [To audience] They ban me, not Adani’s scams. Wake up—your silence funds their jets! [Placard: “Defy the Lies.”]

  [VARUN GROVER glides on under a golden spotlight, shaking the temple piggy bank. Acharya’s cartoon shifts: a temple ATM dispensing “nationalism” coins, captioned “Temple Nationalism Inc.: Powered by Adani.” A placard reads: “Temples Hide Scams.”]

  Varun:

  This piggy bank’s Modi’s India. CAA, NRC, NPR, DPA—alphabet soup to divide while Ambani and Adani loot. [Shakes piggy bank, logos spill, amber spotlight] Temple nationalism’s a business, Modi’s CEO, Adani’s CFO. [Steps out of character, white spotlight] I’m Varun, your poet. Pulwama, Balakot—wars for votes. [Points to cartoon] Acharya’s truth hurts. They build statues, hospitals crumble, call it “heritage.” It’s a saffron heist. [Smirks] Hindu pride? Hindu hide—hiding Adani’s scams. [Drops poem, backed by Aisi Taisi Democracy’s “History Song” under yellow spotlights.]                                              https://youtu.be/owzFKmNPCx0        Varun’s Poem:

  “They carve gods from lies, call it sacred gold,
  Oligarchs build temples while farmers’ lives are sold.
  History’s a script, rewritten for their gain,
  While we dodge trolls, FIRs, and Pegasus in the rain.”

  [The crowd falls silent, then erupts. Placard, lit by flood: “Poetry Fights Lies.” Varun points to audience.]

  Varun:
  Don’t clap—think! Why temples over schools, health care centres? [Smirks] If they rewrite history, I’m rewriting their WhatsApp forwards: “Modi ji’s degree is fake.” Act, don’t applaud! [Placard: “Act Now.”]

  [KENNY SEBASTIAN bounces on under flickering neons, tossing demonetized notes. Acharya’s cartoon shows an ATM queue, captioned “Demonetization Dreams: 2016-2025.” A placard reads: “Queues for the Poor, Jets for the Rich.”]

  Kenny:
  Demonetization! Modi ji said it’d kill black money, would stop terrorism. What’s about state terrorism–the undeclared emergency? [Tosses notes, neons flicker] It killed my cousin’s catering, my neighbor’s kirana, my ATM faith. [Steps out of character, white spotlight] I’m Kenny, your questioner. Three hours in a queue, got a lollipop. [Smirks] Adani’s ports, Ambani’s Jio—richer than a Bollywood villain’s vault. [Points to cartoon] Acharya’s got the real GDP: poor got queues, rich got jets. [Grins] “Acche Din”? “Sab Changasi”? Adani Din! My phone bill’s got an “Adani yacht fee.” [To audience] Your taxes funded this scam—why aren’t you rioting? [Placard: “Laugh, Then Revolt.”]

  [AGRIMA JOSHUA steps up under an amber spotlight, holding the sindoor vial like a grenade. Acharya’s cartoon morphs: Modi sprinkling sindoor over a burning city, captioned “Islamophobia Rising.” A placard reads: “Hate Funds Votes.”]

  Agrima:
  This sindoor’s Modi ji’s prop. [Pours it on Shyam, green spotlight, he writhes] It fuels Islamophobia, pogroms, fake wars. [Steps out of character, white spotlight] I’m Agrima, your wake-up call. CAA, NRC, NPR? A thriller called “Divide and Loot.” [Points to cartoon] Acharya exposes hate as tradition. [Smirks] “Phoren” tours? He is working as a middleman of Ambani-Adani by spending taxpayers’ money. Rs. 10,000 crore for selfies while farmers beg. My taxes funded his suits! [Points to mannequin, pink spotlight] Not couture—corruption with a selfie stick. [Grins] Mallya’s London ticket? The real foreign tour, sponsored by our banks! [To audience] They divide with sindoor—why let them? [Placard: “Hate Divides, Truth Unites.”]

  [Neha Singh Rathore storms on under yellow spotlights, singing a Bhojpuri protest song, “Kaahe Ke Jhooth Bola,” addressing the crowd: “15 lakh bola, kahan gaya, mitron? Suit pe kharcha, desh gaya pitron! Jhooth ka bazaar, Modi ka vyapar, Ambani-Adani ka hai saara asar!” A placard flashes: “Songs Speak Truth.” The crowd tosses notes, caught in flickering neons.]

  [Akash Banerjee jumps in, pacing under a white strobe, chopping air, smirking, pen buzzing.]

  [Eyebrow raise, to audience] Arre, bhai, this sindoor’s deadlier than Pegasus or even debris of Rafale ! [Points to Shyam, green spotlight] Modi ji, my pen’s having a stroke after suffering too much pain! [Chops air] Don’t laugh—think! Why fund selfies while RTI dies? Can you file an RTI regarding PM Care Fund–an oxymoron itself? [Placard, lit by flood: “Think or Be Taxed.”]

  Ravish Kumar:

  Aur loktantra ki baat chali, toh ek aur zakhm ki baat karte hai—RTI ka maut. Right to Information, jo aapka haq tha sarkar se sawaal poochne ka, ab ek khokhla kanoon ban chuka hai. 2019 ke amendments ke baad, RTI officers ke haathon bandh diye gaye. Aaj RTI file karo, toh jawab ke bajaye, aapko dhamki ya court case milta hai. Yeh transparency nahi, yeh andhera hai. Jab sarkar se sawaal poochne ka haq chheena jata hai, tab woh sarkar nahi, kuchh aur hoti hai.

  [The screen shows a Pegasus phone icon, then fades to visuals of journalists under arrest.]

  Aur jab sawaal poochne wale journalists hote hai, toh unke phone Pegasus se hack kiye jaate hai. Yeh spyware, jo sarkar ne “national security” ke naam pe kharida, aapke aur mere private zindagi mein jhankta hai. Journalists, activists, opposition leaders—sab iski chhaya mein hai. Jab sach bolne walon ka munh band kiya jata hai, jab media “Godi Media” ban jati hai, tab sach kaun bolega? Aap? Ya main? Ya woh TV anchor jo har raat 9 baje darr ka bazaar lagata hai?

  [Ravish leans back, his voice steady but heavy, eyes locked on the camera.]

  Toh sawaal yeh hai—hum kahan ja rahe hai? Ek aisa Bharat jahan unemployment 8% ke upar hai, jahan 50% se zyada population ke paas emergency savings nahi hai, jahan kisan apni zameen ke liye ladta hai aur naujawan apne bhavishya ke liye? Ek aisa Bharat jahan temple nationalism ke naam pe vote maange jaate hai, lekin hospital aur schools ke liye budget nahi hai? Yeh woh Bharat nahi jo humne sapne mein dekha tha. Yeh woh Bharat hai jo apne hi wado ke jhooth se zakhmi hai.

  [The screen shows a single candle burning, symbolizing hope amidst despair.]

  Lekin ummeed abhi baaki hai. Yeh ummeed aap mein hai—us kisan mein, us naujawan mein, us mahila mein jo har roz is system se ladti hai. Lekin ummeed sirf dil mein rakhne se nahi chalegi. Humen sawaal poochne honge. Humen jawab maangne honge. Aur agar jawab na mile, toh humen apna haq cheenna hoga. Kyunki loktantra koi diya hua tohfa nahi—yeh ek jung hai, jo har roz ladni padti hai.

  [Ravish pauses, his voice almost a whisper, eyes unwavering.]

  Main Ravish Kumar, aapse yeh kehna chahta hoon—yeh zakhmi Bharat aapka hai. Ise bacha lijiye. Warna, yeh zakhm hum sabko kha jayega. Namaste.

  [The spotlight fades slowly, leaving the candle on the screen as the only light. The studio is silent as the screen cuts to black.]

  Scene VII: The Backlash (Chaos)

  [The stage darkens, red strobes pulsing like sirens. A spotlight tracks SHYAM RANGEELA, as Modi, rising from the bed under green light, clutching the sindoor vial. Acharya’s cartoon, lit by LEDs, shows Modi in a saffron robe, holding a fake degree, captioned “Non-Bio-“Logical” Lies: Est. 2014.” A placard reads: “Lies Are Policy.”]                    Shyam Rangeela (Modi):

  [Mimicking Modi, green spotlight] Mitron, why this hate? My degree’s real—QR code certified! Suits? Budget-friendly! Demonetization? Masterstroke! Pegasus? A friendly app! Adani-Ambani? Job creators… for Dubai! [Sprinkles sindoor, amber spotlight] This makes Bharat a $5 trillion economy! [Breaks character, white spotlight] I’m Shyam. This role’s absurd, but the lies are real. [To audience] His lies are your burden—why accept them? [Placard: “Question the Lies.”]

  [Akash Banerjee strides forward under a red strobe, pen buzzing red, waving it like a prop, smirking.]

  Akash Banerjee:
  [Eyebrow raise, chopping air] Arre, Modi ji, my pen’s exploding like a Diwali cracker! [Points to Shyam, green light] Budget-friendly suits? Pricier than healthcare! [To audience, white spotlight] Don’t laugh—question! Why fund selfies while farmers die? Middle class vanishes into the blue–PSU Banks and NBFCs like DHFL are looting their money through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code(2016) Biggest scams since 2014—hit me! [Placard: “Scams Are Governance.”]

  Munawar:
  [Blue spotlight] RTI’s death. File an RTI, get a court case. Asked for Modi ji’s degree—got a WhatsApp forward: “Sentiment hurt.” [Smirks] My FIR’s my degree. [To audience] Why let transparency die? [Placard: “RTI = Resistance.”]

  Vir:
  [Red spotlight] Crony capitalism. Ambani owns your data, Adani your ports. My Jio bill has an “Adani yacht fee.” [Smirks] Acharya’s cartoons are our RTI. [To audience] Why let oligarchs rule? [Placard: “Cronies Own India.”]

  Kunal:
  [White strobe] Godi Media. Scams are “policy,” pogroms “misunderstandings.” [Yanks mic leash] This barks for Adani. Banned for roasting an anchor. [Smirks] They’ve got jets, I’ve got FIRs. [To audience] Why trust their lies? [Placard: “Media Betrays You.”]

  Varun:
  Temple nationalism. CAA, NRC, NPR, DPA—divide the poor, unite the rich. Pulwama, Balakot, Pahalgam—wars for votes. [Smirks] Hindu pride? Hindu hide—hiding Adani’s scams. [To audience] Why worship their temples? [Placard: “Temples Fund Lies.”]

  Kenny:
  Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. A free pass for super-rich wilful defaulters. Mallya, Nirav Modi—they’re sipping cocktails abroad while I pay GST on oxygen. [Smirks] Tried defaulting on my phone bill—got an FIR. [To audience] Why pay for their scams? [Placard: “Debtors Win, You Lose.”]

  Agrima:
  Modi’s lies. “15 lakh!” “2 crore jobs!” All we got? A fake degree and suits. [Waves degree] My internet bill’s more reliable than his promises. [Smirks] Why fund his selfies? [To audience] Why believe his lies? [Placard: “Lies Cost Lives.”]

  [The stage shakes. Bajrang Dal activists and inactive police burst in, smashing props. Acharya’s cartoons flicker, showing goons crushing mics, captioned “Democracy Under Attack.” A placard reads: “Violence Silences Truth.” The comedians stand firm, mics raised.]

  Kunal:
  [Shouting] They can’t handle truth, so they send goons! [To activists] Smash the stage, not our voices! [To audience] Why let them silence you? Fight! [Placard: “Resist or Be Crushed.”]

  [Agrima tosses the sindoor vial into the crowd.]

  Agrima:
  Take this sindoor! It’s not sacred—it’s hate! [To audience] Use it to fight their lies! [Placard: “Hate Divides, You Unite.”]

  Dhruv appears again:

  Lekin doston, yeh kahani abhi khatam nahi hui. Bharat ke logon mein ab bhi woh takat hai jo is autocratic regime ko challenge kar sakti hai. Yaad rakho—2019 mein CAA ke khilaaf protests, 2020-21 mein kisan andolan, aur 2024 ke elections mein opposition ke unexpected gains—yeh sab is baat ka saboot hai ki Bharat ka loktantra abhi zinda hai. Lekin zinda rehne ke liye, isse aapke sawaalon ki, aapke protests ki, aur aapke votes ki zarurat hai.

  [Dhruv leans forward, his voice firm, eyes blazing with conviction.]

  Toh aaj ek pledge lijiye. Har jhooth ko challenge kijiye. Har injustice ke khilaaf awaaz uthaiye. Social media pe sach share kijiye, apne doston se ispe baat kijiye, aur jab chunaav aaye, toh apna vote soch samajh ke dijiye. Kyunki loktantra koi gift nahi—yeh ek responsibility hai. Aur agar hum is responsibility ko nahi sambhalte, toh hum apna desh ek dictator ke haathon mein de denge.

  Main Dhruv Rathee, aapse yeh kehna chahta hoon—Bharat aapka hai. Ise bacha lijiye. Kyunki agar aap nahi ladenge, toh kaun ladega? Jai Hind.

  [Dhruv steps back, the candle on the screen flickers, and the lights dim slowly. The screen fades to black with the text: “Save Democracy. Act Now.”]

  [Aisi Taisi Democracy plays “Aazadi,” musicians addressing the crowd: “Aazaadi, aazaadi, sold by the gram, while the rich sip champagne, we choke on their scam!” The crowd chants, tossing notes at the goons.] 

•       https://youtu.be/MEHE4ITmkbA

• [Akash Banerjee leaps onto a broken chair, chopping air, smirking.]
  [Eyebrow raise, shouting] Arre, bhai, wreck the stage, not our spirit! [Points to crowd] Your voice is louder than their goons! [To goons] Your trolls, FIRs, Pegasus? No match for truth! [To audience] Don’t laugh—act! [Placard: “Act or Be Silenced.”]

  Scene VIII: The Aftermath

  [The stage is a warzone—chairs splintered, notes scattered, piggy bank shattered, mannequin toppled. The comedians sit on stools, passing one mic, faces projected on screens, captioned “Truth Tellers.” Acharya’s cartoon glows: a comedian on a cash pile, mic raised, captioned “Speak Truth to Power.” A placard reads: “Truth Survives.”]

  Munawar:
  [Smirking] How many FIRs? I’m aiming for a dozen. [To audience] My FIRs are my medals—where are yours? [Placard: “Fight for Truth.”]

  Vir:
  Pegasus tracks my Uber, my mom’s forwards. [Smirks] My dog’s more patriotic than your anchors. [To audience] Why let them hack you? [Placard: “Privacy Is Power.”]

  Kunal:
  Banned from airlines, but I’m flying into their lies. [Smirks] Pegasus wants my biryani recipe. [To audience] Why let them control you? [Placard: “Defy the Lies.”]

  Varun:
  Acharya’s pen outlives their bans. [Smirks] My next poem’s coming—try censoring that. [To audience] Why let them rewrite your history? [Placard: “Write Your Truth.” and “likho script apna apna”]

  Kenny:
  They trashed the stage, not our voices. [Smirks] Tried paying taxes with demonetized notes—got an FIR. [To audience] Why pay for their scams? [Placard: “Laugh, Then Fight.”]

  Agrima:
  [Points to Shyam, mock-fainting] Non-bio-logical man, your lies crumble, our truth doesn’t. [Smirks] Your laughter’s their kryptonite—use it! [Placard: “Laughter Is Resistance.”]

  [Shyam Rangeela, as Modi, collapses, sprinkling sindoor. He breaks character.]

  Shyam Rangeela:
  I’m Shyam. This role’s a joke, but the lies are real. [To audience] Stop cheering—start fighting! [Placard: “Act Now.” “Educate, Agitate, Organize!”]

  Akash Banerjee:
  [Struts center, smirking, pen raised, chopping air] This is Oligarchs, Jokes, and a Pinch of Democracy! [Double eyebrow raise] They wreck stages, slap FIRs, hack phones. Our mics? Louder. Our laughter? Deadlier. [Points to audience] Don’t laugh—act! Your silence funds their scams, your voice breaks their lies! [Placard: “Act or Be Taxed.”]

  [Lights crash out. The crowd chants “Aisi Taisi Democracy!” Neha Singh Rathore’s “Aazaadi” hums. Acharya’s cartoon stays lit: a mic piercing a corporate logo, captioned “Truth Wins.” Final placard: “Your Move, India.”]

  The stage falls into sudden darkness. Then, a faint sepia beam flickers to life, illuminating a narrow strip at the centre. In this fragile corridor of light, a few figures dart across—rushing from stage right to left (audience perspective). Their movements are sharp, urgent. As they run, the metallic echoes of chains breaking—clinks, snaps, and fragments—cut through the silence, like the sound of a shackle shattering history.

  A voice—urgent, distorted, almost intercepted—breaks in over the speakers, dominating the air:

  ANNOUNCEMENT (V.O.):
  “This is an emergency broadcast. There has been jailbreaks. Repeat: a jailbreak! Political prisoners from Tihar Jail—journalists, students, activists—have broken free of their confinement!”

  The announcement begins to glitch and crackle—words distorting, overlapping—as though it’s being jammed or overtaken. Amidst the static, the figures running across the sepia-lit path begin to shout slogans—resistance erupting in rhythm:

  VOICES (shouting, overlapping):
  “Long live Bastille!”
  “Long live Liberty!”
  “Long live the Indian Constitution!”

  Their cries echo as they vanish offstage, leaving the beam of light flickering in their wake.

  1. The claim that Narendra Modi uses a Montblanc pen worth ₹1.3 lakh is partially supported but not conclusively verified. ↩︎
  2. The claim about Madhuri alias Mansi Soni involves several key points, fact-checked based on available sources: Identity and Profession: Mansi Soni, also referred to as Madhuri, is a Bangalore-based landscape architect who worked on the Bhuj Hill Garden project in 2005 under Pradeep Sharma, then-Kutch District Collector. Confirmed by multiple sources (Business Standard, The Indian Express, Final Solution).Illegal Surveillance: In 2009, Soni was illegally surveilled by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad, likely ordered by Amit Shah, as evidenced by audio tapes and IPS officer G.L. Singhal’s CBI submissions. Pradeep Sharma’s 2011 affidavit alleges this was due to his knowledge of Soni’s interactions with Narendra Modi. Confirmed, though her father’s claim of requesting protection adds ambiguity.Work in Kutch: Soni was hired for the Bhuj Hill Garden beautification project (₹1.6 crore, completed 2004–2005) under Sharma’s oversight. Confirmed by Business Standard and The Financial Express. Marriage: Soni married an Ahmedabad-based businessman in 2009, not 2010, in a private ceremony. Confirmed by The Financial Express and Business Standard.Modi’s Wedding Attendance: The claim that Modi attended Soni’s wedding in 2010 is not supported. Sources confirm a 2009 wedding, with no evidence of Modi’s presence, though he met Soni in 2005 at the Hill Garden inauguration. The claim is mostly accurate regarding Soni’s identity, profession, Kutch project, surveillance, and 2009 marriage but inaccurate about the wedding date (2009, not 2010) and Modi’s attendance, which lacks evidence. The surveillance ties to the 2013 Snoopgate scandal, reflecting political motives, but the wedding attendance claim appears to be a rumor or error.) ↩︎

•     TECHNICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE AGIT-PROP

  Lighting Suggestions:

  Harsh, industrial spotlights cut through the gloom, deliberately exposing the artifice of the stage, with stark white beams isolating performers. Red and amber strobes pulse during tense moments, mimicking police sirens or corporate greed. Flickering neon tubes, some buzzing erratically. During musical interludes, warm yellow spotlights bathe the performers, contrasting the cold stage to draw attention to their truth-telling.

  Techniques:

  Alienation, direct audience address, placards, exaggerated gestures, and songs as commentary—force the audience to think critically, not just laugh. Every joke is a dagger, every song is a call to action, teetering on arrest but demanding resistance. The play seeks to engage (cf. Sartre’ littérature engagée) all elements of the performance space to create a powerful and immersive experience for the audience.

  (The aforementioned directions, open to modifications and adaptability, generally apply to scenes 3-8)

  For Scene I

  Lighting Design Overview:

  The lighting weaves amber and saffron to symbolize the Sangh Parivar’s ideological dominance, juxtaposed against cold blues and whites for victims’ despair and red for violence. The design uses dynamic, kinetic, and textured lighting to mirror the pogrom’s brutality, with amber and saffron prominently tied to the aggressors’ silhouettes to evoke their ideological fervor.

  During the closing of this opening scene, saffron strobes flash at 10 Hz, amber footlights blaze, and handheld saffron torches sweep wildly, creating a chaotic mass of towering shadows. The flame gobo pulses saffron, smoke thickens, and a red spotlight darts across collapsing silhouettes. The screen shakes, then falls dark, leaving only the echo of screams and a faint amber glow.

  1. Dynamic Strobe and Flicker with Saffron Accents

  • Technique: Strobe lights with variable flicker rates create disorienting chaos, with saffron gels introduced to symbolize the Sangh Parivar’s aggressive presence during chants like “Jai Shri Ram!” and “Har Har Mahadev!”
  • Execution:
    • Primary Strobe: A 1000W fresnel spotlight with a saffron gel (e.g., Rosco 20, Deep Amber, adjusted to a vivid saffron hue) pulses at 5–10 Hz during mob attacks. The saffron light bathes the screen as silhouettes of attackers wielding sticks and swords surge forward, chanting “Jai Shri Ram!” The strobe slows to 2 Hz during moments of triumph, like a raised weapon, casting sharp, saffron-tinted shadows.
    • Secondary Strobe: A 500W spotlight with a neutral white beam darts across the screen, highlighting individual actions (e.g., a stone thrown during “Jai Bajrangbali!”). When the chant peaks, a saffron filter snaps into place, tying the action to the ideological fervour.
  • Narrative Impact: The saffron strobe links the attackers’ violence to the Sangh Parivar’s symbolic color, evoking their ideological drive without explicit reference. The flickering rhythm mirrors the mob’s frenetic energy, making their silhouettes appear as a relentless, ideologically charged force.

  2. Amber Footlights for Ideological Grounding

  • Technique: Amber footlights anchor the aggressors’ silhouettes, casting them upward in towering, distorted forms to symbolize the Sangh Parivar’s pervasive influence. The amber glow intensifies during chants, creating a visual foundation for the mob’s actions.
  • Execution:
    • Footlights: 500W PAR lights with amber gels (e.g., Rosco 02, Bastard Amber) line the base of the screen, angled upward at 20 degrees. They flare during “Har Har Mahadev!” and “Jai Bajrangbali!”, casting elongated shadows of attackers, their weapons stretching grotesquely. The amber light pulses in sync with the chants’ rhythm, creating a heartbeat-like effect.
    • Contrast: During victims’ cries (“Allah hu Akbar!” or “Allah save me!”), the amber footlights dim, allowing a ULTRA RED backlight to dominate, isolating the victims’ smaller silhouettes.
  • Narrative Impact: The amber footlights ground the scene in the Sangh Parivar’s ideological color, making the attackers’ shadows loom as an oppressive, unified force. The contrast with blue highlights the power imbalance, emphasizing the victims’ vulnerability against the saffron-tinged aggression.

  3. Handheld Saffron Torches

  • Technique: Handheld LED spotlights with saffron filters, wielded by performers, mimic the torches of the mob, symbolizing the Sangh Parivar’s fiery zeal. These lights move erratically, enhancing the chaos and tying the violence to the ideological symbol of saffron.
  • Execution:
    • Handheld Lights: Performers use 50W LED spotlights with saffron gels, sweeping them across the screen during scenes of arson or attack. As silhouettes chant “Jai Shri Ram!”, the saffron beams create sharp, flickering shadows of raised fists or burning torches. Torches are sporadically target audience, the fourth wall of the proscenium as if they are searching the dissenters: Urban Naxals, Tukre Tukre gangs, wokes, libarandus, communists, left liberals. Thus torches are representing surveilling tools–representation of Panopticon.
    • Specific Moment: During the rape scene, a single saffron handheld light trembles on the attackers’ silhouettes, casting jagged, predatory shadows over the victim’s crumpled form, while her scream (“Allah save me!”) triggers a cold white backlight to isolate her despair.
  • Narrative Impact: The saffron torches evoke the Sangh Parivar’s symbolic flame, linking the mob’s violence to their ideological fervour. The unsteady beams amplify the personal, chaotic nature of the attacks, making the audience feel the mob’s unchecked rage.

  4. Layered Backlighting with Gobos and Amber-Saffron Tints

  • Technique: Backlights with gobos project environmental textures (broken windows, flames), with amber and saffron tints to evoke the Sangh Parivar’s ideological backdrop. The gobos shift dynamically to reflect the pogrom’s destruction.
  • Execution:
    • Primary Backlight: A 2000W profile spotlight with a gobo of shattered glass, tinted with a soft amber gel, projects a fractured cityscape behind the screen. The amber glow intensifies during “Har Har Mahadev!”, suggesting the ideological weight of the destruction.
    • Secondary Backlight: A 1000W floodlight with a flame gobo, tinted saffron, pulses during scenes of arson, syncing with the sound of crackling fires or “Jai Bajrangbali!” chants. Smoke diffuses the saffron light, creating a hazy, apocalyptic glow.
    • Transitions: During children’s cries, the amber and saffron backlights fade, replaced by a cold blue-white floodlight, making the tiny silhouettes ghostly against a stark, hopeless backdrop.
  • Narrative Impact: The amber and saffron gobos tie the environment’s destruction to the Sangh Parivar’s ideological presence, making the ruined cityscape feel like an extension of their fervor. The shift to blue for victims underscores their isolation amidst the saffron-tinged chaos.

  5. Color Temperature and Red Accents

  • Technique: Blend amber and saffron with cold blues and violent reds to differentiate factions and emotional tones. Amber and saffron dominate the mob’s actions, while red highlights bloodshed, and blue signifies despair.
  • Execution:
    • Amber and Saffron: Amber footlights (2700K) and saffron strobes (2000K, adjusted for vividness) dominate during chants, casting attackers’ shadows in warm, ideological hues.
    • Red Accents: A 500W spotlight with a deep red gel (e.g., Rosco 26) darts across the screen during violent peaks, like a sword strike or the rape scene, highlighting blood and brutality.
    • Cold Blues: A 6000K blue-white backlight bathes the screen during “Allah hu Akbar!” cries or children’s sobs, creating small, fragile silhouettes. During “Allah save me!”, the blue intensifies to 8000K, evoking a chilling void.
  • Narrative Impact: Amber and saffron tie the mob’s actions to the Sangh Parivar’s symbolic colors, while red and blue contrast the violence and despair, creating a visceral emotional arc.

  6. Smoke and Diffusion for Saffron Haze

  • Technique: Use smoke machines to create a saffron-tinted haze, symbolizing the pervasive ideological atmosphere of the Sangh Parivar. Diffusion filters soften or sharpen shadows to match emotional shifts.
  • Execution:
    • Smoke: Two haze machines release a light saffron-tinted mist (lit by saffron backlights) during mob scenes, creating a suffocating, ideologically charged atmosphere. The haze thickens during “Jai Shri Ram!” chants, softening attackers’ shadows to suggest their overwhelming presence.
    • Diffusion: Apply light diffusion gels (e.g., Rosco 132) to the primary spotlight during victims’ cries, blurring their shadows for a fading, hopeless effect. Remove the filter during violent acts, sharpening the saffron-tinted silhouettes of attackers.
  • Narrative Impact: The saffron haze envelops the scene, evoking the Sangh Parivar’s ideological grip, while diffusion shifts mirror the victims’ fading hope against the mob’s sharp, relentless aggression.

  Soundscape for Shadow Theatre Scene

  Overview:
  The soundscape is a relentless, layered cacophony that vibrates the tattered, translucent cloth screen, immersing the audience in the chaos of a Gujarat street during the 2002 pogrom. The siren/hooter alert is integrated as a piercing, intermittent sound, suggesting distant police or emergency vehicles unable to quell the violence, adding to the sense of abandonment and disorder. “Bharat Mata ki Jai” anchors the mob’s nationalistic fervour, alongside “Jai Shri Ram,” “Har Har Mahadev,” and “Jai Bajrangbali,” clashing with “Allah hu Akbar,” women’s screams, and children’s cries. Bombing and gunfire intensify the chaos, while the siren/hooter underscores the futility of intervention. Delivered through a surround sound system with directional speakers and subwoofers, the soundscape ensures spatial disorientation, syncing with lighting cues to amplify the jagged, frenzied silhouettes.

  1. Siren/Hooter Alert: Futile Authority

  • Sound Elements:
    • Siren/Hooter Description: A high-pitched, wailing siren (1–3 kHz, 90–110 dB), oscillating in a classic emergency vehicle pattern (e.g., a rising and falling “wee-oo-wee-oo” or a steady hooter blast). The sound is distant and slightly muffled, suggesting ineffective or absent authority, fading in and out to evoke emergency vehicles unable to reach the scene.
    • Frequency and Timing: The siren/hooter appears sporadically (3–4 times per minute, 2–5 seconds per instance), cutting through the chants and screams but never dominating, reflecting the pogrom’s unchecked violence.
    • Variations: The siren shifts in pitch (2–3 kHz) to suggest multiple vehicles or urgency, occasionally distorted with a slight echo to mimic urban reverberation off ruined buildings.
  • Execution:
    • Timing: The siren/hooter first sounds during the opening chaos, fading in as a bomb blast vibrates the screen and “Bharat Mata ki Jai” surges under saffron strobes. It reappears during moments of victim flight or despair, such as “Allah hu Akbar” cries, paired with blue backlights, to emphasize the lack of rescue.
    • Spatialization: The siren emanates from rear and side speakers, creating a sense of distance and movement, as if circling the chaos but never intervening. It briefly shifts to front speakers during the climax, then fades, underscoring futility.
    • Lighting Sync: The siren pairs with the amber-tinted shattered-glass gobo or blue backlight, flickering faintly to suggest distant emergency lights reflecting off ruins. During violent peaks, it’s drowned by gunfire or chants under saffron strobes.
  • Narrative Impact: The siren/hooter alert adds a layer of desperation, evoking the absence of effective intervention during the pogrom. Its piercing wail contrasts the mob’s fervent chants, amplifying the sense of a city abandoned to chaos.

  2. Mob Chants: Ideological Fervor

  • Sound Elements:
    • “Bharat Mata ki Jai”: A bold, anthemic chant by a 25–35-voice male chorus (90–110 dB, 200–400 Hz for depth, 1–2 kHz for clarity), with a steady 4/4 rhythm emphasizing “Ma-ta” and “Jai.” It carries triumphant nationalism, tied to the Sangh Parivar’s saffron and amber symbolism.
    • “Jai Shri Ram!”: Sharp, frenzied (100–120 dB, 2–3 kHz), 20-voice male chorus, rapid and overlapping.
    • “Har Har Mahadev!”: Guttural, menacing (80–100 Hz, 90–110 dB), slower and resonant.
    • “Jai Bajrangbali!”: Shrill, youthful (3–4 kHz, 100 dB), chaotic and fervent.
    • Overlap: “Bharat Mata ki Jai” unifies the chants, rising above during mob surges, creating a discordant wall of sound with the others.
  • Execution:
    • Timing: “Bharat Mata ki Jai” leads the opening, paired with saffron strobes and amber footlights as attacker silhouettes surge. “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Bajrangbali” join during weapon raises, syncing with handheld saffron spotlights. “Har Har Mahadev” dominates during destruction scenes, tied to the amber shattered-glass gobo. The siren/hooter interrupts briefly, fading as chants swell.
    • Spatialization: “Bharat Mata ki Jai” emanates from front and center speakers, “Jai Shri Ram” from left, “Har Har Mahadev” from right, and “Jai Bajrangbali” from all directions, creating an encirclement. The siren/hooter cuts through from rear speakers, clashing with the chants’ dominance.
  • Narrative Impact: “Bharat Mata ki Jai” amplifies the mob’s ideological zeal, its anthemic quality unifying the chaotic chants under the Sangh Parivar’s symbolic saffron and amber hues. The siren’s futile wail underscores the mob’s unchecked power.

  3. Victims’ Cries and Screams: Despair Against Fervour

  • Sound Elements:
    • “Allah hu Akbar!”: Desperate, defiant cries (10–15 voices, 90–110 dB, 2–3 kHz), breaking into sobs, rising as silhouettes flee.
    • “Allah save me!”: Piercing screams (5–7 female voices, 100–120 dB, 2–4 kHz), raw and wavering during the rape scene.
    • Children’s Cries: Fragile sobs (“Amma! Abba!”, 80–100 dB, 3–5 kHz), often drowned by chants or gunfire.
  • Execution:
    • Timing: “Allah hu Akbar” rises during victim flight, paired with blue backlights, interrupted by the siren/hooter and a “rat-tat-tat” burst under red spotlights. “Allah save me” screams dominate the rape scene, syncing with a trembling saffron handheld light, momentarily silencing “Bharat Mata ki Jai.” Children’s sobs fade under the siren’s wail and blue light dimming to 8000K.
    • Spatialization: Victims’ cries come from center and rear speakers, contrasting the mob’s front-heavy chants. The siren/hooter overlaps, its distance emphasizing the victims’ isolation.
  • Narrative Impact: The victims’ cries clash with “Bharat Mata ki Jai,” highlighting the human cost against the mob’s nationalistic fervor. The siren/hooter amplifies their abandonment, its wail fading without resolution.

  4. Bombing and Gunfire: Lethal Chaos

  • Sound Elements:
    • Bombing: Deep booms (50–100 Hz, 100–120 dB), every 10–15 seconds, vibrating the screen to mimic petrol bombs.
    • Gunfire: Sharp “rat-tat-tat” bursts (0.5–1 second, 110–130 dB, 1–2 kHz), 3–4 per minute, paired with red spotlights.
  • Execution:
    • Timing: Bombing shakes the screen during “Bharat Mata ki Jai” surges, syncing with amber footlights and the flame gobo. Gunfire bursts interrupt “Allah hu Akbar” or screams, paired with red spotlights on falling silhouettes. The siren/hooter overlaps with gunfire, creating a chaotic sonic collision.
    • Spatialization: Bombing is omnidirectional via subwoofers, gunfire shifts unpredictably across side speakers, and the siren circles from rear to front, enhancing disorientation.
  • Narrative Impact: Bombing and gunfire intensify the lethal chaos, with the siren/hooter adding a futile emergency presence, making the violence feel both random and ideologically driven under “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”

  5. Dynamic Mixing and Climax

  • Technique: The soundscape is dynamically mixed to reflect the emotional arc, with “Bharat Mata ki Jai” unifying the mob, clashing with victims’ cries, punctuated by bombing, gunfire, and the siren/hooter.
  • Execution:
    • Opening: A bomb blast vibrates the screen, followed by “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Jai Shri Ram” under saffron strobes and amber footlights. The siren/hooter wails faintly, paired with the shattered-glass gobo.
    • Escalation: “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Bajrangbali” join, with gunfire bursts and the siren/hooter interrupting “Allah hu Akbar.” Saffron haze thickens, and red spotlights dart.
    • Rape Scene: “Allah save me!” screams dominate, silencing “Bharat Mata ki Jai” briefly as a saffron handheld light trembles. The siren/hooter wails distantly, fading without impact.
    • Children’s Despair: Sobs are drowned by “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and a bomb blast, with the siren/hooter overlapping as blue light fades. A gunfire burst silences a cry.
    • Climax: All sounds peak—“Bharat Mata ki Jai,” other chants, screams, cries, bombing, gunfire, and the siren/hooter—at 130 dB. Saffron strobes (10 Hz), amber footlights, and red spotlights create a chaotic mass of shadows. The screen vibrates, then falls silent in a blackout, with the siren’s echo fading into a child’s sob.
  • Narrative Impact: The siren/hooter underscores the futility of intervention, amplifying the pogrom’s unchecked horror, while “Bharat Mata ki Jai” unifies the mob’s ideological assault against the victims’ desperate cries.

  Integration with Lighting and Scene

  • Opening Chaos: A bomb blast shakes the screen as “Bharat Mata ki Jai” surges with “Jai Shri Ram,” under saffron strobes and amber footlights casting towering silhouettes. The siren/hooter wails faintly, paired with the amber shattered-glass gobo and crackling fires.
  • Victims’ Flight: “Allah hu Akbar” rises under blue backlights, interrupted by the siren/hooter and a “rat-tat-tat” burst with a red spotlight, shrinking fleeing silhouettes.
  • Violence Against Women: “Allah save me!” screams pierce as a saffron handheld spotlight trembles on attackers, with a slow strobe (2 Hz) and blue backlight. The siren/hooter wails distantly, fading as “Bharat Mata ki Jai” resumes faintly.
  • Children’s Despair: Sobs echo from rear speakers, drowned by “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and a bomb blast, with the siren/hooter overlapping as blue light dims. A gunfire burst silences a cry.
  • Climax: “Bharat Mata ki Jai” leads the chant crescendo, joined by other chants, screams, cries, bombing, gunfire, and the siren/hooter, under saffron strobes, amber footlights, and red spotlights. The screen vibrates, then blacks out, leaving the siren’s echo and a child’s sob.

  Technical Notes

  • Equipment: Use a surround sound system with subwoofers for bombing, directional speakers for chants, screams, and siren/hooter, and a mixing board for dynamic control. Record the siren/hooter with a realistic emergency vehicle sound, slightly muffled for distance.
  • Safety: Cap peak volume at 130 dB to avoid discomfort. Secure subwoofers to vibrate the screen safely.
  • Rehearsal: Sync sound cues with lighting and silhouettes via a cue sheet, ensuring the siren/hooter aligns with blue or amber gobos, “Bharat Mata ki Jai” with saffron/amber lights, and gunfire with red spotlights.

  Narrative Impact

  The siren/hooter alert adds a piercing layer of futility to the soundscape, evoking the absence of effective intervention during the Gujarat pogrom. “Bharat Mata ki Jai” unifies the mob’s nationalistic fervor, tied to saffron and amber lighting, clashing with “Allah hu Akbar,” “Allah save me” screams, and children’s sobs. Bombing and gunfire (“rat-tat-tat”) intensify the chaos, vibrating the tattered screen and amplifying the jagged silhouettes’ frenetic energy. The shadow theatre’s stark visuals, paired with this relentless soundscape, capture the pogrom’s ideological violence and human despair, immersing the audience in its chaotic horror without glorifying it.shaken by its emotional weight.

  For Scene 2:

  Technical Notes

  • Projection: Use a high-lumen projector (5000+ lumens) for clear visibility. Calibrate to align with the performance space, ensuring footage complements the silhouettes without overpowering them.
  • Editing: Edit clips in post-production to add grain, noise, and color tints (saffron, blue, red), using rapid cuts and fades for a chaotic, abstract feel. Ensure survivor faces are blurred for anonymity.
  • Sound Sync: Coordinate clip transitions with sound cues via a cue sheet (e.g., bomb blasts with burning streets, screams with survivor testimonies). Use a mixing board for precise audio-visual alignment.
  • Safety: Monitor projection brightness to avoid eye strain for performers. Ensure audio levels (max 130 dB) are safe for the audience.
  • Rehearsal: Rehearse footage timings with lighting and sound cues, ensuring the montage enhances the performance’s stark aesthetic.

  Narrative Impact

  The montage of footage from India: The Modi Question, Final Solution, Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra, and Satya Pal Malik’s interview creates a fragmented, visceral backdrop for the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. Burning streets and mob surges in saffron hues evoke the Sangh Parivar’s ideological fervor, while fleeing crowds and survivor testimonies in blue highlight victims’ despair. The Godhra train clip contextualizes the violence’s spark, and police inaction with Malik’s testimony underscores state complicity. Synced with bombing, gunfire, sirens, chants, and screams, and enhanced by saffron strobes, amber footlights, blue backlights, and red accents, the montage amplifies the pogrom’s horror and ideological polarization, immersing the audience in its chaotic, human cost without glorifying it.