Play delves into casteism in Indian army ranks

Indian writer Swadesh Deepak’s ‘Court Martial’ being staged at FTC auditorium till 31st

Karachi

If courtroom jargon is considered difficult for those unfamiliar with it, then military jargon would definitely be Greek to them, yet the amalgamation of both in Indian writer Swadesh Deepak’s play “Court Martial” aims for all the right shots in its theatrical depiction.

Directed by Sunil Shankar and produced by Nomad Productions, the play staged at the auditorium of Finance and Trade Centre on Friday night kept the audience enthralled by suspense.

The title of the play might hint towards a hefty dose of nationalism for it refers to court-martial - the proceedings which place in a closed court room addressing the trial of any one belonging to the armed forces.

Although it begins with presiding officer judge Surat Singh (Faraz Nafees) speaking about how the duty towards law and truth has been tumultuous for him, the rest of the play unfolds a drama which is far from the deep rooted nationalistic sentiments normally associated with the army.

The trial, as it appears, is about the court-martial of a low-ranking officer Ram Chandar (Abdul Basit) who has killed his superior Captain Mohan Varma and injured Captain BD Kapoor (Yogeshwar Karera) by opening fire at them. But the young officer has pleaded guilty and hence, Major Vijay Puri (Malik Jibran), representing the victims, uses Chandar’s testimony to strengthen the case to hang him.

However, Captain Bikash Roy (Hammad Ather) from Chandar’s side builds up his case by using the low-ranking officer’s spotless record in the regiment.

Even though Kapoor assures that he and Chandar never locked horns in any way, Roy probes and uses solid evidence to prove it to the court that the murder may have been incited.

Even though the play has many intense moments and sometimes the words become inaudible, there are times when Puri’s wit and the conversation of the guards leads to a chuckle or two.

Written by an Indian writer who delved intro casteism in the armed forces, Court Martial is not just a portrayal of the armed forces of one country, rather the play has moments where it becomes universal.

With superior commanding officers insulting those under them on the basis of caste, class and creed by calling them “Bhangi” and “Choora”, one cannot help but wonder about its stark similarities with our society.

Dialogues like “Two people can only be rivals if they are equal in rank” – depicting that a superior would not even deem an inferior worthy of being a rival - or how the lawyer himself is mocked for being Bengali hints toward the elitism found in the establishment everywhere.

Words highlighting the exploitation of the weak or as Roy puts it “Protest or outrage by the weak is considered as mutiny which leads to the hangman’s noose” speak volumes about the class and caste-based oppression.

Yet it was interesting to note that staging the play became possible probably because it was staged at a time when India has moved away from casteism and also because it was penned by a neighbouring writer.

Had the play been written in the context of the present setting, chances were that it would not have reached the stage because many times the forces are deemed above the law and the state, a feature addressed in the play with subtlety.

Even the part when a captain is accused of hoarding, a threat of court-martial is issued by the presiding officer, an action considered the last of resorts.

But whether the play can be adapted in our setting was something even Shankar is not too sure. “It may be possible, but its consequences are unpredictable,” he shared with a chuckle:

“The play explores the caste and class system in the Indian army because it was prevalent there, but it would be unfair to adapt it for another one because the demographics and dynamics would be very different,” he added.

“We need to know the ins and outs of the forces be it those of America, Kuwait or even Pakistan. That said, the play does have a universal feel to it because it’s tells us about the society nevertheless and it was a brave step by Deepak to write it.”

Despite a few glitches during the show, young actors who are still students have to be lauded for their performance especially Kerara, Ather and Nafees. The play will be staged till March 31 from 8pm to 10pm at the FTC auditorium.