NABANNA: Of Famine and Resilience: A Play by Bijon Bhattacharya [Paperback]

Nabanna, created by the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA), is a landmark Bengali play set against the backdrop of the Bengal Famine of 1943. It follows the Sammadar family and the villagers of Aminpur, whose lives are devastated by starvation, exploitation by land sharks and a tidal wave that destroys their crops and homes. Forced to migrate to Calcutta in search of food and relief, the villagers encounter the indifference and unpreparedness of the urban middle class. Eventually returning to their village, they decide to confront their circumstances collectively rather than surrender to despair.

Beyond its powerful depiction of famine, poverty, displacement and exploitation, Nabanna is historically significant for transforming Indian theatre. It challenged the conventions of commercial and naturalistic theatre and helped establish activist, socially committed amateur theatre in India. The edition also includes a critical introduction and testimonies from figures associated with its first performance, providing historical and theatrical context.