This musical explores female identity, agency, and purpose

(From left) Kohmal Khanna, Prerna Talwar and Archana Patel on stage

It is often said that women are complicated mysterious creatures. And that's because the narrative of ‘what a woman is' has been hijacked and differs from the truth. What then is the truth? A dramatic comedy and musical, Three Women, uses Rabindranath Tagore's fictional characters - Charu, Bimala, and his sister-in-law and muse, Kadambari Devi - from its eponymous book to explore this question. Written, directed and musically designed by Isheeta Ganguly, the play was born from ponderings over women's identity, potential and power to find and define themselves.

Isheeta Ganguly

Set in the 21st century, the play delves into the characters' conversations as they struggle to understand their passions, doubts, conflicts, modernity, career, definitions of beauty and potential in the face of the narratives they've been fed. In the way it's supposed to be - women paving the way for other women - Kadambari time-travels to meet Charu and Bimala, acting as a mentor to help them answer these questions. Ganguly's portrayal of the characters not only reinvents the women but also gives them the freedom to define themselves. Loneliness might've been a theme in Tagore's characters but the play seeks an alternative, attributing it to the absence of a larger sense of purpose in their lives.

While these characters were restricted to their times, it's true that women continue to face the same questions and issues on identity and purpose. Speaking about the modern versus traditional debate, Ganguly expresses that it is not about one or the other, or the more righteous choice. She continues that what's important is the right to choose who one wants to be. Something that actor Archana Patel captures beautifully as Bimala, Ganguly notes. She adds that over the last eight years, different actors have highlighted various expressions, voices and wants of women in her characters, contributing to the larger nuanced message of self-identity. So what is the true narrative, we ask again? That is for every woman to decide for herself.

On: June 23; 7 pm At G5A, Laxmi Mills Estate, Mahalaxmi West.
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 1,000