Play Reading | Poile Sengupta’s ‘Thus Spake Shoorpanakha, So Said Shakuni’ | By The Green Room

The student-led theatre effort at NLS, The Green Room, is organising a reading of Poile Sengupta’s ‘Thus Spake Shoorpanakha, So Said Shakuni‘ on November 12, 2025, between 5 and 7 PM at NAB 101.

The Green Room is a nod to the intimate, lively backstage space in theatres where artists gather before a performance. Here is the exciting schedule for this trimester.

Playwright and the Play

Poile Sengupta is one of India’s most significant contemporary playwrights and writers, known for her sharp reimaginings of familiar narratives through the lenses of gender, power, and socio-political critique. Last trimester, she visited NLS for a reading of her play Alipha, organised by the Literary and Debating Society.

Her play ‘Thus Spake Shoorpanakha,’ So Said Shakuni similarly brings two of Indian epics’ most misunderstood “antagonists” — Shoorpanakha (Ramayana) and Shakuni (Mahabharata) — into a contemporary, conversational world. Through humour, confrontation, and self-awareness, the play asks a radical question: were they truly villains, or simply characters rewritten by victors? Bold, witty, introspective, and political, it is a perfect piece to read, perform, and debate.

The session will include:

• A table reading of the play; and
• A guided discussion on its themes, characters, and interpretations, led by Samragni Dasgupta, who recently directed the play.

Everyone is welcome to attend, even if you don’t get around to reading the play. Looking forward to seeing you all there!