"My Body is My Weapon": Review of Le Mashale

“Le Mashale” is unconventional, high on emotions, an out and out amazing rhetoric which initially takes the audience away from the closed theater dome to gracious lands of Manipur, thanks to the beautiful descant by artist about the natural beauty, people and culture of the this state in north-eastern part of India.

And in the later half, the very confident and talented actor swiftly changes the mood. Assembly of viewers walks down the roads of Manipur once again, but to everyone’s astonishment, this time they only see painful feminine screeches, small ponds of blood and unspeakably horrendous accounts of human-to-human abuse.

I feel there are 2 particular reasons for which “Le Mashale” befalls in the ‘must watch’ category:

A) It touches that part of India which may be politically integrated with the country, but certainly has a long way to go before it earns acceptance and brotherly affection from mainland India. The play also opens numerous chapters in life of Manipuris, including the sufferings as by-product of a draconian law named AFSPA. I believe this single play can be very important in initiating a much-delayed and much-needed country wide debate on whether AFSPA has any value in some North-east regions of India and could it be made a bit more flexible/liberal eyeing current situation.

B) Second reason is undoubtedly Ojas S.V., the lone actor of “Le Mashale.” In my 3 years of indulgence to theatrical drama, only few performances could move me. This was one. This young girl from Pune, with the backing of an unscribbled script, makes you believe in the end that you have observed life of Irom Sharmila at close hand, even if it’s only the first instance one has ever heard of her. (Personally the scene involving vigorous stuttering of newspaper portraying the plight of a tormented woman took me away completely.) I also sense that immense potential of soliloquy as a medium of drama is yet to be discovered by major theatrical stakeholders.

My regards to the Iron Lady of Manipur and wish she becomes Iron Lady of India too.

 -Siddhant Nowlakha