19/07/2026
Theatre Review – BHALO PAHAR (ভালো পাহাড়)
Production of Rangroop Theatre Group.
Adapted from "Winter Hill" written by Timberlake Wertenbaker.
Adapted for Bengali audience by Tirthankar Chanda
Directed by Sima Mukhopadhyay
On the hilltop of Bhalo Pahar, inside a lavish hotel still under construction, a few women of the Manabi Reading Group settle down in the lobby with their books, but they are not really discussing literature. They begin to weave a story of their own in the anthropocene era, their shared bonding making them reminisce about distant and recent pasts while sharply critiquing the present times. As the conversation deepens, questions arise about the nature of modern “development” versus the suffering of Nature. The search for a hint of green amid harsh rocks gradually turns into a proposed plan of violence, where the environment, heritage, memory, identity and relationships begin to crumble as the authorities and corporates enter the picture. The play keeps asking how far common people should go in the name of resistance, and whether destroying a symbol of development can ever be justified to protect a disappearing green world.
Dipali, played by Sima Mukhopadhyay, stands at the centre of the storm as the original planner who chooses armed protest against corporate destruction of the hill’s greenery. Logical yet emotional, stubborn yet brave, her Dipali carefully plans the whole sequence, and the performance captures both her steely resolve and the vulnerability of a woman who carries the moral weight of that decision. Dipali’s past actions unfold in flashback through the investigation made by her daughter, allowing the storyline to move between memory and present, guilt and conviction.
Bharati, played by Sumita Basu, embodies the dilemma of those who understand the damage to nature yet feel afraid to go against the system. Her desire for a “normal life” and her mental breakdown after the incident are drawn with sensitivity, showing how resistance can shatter someone who is not prepared for its consequences. Firoja, played by Aparna Dhar, is the oldest among them but arrives with a fighting spirit and a readiness to take on the world. She supports Dipali’s plan, and her performance offers an engaging mix of comic timing and sharp satire, making her scenes both entertaining and quietly disturbing.
Enakshi, portrayed by Priyanka Talukdar, is Dipali’s daughter, inquisitive and emotional, seemingly vulnerable but with inner strength. Her journey through doubt, discovery and confrontation gives the play its emotional spine, and her climactic outburst is particularly impressive in its intensity.
Ilina, played by Poulomi Talukdar, represents the government insider aligned with the corporates. Smart, modern and practical, she knows nature is being destroyed yet cannot let go of power and money, and Poulomi’s strong, confident body language makes this conflict visible even when she speaks in controlled tones.
Bhramori, played by Susmita Pan, is a computer analyst with a dark past and a physical disability, the youngest of the group who supports the cause and gradually moves towards a state close to madness. Her presence adds a sense of fragility and danger to the group dynamic.
Visha, played by Hrish*ta Sen, represents the tribal women of the hill, her mechanical yet assertive body language creating a mysterious figure who is passionate about protecting the land and who finally supports and plants the explosives.
Alok, played by Debabrata Ghosh, is the ordinary guard who remembers his grandmother’s life in a factory that later shut down. Simple, emotional and lenient from within, his character becomes a quiet reminder of how working‑class lives are repeatedly displaced by grand projects and closures.
The adaptation from "Winter Hill" to "Bhalo Pahar" successfully relocates the core conflict—luxury development versus disputed land and endangered green space—into a context that feels very close to our own reality. The adaptation by Tirthankar Chanda keeps the political and philosophical questions intact while making the dialogues flow naturally in Bengali, allowing the audience to connect with the characters without losing sight of the original text’s urgency. The set design of the unfinished hotel lobby builds an abstract, contested environment where the characters seem trapped between memory, protest, and decay. Lighting is low-key and atmospheric, with strong contrast and selective focus that isolate the performers within the dark stage. It reinforces the play’s sense of uncertainty and moral darkness. The costumes appear intentionally layered, worn, and practical, which helps establish the characters as people shaped by struggle rather than display. Makeup is restrained and naturalistic, allowing expressions, age, fatigue, and emotional shifts to remain visible without distraction. Under Sima Mukhopadhyay’s direction, the play unfolds as a tense, layered stage world where conversations, memories, and conspiracies collide, while the shifts from cosy camaraderie to tense confrontation are handled with clarity and assurance.
