Utpal Dutt

In the world of Indian theater and performance studies, Bishnupriya Dutta is a pretty big deal, but what’s lesser known is her father—Badal Sircar. Now, if you’re into experimental theater, you probably know Sircar’s name already. The guy basically flipped Bengali theater on its head back in the 1960s and 70s. He wasn’t just about fancy sets or elaborate costumes; he wanted theater to hit people right where it mattered, in the middle of the street or an empty hall, with his whole “Third Theatre” movement. Bishnupriya Dutta grew up right in the thick of all that drama—literally. Her dad’s influence is all over her work, from her academic research to her own productions. It’s wild how much of her perspective was shaped by watching her father break away from old-school theater traditions and turn performances into something gritty, real, and super interactive. So if you see echoes of rebellion and experimentation in her work, now you know where it comes from.

referencennSome people just aren’t cut out for the whole “pretend to be someone else” thing, you know? The movie’s about this guy who absolutely can’t stand acting—like, he’d rather eat glass than put on a fake smile for the camera. He stumbles through auditions, rolling his eyes at every over-the-top monologue, totally baffled by the drama folks who treat theater like religion. But, of course, life’s got other plans. He keeps getting roped into bizarre situations where he has to “perform”—for his boss, his family, even random strangers. Every time he tries to escape, he just gets sucked deeper into this weird world of scripts, egos, and stage makeup. The whole thing’s a bit of a comedy of errors, poking fun at how everybody’s always acting, even when they swear they’re being real. In the end, he’s forced to admit that, yeah, maybe everyone’s faking it a little.