“Pinjra” explores the stories of two women Siya and Jaanki who lived in different era but subjected to pain of social obligations. One story deals with past and one portray the present.

The story of Siya is based in middle of 19th century, two years after the Sati practice got ban in India issued by Queen Victoria. In the year of 1863 Siya’s husband died in crossfire between revolutionaries and British force. According to the culture followed by her family she is supposed to perform sati ritual. Raav, her childhood friend abducted her so that he can stop her from doing so. But Siya genuinely believes that it’s her fate to perform sati, and the act of Raav of preventing her creates hatred in her heart for him.

The story of Jaanki is like every other girl story who might have thought of a prince in her fancy dreams who will one day escort her to a felicitous land and living happily thereafter. But was she ever told about getting trapped in between the lines of subtlety, romance and love?

She is married to a man who derives lust from the pain, who bypasses the innocent consent that she thinks of being prevalent in their relationship. Her relationship with her husband is subjected to more of physicality and the bodily pleasures than being touched with the eternal bliss and bloom of the vows she took as the very steps of her life with him.

The dilemma faced by these two women is highlighted by minimal stage setting and apt pauses between dialogues. It questions whether marriage is a contract for legal sex, among other things — where a man doesn’t need to ask for permission and is free to impose himself on the wife.The question is will they be able to break their respective cages

Directed & written by – Rajneesh Gautam

Theatre group – Saitan group

Play Genre – serious, social

Duration – 90 mins

Language – Hindi

Subtitles – NA

Play release date – 12-Sept-2016