Laxmaner Shaktishel

Laxamner Shaktishel is a farcical retelling of an episode from the epic Ramayana. Written by Sukumar Ray in the early twentieth century, it has been one of the most enduring children's plays in Bengal. Set as a musical, it shows an anxious and dysfunctional Ram’s camp fearing the wrath of Rabon. Rabon kills Laxman in the battlefield with the powerful Shaktishel. Jambuban’s ayurvedic knowledge and Hanuman’s ability to bring in a mountain allows the revival of Laxman. The tongue-in-cheek nature of the play and the idiosyncrasies of the characters are always a powerful reflection of contemporary society.