Titar Bitar
About the Play
This play tells a powerful story of loss and injustice, following lives shaped by migration and relentless hardship. It reveals courage shining through broken realities. In three chapters, it traces life’s journey—from childhood, adolescence dreams to the struggles of adulthood. The uprooted seek belonging, and workers endure endless challenges. Blending past and present, the story captures both joy and pain, with hope shining through the darkness.
Concept & Direction
Biplob Bokakoti
Born in 1980 in Assam, Biplob Borkakoti is an actor, director and pedagogue. He is an alumnus of the National School of Drama (NSD), graduated in 2006. Over the years, he has acted in more than 60 plays under renowned theatre directors from India and abroad and participated in numerous international and national theatre festivals, including the Biennale Bonn (Germany), International Shakespeare Seminar (Romania), Rafi Peer Festival (Pakistan), Ibsen Festival (Bangladesh), Arohan Theatre Festival (Nepal), Bharat Rang Mahotsav, and Poorvottar Natya Samaroh, among others. As a director, he has helmed over 20 plays and conducted more than 60 theatre workshops for children and adult theater enthusiasts. In academia, he has served as an assistant professor at Sonapur College and Bongaigaon B. Ed. College. He has also worked as a visiting faculty member at the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film & Television Institute, NSD Sikkim Theatre Training Centre, Madhya Pradesh School of Drama, Punjab University, and Craft Film Institute. In addition to his work in theatre, Shri. Borkakoti has acted in feature films such as Maj Rati Keteki, Emuthi Puthi, Mamatar Sithi, and What’s Cooking Up Stela. He has also appeared in web series like Neul, Rudraneel, and Kuhar.
He has directed two documentary films—one on adolescent issues in Assam’s tea garden areas (in collaboration with UNICEF) and another on scenography, focusing on the mobile theatre of Assam.
A recipient of the Junior Fellowship from Ministry of Culture in 2008–10, Shri Borkakoti is currently the Centre Director at the National School of Drama (Theatre in Education Wing), Tripura.
Director’s Note
Migration is a complex and multifaceted subject, necessitating an in-depth analysis of its pre-migration conditions, the migration process, and the post-migration consequences. The students conducted extensive research, gathering data on various aspects such as socio-economic factors, cultural displacement, and emotional, psychological challenges faced by migrants. This research was transformed into a performance using exercises and improvisations and theatrical devises allowing the themes to take shape organically.
The creative process brought together inputs from both students and the creative team, resulting in a layered narrative collage. This collage highlights the unique experiences of adults grappling with identity and stability, children navigating cultural shifts, and adolescents balancing aspirations with the realities of migration.
As the director, my role was to step back and analyze the material from an objective, third-person perspective. By synthesizing these diverse inputs into a cohesive performance text, I aimed to present a holistic and nuanced portrayal of migration, capturing its profound impact on individuals and communities.
Script & Lighting Design
Himanshu B Joshi
A prolific writer, designer and director, Himanshu B Joshi has written, translated and adapted plays for the National School of Drama and other institutions. A well known name in the field, he has been designing lights for the last 26 years. A recipient of Junior and Senior research fellowships, Himanshu taught theatre, designed poster-brochure & prospectuses and visited widely across the country and cities like Tokyo, London, Belfast, Mauritius, Dubai, and Taiwan for performances. He has been awarded the Natsamrat Samman for his contribution to lighting design in 2019. Presently, he is the Guest Editor of Natarang, a prestigious theatre journal in Hindi.
Choreography
Moon Moon Singh
A graduate of the National School of Drama, New Delhi, Moon Moon Singh is an Actress, Dancer, Theatre Director and Choreographer. Currently managing her Art organization, Oorjaa Performing Arts Center in New Delhi and Noida, She is a guest faculty for Acting, Dance, Direction, and Movement in various Art Institutions including the National School of Drama, LIPA (England). She studied Indian Classical Dance, Jazz, Contemporary Dance, Ballet and Egyptian Belly dance. During her career, she worked with many eminent Artists and Directors from across the country and Japan, England, and Germany. She has also been involved in films and TV series. She has been awarded the prestigious Bismillah Khan Award by Sangeet Natak Academy for her contribution to Acting.
Music & Sound Design
Santosh Kumar Singh
Santosh Kumar Singh (Sandy) is a Delhi based well known sound design artist with expertise in designing sound for films, television, theatre and contemporary dance productions. His innovative approach towards bringing a symmetrical sound design without any break has been well appreciated. So far he has designed sound for more than 800 stage productions, 30 films, 45 web series and many more.
Assistant Director
Niranjan Nath
Niranjan Nath graduated from the National School of Drama, New Delhi in 2017 with a specialization in Acting. In 2020, he was honored with the Best Actor award at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards for his outstanding performance as the lead character in the play ‘The Old Man’. A disciple of SNA Award-winning Ojapali artist, the late Lalit Chandra Nath Oja, Niranjan is known for his innovative experiments in blending folk art forms with contemporary theatre. Niranjan is the writer and director of the popular Assamese web series Neul, streaming on Reeldrama. He has also showcased his acting talent in several feature-length films, including Bulu Film, Abhimanyu, Bokul Fulor Dore, and Black and White.
Video Projection
Manojit Debroy
Manojit Debroy is a theatre practitioner with over a decade and a half of experience in acting, directing, stage management, design, and teaching. An alumnus of the National School of Drama’s TIE Wing, Tripura (2012–2013), and a post-graduate in Creative Dramatics from Tripura University, he has led devised plays and workshops. He has mentored Theatre for Young Audiences, Children’s Theatre, and Teacher Training workshops, inspiring educators and actors across Tripura and the Northeast, significantly contributing to Theatre in Education.
Costumes
Pallabi Bhuyan
Ms Pallabi Bhuyan is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Performing Art, North Lakhimpur University, Lakhimpur. She did her postgraduate degree in Performing Arts (Theatre) from Dibrugarh University. She did another postgraduate degree in rural development besides completing PGDCA. Prior to it, she completed a certificate course in Applied Acting from Dr Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film & Television Institute in 2014. She also did a one year course in performing art from National School of Drama (Theatre-in-Education) Tripura (2018 ). She had got the rare privilege of acting in several national and international Drama Festivals and in two serials and a short movies. Participated in several seminars, she is working on Indian Knowledge system, a project, under ministry of Education, Govt of India. She is a member of advisory board of Jyotishman Art and Culture creative organization and also a member of the academic council of Surojit academy. As a drama facilitator she is often invited by several schools and colleges.
National School of Drama
Theatre-in-Education Wing, Tripura
The National School of Drama; New Delhi, opened its Camp Office, National School of Drama (Theatre in Education Wing) Tripura w. e. f. 17-11-2011 and conducted Teacher Training and Production Oriented Workshop in Tripura. The Camp Office, National School of Drama (T. I. E. Wing) Tripura started one year certificate course in Theatre-in-Education on 9th August 2012. It is unique as it is the first attempt to make Theatre-in-Education an independent Discipline that encompasses several other disciplines that relates to child education and creative expression it is hope that course will be of immense utility to theatre artists and teachers in furthering their future prospects. The Aim of the T. I. E. Course is to prepare Drama teacher and T.I.E. Resource person.
On Stage
Kartik Nakshtra Pant
Muskaan, Puppet Voice-Dolly Riya Panwar
Rajan, Puppet Voice-Rakesh Rajesh Vishnoi
Gopal Nauman
Swami, Clown Kavaskar
Noor Ishita Sachdeva
School Principal Rajalakshmi
Khushi Nisha Upadhyay
Kulfi Akshay Tiwari
Arjun Rakesh Nayak
Kamla Shreya Arora
Tulsiram, Mrig Superstar Mriganka Nath
Titli Kashmiri Bhuyan
Savita Ahana Ray
Factory Worker, Keshav, Sanju Santhosh
Pandu, Satya Simanto
Mukhiya, Puppeteer, Madhav, Ravindra Pushpak
Ravi, Factory worker Srudnya
Shamsher, Zile Singh Ajay Grover
Off Stage
Improvisations All Students
Script Himanshu B Joshi
Choreography Moon Moon Singh
Music & Sound Design Santosh Kumar Singh ‘Sandy’
Lyrics All Students
Singer Rimi Deb, Ananya Ghosh,
Ananya Sarkar & Students
Poster Image Nauman, Akshay, Nakshatra
Poster-Brochure & Lighting Design Himanshu B Joshi
Video Projection Manojit Debroy
Costumes Pallabi Bhuyan
Set In-charge Simanto, Pushpak,
Kavaskar, Rajesh
Props In-charge Ahana, Santosh, Shreya, Srudnya
Costume In-charge Nisha, Kashmiri, Riya
Mriganka, Ishita
Sound Operation Santosh Kumar Singh,
Manojit
Sound Execution Sisir Das
Lighting Execution Pradip Das
Stage Manager & Lighting Operator Jayanta Dey
Asst. Director Niranjan Nath
Concept & Direction Biplob Borkakoti
Acknowledgement
Maharani Tulsibati Girls’ Higher Secondary School
Shishu Bihar Higher Secondary School
Kshudiram Basu English Medium School
Umakanta Academy English Medium School
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar English Model School
Shri Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director, NSD
Shri P.K. Mohanty, Registrar, NSD and All Staff Members