Wild Horse (Pagla Ghora)

Based on the play

Pagla Ghora (Wild Horse), A film by Sekhar Das. 'Pagla Ghoda' (Wild Horse) is a post-realist play infused with surrealist symbolism. It explores the theme of intense, often problematic energies of love and desire that can become destructive. However, in the absence of such energy, life is depicted as stagnant and devoid of meaning. The enduring significance of these themes is evident in the continued relevance of 'Pagla Ghoda' today. Written by Badal Sircar in 1967, the play explores human values, guilt, emotional repression, and the dynamics of power in relationships. It is considered a modern classic and is included in academic syllabi in various universities and theatre studies programs, particularly in courses on Indian literature and drama. The plot unfolds at night in a cremation ground in a remote village in West Bengal. Four men from different professional backgrounds wait for the last rites of a young woman who died by suicide. They play cards and drink as her body burns on the pyre. As the night goes on, the spirit of the nameless deceased woman joins their discussion though they cannot see or hear her. Her spectral presence prompts them to reveal their own stories about the women in their lives. Their conversations produce four different accounts. Each reveals patriarchal cruelty, social hypocrisy, male dominance and moral cowardice. All four women meet tragic ends. During the conversations, the nameless woman regrets never experiencing passion or love. The emptiness in her life led her to suicide.