The prophet and the poet by Vijay Padaki

The Prophet and the Poet directed by Vijay Padaki is an internationally acclaimed play developed by Bangalore Little Theatre. It is based on the exchange of letters and articles between Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore over 25 years, with the Indian freedom struggle as the backdrop. The exchanges reveal how the two personalities differed significantly on many matters, including the form and content of the freedom movement. The differences widened over the years. However, they maintained genuine respect and love for each other steadfastly in spite of the deep differences. It was the political maturity that prevailed in those times in India.

Performers: Naveen Tater, Karan Singh & Minti
Lighting: Murtuza Khetty

Bangalore Little Theatre was privileged to be invited to stage the opening shows of the play at the places hallowed by Gandhi and Tagore in their lifetime – Sabarmati Ashram, Santiniketan (Visva Bharati) and Thakurbadi-Jorasanko (Rabindra Bharati). The play had a command performance for the President of India. There have been over 105 performances of the play since its opening, all over India and abroad. In 2014 Prasar Bharati commissioned a tele-film of the play. The film was telecast several times over Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.
 
The play has a special significance in the year 2020. One of the scenes in the play is when Tagore attends the Passion Play in Oberammergau in Bavaria. The play reconstructs the last week in the life of Jesus. Tagore is so moved by the play that he cannot help thinking of the parallel in the life of Gandhi, especially the possibility of a violent end to his life. Overnight he writes a poem titled The Child.

The Passion Play in Oberammergau is enacted once in ten years only, and is performed over 18 weeks between May and October. The play draws audiences from all over the world. 2020 will have the next set of performances in Oberammergau.