Ram Babu: A Poignant Drama on Grief, Guilt, and Resistance by Nayabad Titas

Ram Babu is a poignant drama about grief, guilt, and resistance against an inhumane system. The protagonist, Ram Babu, is an ordinary man consumed by remorse after the deaths of his wife and son. Haunted by memories, he contemplates suicide but finds himself unable to take his own life, continuing instead in deep loneliness. His life begins to change when a widow, Madhubala, and her daughter, Mina Kumari—a doctor newly transferred to a major hospital in Kolkata—move into his house. Madhubala’s warmth and belief in the healing power of food and music gradually restore hope in Ram Babu and mend his strained friendship with Shyam. Tragedy strikes again when Mina is reported to have committed suicide at work, but it is later revealed that she was murdered and the institution is covering up the crime. United by grief, Ram Babu, Shyam, and Madhubala rise to seek justice for Mina.

Manoj Kumar Saha (Abir), born in Kolkata, is an Indian theatre worker, writer, director, and actor who directed the play. In his director's note, he states that Ram Babu is based on recent incidents in the hospitals of West Bengal, telling the story of parents who struggle to obtain justice for their children.

The play is produced by Nayabad Titas, a socially committed group theatre founded in 2013–14. Registered under the Paschim Banga Natya Academy and accredited by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the group has successfully staged 17 plays to date.