Historical play Mukunda Deb (1920) depicts the heroic exploits of Mukunda Deb, the last independent Hindu King of Odisha. This historical character figures as the tragic protagonist in the play. He is heroic, generous, magnanimous and a great patriot. He sacrificed his life in his bid to protect the sovereignty of Utkal, his motherland. The character of Mukunda Deb can never be portrayed without the character of Kalapahada and Ramachandra Bhanja. The playwright has given due attention to these characters. Portrayal of female characters is relevant to the play. The play is an outstanding piece of dramatic work.

Prof. (Dr) Sanghamitra Mishra is an acclaimed critic and writer who has earned her name in Odia language and literature. Here, I have attempted to translate her four short Odia plays into English as “Golden Bridge”, “Our Geeti: Our Pride”, “Suchana: The Name of a Girl”, and “Last Quarter of Anticipation” respectively, and rendered the title Serenade of Life Force for this collection of plays for the readers to go through on the global platform. In all the plays, female characters are vibrant. They act as connecting links to bridge the gap perceived in human relationships in society. All the domestic plays are with characters chosen from real-life situations. The follies and foibles of human life are with ups and downs strewn nicely together but never thwarted permanently because of the life force already within every individual and consistently reinforces them to move upward. This life force galvanizes the characters taken into consideration in all the plays concerned herewith the female protagonists to fight against the social oddities and stereotypes sometimes silently, but often to socialize, negotiate, and poise with society convincingly. The dramatist has played a masterstroke in bringing these characters to the limelight and proving that their active participation in families and societies practically reduces the tension erupting anywhere.

The play’s plot unfolds with the protagonist, Arun, a First Class First Post Graduate student. Despite his good academic record, he could not get a job at the university. Average students get jobs in society due to political interference. Frustrated with the social system, he joins the Save India Fighter Organization (S.I.F.O.), an extremist group. The senior Freedom Fighter, Sugreeva Nayak’s daughter, Surabhi, is Arun’s crush. Their love gets approved by their parents. When her innocence is ruined by the associates of the political leaders Anadi Babu and Paramapriya Babu, she joins the S.I.F.O. group. Her illegitimate child, Alok, is brought to the S.I.F.O. Camp. The theme revolves around the character of Arun, who becomes a S.I.F.O. Fighter and is later convinced to join the mainstream of society. The commander’s dialogue matters here, “There are multiple entrance points, but no exit point to the extremists’ camp. Nobody can return from this organization with life.” Arun and his love Surabhi lose their lives while attempting to leave the camp towards the end of the play. When Doctor Satya Sanatan is kidnapped to their camp, his strong personality influences the fighters. He interacts with the S.I.F.O. Fighter Arun.Arun asks Doctor Satya Sanatan, “What do you mean by ‘Revolution’?” Satya Sanatan, a well-known writer, and a doctor, responds to Arun as follows: It is the transformation of an individual from the path of degeneration to righteousness, the correction of wrong to right, and the cultural change from horror to loveliness and the eternal. Revolution is not the slogan for an overnight storm. It can’t be achieved in a day. It needs mental preparedness and strong perseverance. Above all, it earnestly seeks the public’s approval, for this one can’t reach the people with a gun. People’s opinion is like an infant. We must glue our hearts with them with the softness of love and affection and give up pride to win their hearts. It would help if you served them. One must remember the truth that violence always gives birth to violence, love to love, and light to light. Arun again says, “We fight and will be fighting for the innocent people who are victimized and exploited daily in their lives by the rich and the hegemonic groups in power.”Satya again warns Arun, “Have you ever met your S.I.F.O. Chief? Have you ever understood where you get food, ammunition, and explosives? Or have you ever been given any chance to know all this? But why? Why are they so sympathetic to our country? Staying in foreign lands, they achieve their objectives using the people of this country. They never respect your aims.” Furthermore, Satya Sanatan adds, “Don’t think murdering a commoner is an adventurous work. If you want to prove that you and your organization are more powerful and above the law and the government, you are mistaken. You will be mean if you want to take revenge. You are afraid of the society. You have lost your courage to face the reality of life. Your future has terrified you so much that you are ready to bloodstain your present.”What your one lakh S.I.F.O. fighters do daily must be corrected. But at the end of the play, Doctor Satya Sanatan and Alok have been released from the camp. The play has a strong message about how Gandhism wins over Terrorism or Extremism.