What Miss Menuka dares to say, and what it leaves unsaid

Imagine lying in bed with someone, moments away from becoming intimate; a loud knock at the door shatters the moment. In a panic, you hide the person you are with before opening the door. A frightened man rushes inside and pleads with you to testify in court that he is innocent. What would you do?

A similar situation unfolds when Vivek Jung Sharma and Menuka are about to get intimate. What follows only heightens the tension at Shilpee Theatre.

This scenario forms the central premise of Miss Menuka: Ek Sambedanshil Yaunkarmi, a play currently being staged at Shilpee Theatre. Directed by debutant Pabitra Khadka, the production is a Nepali adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s acclaimed 1946 play La Putain Respectueuse (The Respectful Prostitute).

Translated by Kalpana Ghimire, Miss Menuka follows Menuka (played by Sarita Giri), a sex worker who becomes the sole witness to a violent incident during a bus journey. To protect the real perpetrator, influential individuals pressure her to falsely accuse an innocent man from the marginalised Madhesi Dalit community of attempted sexual assault. Backed by political influence and institutional power, the police further coerce her into giving a false statement. As the pressure mounts, Menuka finds herself trapped between fear, conscience, and survival.

The play explores communal discrimination, caste- and region-based prejudice, gender inequality, political corruption, and the abuse of power.

Miss Menuka feels particularly relevant today, as disputes between different communities continue to emerge across various parts of the country. The hateful rhetoric exchanged between members of different communities, coupled with the government’s slow response in addressing such tensions, exposes how deeply discrimination and prejudice remain embedded in Nepali society.  

The way Vivek Jang Basnet (played by Ghimire Yubaraj) hurls derogatory remarks at Arvind Paswan (played by Rupesh Mandal) simply because he is a Dalit and a Madhesi exposes how deeply prejudice is ingrained in society. It shows that people, regardless of their education or privileged family background, are willing to discriminate against others when it serves their interests.

The play’s portrayal of caste-based discrimination reflects a troubling reality. Recent data on violence against Dalits suggests that caste-based discrimination remains deeply rooted in Nepal, making the play’s message painfully relevant. 

Likewise, Basnet’s hateful remarks toward Menuka serve as a reminder that, although prostitution is illegal in Nepal, sex workers are human beings who deserve dignity and respect. No one has the right to humiliate or degrade them because of their profession. Moreover, for many women in Nepal, sex work is not a choice but a compulsion driven by difficult social and economic circumstances.  

Miss Menuka does not merely depict discrimination; it also exposes how those in positions of power exploit ordinary people.

Prabhakar Dev Sharma, as Jaggan Nath Sharma, a member of parliament, convincingly portrays how political leaders can abuse their authority by manipulating vulnerable people into supporting their wrongdoing. His attempts to persuade Menuka to sign a false statement to protect his guilty son, Gaurav, through emotional blackmail and promises of a better future, illustrate how politicians can exploit the hopes and vulnerabilities of ordinary citizens for their own benefit.

One particularly striking moment comes when Jaggan Nath Sharma tells Menuka, “I will come back,” after she agrees to give the false statement. The line may remind audiences of the many political leaders who make grand promises during election campaigns, only to disappear once they secure victory. 

While all the actors deliver commendable performances, Sharma stands out with his natural comic timing. His humorous portrayal keeps the audience engaged and provides moments of relief amid the play’s serious themes. 

The portrayal of the police, played by Govinda Oli and Dhan Raj Sunar, also raises questions about law enforcement’s moral responsibility. The way the police officers pressure Menuka into giving a false statement raises questions about the impartiality of the police and whether they truly investigate all cases fairly, regardless of who is involved.  

However, what is concerning about the play is that it focuses almost exclusively on the wrongdoings of those in positions of power. In doing so, it paints them with a broad brush, leaving little room to acknowledge that some people in power also work for the greater good.

Similarly, the play contains several scenes in which derogatory remarks are directed at Madhesis, Dalits, and sex workers. While these comments are intended to expose prejudice, they are rarely challenged forcefully within the narrative. As a result, one is left wondering whether the play fully addresses the perspectives and sensitivities of the very communities it seeks to represent. 

Ultimately, Miss Menuka succeeds in exposing the many forms of discrimination and abuse of power that persist in Nepali society. Yet, by giving prejudice such a dominant voice without offering equally forceful resistance to it, the production leaves audiences with an important question: does it merely portray discrimination, or does it challenge it strongly enough? 

Miss Menuka will run through August 22 every day ( except Tuesdays) at 5:15 pm at Shilpee Theatre. There will be an additional show on Saturdays at 1 pm.

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