Perth’s Bengali community celebrated a major cultural moment as Rangmanch Productions Australia staged Hirak Rajar Deshe (In the Country of the Diamond King) at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre before a packed audience, including renowned filmmaker Sandip Ray.
Directed by Supriya Guha, who has been actively involved in professional Indian theatre in Perth since 2011, the production brought together children from the Bengali diaspora in an ambitious and professionally presented theatre performance. The show earned praise for its creativity, confident acting, immersive stage design, and innovative use of AI-assisted digital visuals.
Speaking about the experience, Guha shared an emotional reflection on watching his son portray the iconic role of Hirak Raja from backstage. He described feeling overwhelmed by the audience’s response and said he was “emotional, speechless, proud and deeply happy in a way that is difficult to describe.”
According to Guha, one of the most memorable moments of the evening came when Sandip Ray praised the production and remarked that it deserved to be staged in Kolkata. He said the appreciation made the entire journey worthwhile.
The performance also drew heartfelt reactions from audience members and families involved in the production. Many described the show as “mesmerising,” applauding its storytelling, visual presentation and the young performers’ confident command of Bengali dialogue and strong stage presence, particularly as many of them speak the language as part of their cultural heritage outside their country of birth.