Theatre production examines Emergency-era custodial torture in Kochi staging

A theatre production examining custodial torture and state persecution during the 1975-1977 Emergency is set to premiere in Kochi. The play, 'MISA-The Last Breath,' focuses on the experiences of activist and artiste Snehalatha Reddy, who faced imprisonment and mistreatment under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during that tumultuous period in Indian history.

The production documents the suffering endured by Reddy at the hands of authorities during the Emergency, when thousands of political opponents and activists were detained without trial. Through theatrical representation, the play seeks to illuminate the human cost of that era and the resilience of those who resisted governmental overreach.

The staging in Kochi reflects growing interest across India in revisiting historical episodes of civil liberties violations through performing arts. Such productions serve as both commemorative tributes to those affected and reminders of the importance of constitutional protections and democratic freedoms.

The play's title references MISA, the legislation that enabled mass arrests and detention during the Emergency, and evokes the life-and-death stakes faced by those imprisoned under its provisions. By bringing these historical narratives to contemporary audiences, the production aims to ensure that such episodes remain part of public memory and discourse.