When young orphans Mala and Chun Chun encounter brothers Prakash and Ojha on the busy streets of Kolkata, they are immediately at odds. The brothers come from a lower-middle-class family and spend their time flying kites instead of attending class, while Mala and Chun Chun can only dream of going to school, a goal Aunty promises will be fulfilled if they beg for money from passersby. After a petty fruit-stall heist lands Ojha in Aunty’s cunning hands, the brothers are blackmailed into begging alongside Mala and Chun Chun, forcing the children to interact. Though they find each other nuisances at first, the kids soon realize their strength in numbers as Aunty’s scheming is slowly revealed.
Roy brings richness to the conclusion, for though it’s uplifting, it doesn't erase the memory of the past.
Roy is writing for a young audience and so her play reflects the dilemmas they will face. Do you steal and lie because it’s fun and you get stuff? Or do you tell the truth, play fair all the time, and live your life like a responsible person of character and live with the punishment? I love that Roy floats those dilemmas into her play and it never sounds like lecturing. And I love that the conclusion is honest and not sugar coated… Roy is a gifted writer.