Schadenfreude

By The Violet Ensemble.

The pleasure or joy derived from witnessing another person’s misfortune or failure. What happens when someone else’s downfall becomes our quiet entertainment?

An episode of late-night talk show – “Tonight with Ambi” – commences where the host interviews Pratyush— a man supposedly admired for his success. But as the conversation unfolds, it goes beyond achievements and into the moments people don’t usually talk about.

Through honest and uncomfortable reflections, Pratyush shares what it feels like to be judged, watched, and sometimes reduced to moments of failure. The conversation slowly turns inward, making us question why we’re drawn to others’ struggles.

Violet Ensemble is a Pune-based performing arts group comprising artists from the Rangaai Theatre Company. Having had good exposure being an integral part of Rangaai Theatre Company for the last 3 years, performing at multiple venues in Pune and Mumbai, the artists have collaborated and started a new performing arts group in 2024, with the sole reason to create and explore various forms of performing arts and digital arts.