Mythological productions always face a major challenge, which is, familiarity of the storyline. The script then predominantly depends on the directorial artistry for producing a piece that will be able to hold the audience. Vaali Vadhe , performed as a part of CGK theatre festival put together by Ranga Nirantara, faced another challenge too. Kuvempu’s Ramayana Darshanam is full of halegannada (old Kannada) verses. The listening ears though initially struggled to get through the complex verses and wished it were simpler, seemed to enjoy it by the twentieth minute.
The entire play was lyrical. The verses of Ramayana Darshanam , though difficult to mime, brought the needed sophistication. Director Ganesh M. of Gajaanana Yuvaka Mandali, Sheshagiri had composed additional dialogues and lyrics not just to connect the dots but to bring out the rasa more emphatically. If “Anna.. Vaali..,” Sughriva’s signature calling, became the emblem of the play, “Kishkinde Uppu” lines by Vaali anthemed the evening. While the fist line of the anthem, “uppu beke uppu” denoted brotherly bond and playfulness that Vaali-Sughriva shared, the last line “Kishkinde uppu” connoted the duty to the land Kishkinda.
Unlike other versions of Ramayana, Kuvempu, from the vast canvas of characters that are available in the epic, brings out nobility of certain personas gradually as the wheels of the story turn, without any bias towards the protagonist, Rama. Kuvempu humanises Vaali and Rama and it is most poignant when Vaali in the final fight scene keeps singing his childhood song instead of exhibiting roudra rasa and when Rama along with Lakshmana falls at Vaali’s feet after realizing that he had struck his arrow into a man who had conceded to his fault -- he was already regretting and wanting to unite with his younger brother. Though Rama doing s ashtanga namaskara to a monkey king shocked the audience, it brought out the poetic imagination and artistic visualization of Rama’s own benevolence.
Vaali though misunderstands his own brother, sends him out of the city and threatens to make Sughriva’s wife his, finally realizes his blunders. The later Vaali finds his long lost love in the younger Sughriva; in their childhood rhymes and stupid conversations. Vaali is speechless when the imagined Sughriva asks the question, “Why did you push me away brother; what wrong I had done?” The pain and injustice radiates in the whole auditorium. Though all three, Sughriva, Rama and Vaali are redeemed finally, it is Vaali who takes the unparalleled place for his realization of love, sacrifice and willingness to help his murderer Rama.
Though looked alike, Hanumanta’s bluish monkey costume, Sughriva in maroon and Vaali’s red hairy wears provided the slight variations these characters needed. The choreographer had a terrific sense of stage aesthetics in the way he placed his actors. . Coordination of the brothers, Sughriva and Vaali, in dance and fights were stunning. Properties established the sense of the site. As simple as holding two bamboo sticks in each hand made it look like Rama-Lakshamana were standing behind the rows of trees. Kalaripayattu, Yakshagana and Manipuri styles best suited the plot and the rasas it invoked.
The only female actress Ranjitha Jadhav as Tara, Vaali’s wife, played a key role in transforming the triumphant emperor into a regretful and humane brother.
The Mandali’s adaptation of Vaali Vadhe showcased elegance, righteousness and pride of womanhood through Tara. Vaali, the young and middle aged Sughrivas were the three actors who gripped the onlookers onto their seats. Their evocative portrayal of veera, roudra, hasya and karuna rasas lingered on.
