In today’s world, the relation-ship between a husband-wife is under pressure from all quarters. Touching the topic of relationships to commemorate its 45th anniversary, Rangadhara presented the Hindi play Raktbeej as its 125th production, under the baton of Sutradhar director Vinay Varma at the Telugu University auditorium.
Late Shankar Shesh’s 1978 play Raktbeej deals with the ghosts inside all humans who want to achieve or attain everything, irrespective of the price, even if it means trampling on the dreams and sensitivity of one’s partners. In mythology, ‘Raktbeej’ symbolises a demon that has the ability to multiply whenever his blood drops on the ground, in short, evil begets evil.
Raktbeej opens with a discussion on hathya (murder) or atmahathya (suicide) and takes you to the lives of two couples, who follow one rule of using one another for personal gains.
The play uses familiar environs to answer these questions and presents two instances in support of these opinions. The first instance introduces the audience to Sharma (clerk) and his working wife Sujatha. They harbour dreams of making it big and enjoying the comforts of life. Despite his hard work, Sharma fails to get promotion in his job and decides to invite Chowdhary, Managing Director of his firm for cocktail to their house and use his pretty wife to lure him, though his wife tries to tell Sharma about his lustful looks.
The second act involves a scientist, Dr. Shantanu, who attempts to use his Director, Dr. Ghosh, to get his research published abroad and in this process tramples upon the dreams of his wife Lalitha of becoming a mother. However, Shantanu is cheated by director who gets the research published in his name and later commits suicide, thus bringing double glory to himself and leaving Shantanu heartbroken and helpless.
In the two acts, there are three other characters – Gunjan, Maanas and Keerti, who appear to question the morality of the characters, raising pertinent questions for the audience. These events do happen in society, there are instances where subordinates have treated their bosses at five star hotels or bought expensive gifts while on a holiday or a foreign jaunt, jut to impress and remain in their good books and ensure professional success.
Vinay Varma has not deviated from the original play, but has weaved in the relevance of today’s context. The second act was a far more intense interplay of emotions. In both the acts, the woman’s motherhood dream is murdered. In the 21st century, Raktbeej is a severe indictment of a society in which a principled way of life has lost all meaning.
Apart from directing the plays, Varma stepped into the shoes of a clerk and research scientist has played his characters to perfection. In the first act, the child-like glee of achieving his promotion looks so natural.
Poonam Chandna Golechha, who essayed the pivotal part of the wife, had perfect body language and apt expressions . . Her dialogue delivery was direct, controlled and powerful. Her essaying of characters Sujata and Lalita and the alter egos won the hearts of the audience. She snapped in and out of characters with ease. Shirish Ghosal, as the MD and senior scientist, has done justice to his characters of Choudhary and Dr. Ghoshal. The cast did a superb job of bringing to the fore the dilemmas of their characters.
The minimal use of props and subtle light design by Poornachandra Rao and Kishore of Surabhi theatre group, evoked the right mood and explored the emotional intricacies of the characters.
