The theatre festival featuring productions by women directors organised by Punjabi Academy, Delhi at Shri Ram Centre this past week highlighted the struggled of women protagonists to lead a meaningful life in a patriarchal society. They do not need pity because they have the will and courage to fight against oppression.
The festival opened with “Hor Ik Sachh” adapted by senior theatre personality Aziz Qureshi from Ismat Chughtai’s much admired story “Dozakh” under the direction of Kajal Suri. A production of Indian Peoples Theatre Association, Delhi, Qureshi had already staged it as “Dozakh” a few years ago. Again, after recreating a new structure with Chughtai's story as kernel, he has enlarged the canvas of the script with the title “Aur Ek Sach” in Hindi. Its Punjabi version is “Hor Ek Sachh”. Providing historical perspective, the play probes the struggle of women in various stage of development of human society which became more intense with the right to property solely enjoyed by men, reducing women to a mere commodity.
The central character is a girl forced to marry a sex maniac. She is tortured by her mother-in-law for being unable to conceive. Desperate to have a grand-son, the mother-in-law takes her to a degenerate rapist in the garb of a god-man. Finally thrown out from home in her old age, she finds a space to live with another old woman who has met a similar fate at the hands of cruel society. Despite their miserable existence, they love life and lead life in their own terms.
The highlight of the production is that it radiates with the acting of veteran actors of the Delhi stage – Suchitra Gupta endowed with a voice that creates magic on the stage and Aziz Qureshi. Ravi Taneja as the degenerate god man, Kajal Suri as the old haggard woman and Jitin Gaur as the companion of the old woman act commendably.
Written by Hardeep Gill and directed by Anita Devgan, “Credit Card” depicts the parental affection for children, contrasting with the cruelty of their offspring when the parents become old. The play also explores the craze of migrating to Canada and the hate for things Indian by those Indians brought up abroad. Anita Devgan brings to fore with intensity the deep affection of a mother for her children for whom she suffers but when she is perpetually treated life a slave, she revolts against her daughter's cruelty. Here her mother is full of fire and energy.
“Waqat Tainu Salaam” is an adaptation of C.T. Khanolkar's Marathi play in Punjabi by Shabdish which was directed by Anita Shabdish. Having worked with Gursharan Singh, the people's artist of Punjab, for a decade, Anita displays her sense of the theatrical art reflected in the clarity of her direction and its dramatic power. It is a severe indictment of man's devilish character to marry the girl he loves at the cost of the life of an innocent girl.
The treatment of music score and poems is apt enough to impart the production poetic lyricism, sad, melancholic and tragic. The director has not used any accompanying instrument for effects. It helps to bring out the beauty of the voice of the singers. Sarvajit Kaur as the utterly naïve and innocent girl from the rural Punjab sings various numbers, most of them drawn from the rich folk forms of Punjab. Her rendering of “Ek Munda Banega Raaja, Ek Kudi Banegi Rani” used as refrain evokes sad musings and conveys the thematic essence of the play.
Adapted from Prem Gorkhi's short story by Sasib Singh, it is about the heroic deed of a young girl belonging to a landowning Sikh family to marry a poor Dalit. Directed by Rajinder Rozy, the play depicts the deep-rooted prejudice against Dalit and the sinister insidious attempt to debar them from occupying their rightful place in the mainstream on the basis of equality and dignity.
The style of presentation initiating polemics against the inhuman practice of caste system by performers in masks indicates the hypocrisy of society. Out of this confrontation emerges the story of a young university teacher who loves her colleague from Dalit family. The director has revealed the caste and class conflict in a powerful way with director Rajinder Rozy in the lead role of woman defying outdated and inhuman taboo against Dalit leaves a powerful impact on the audience.
The five-day festival ended with the late C.D. Sidhu’s play “Bhajno”, considered a milestone in the history of Punjabi theatre. Directed by Veena Sidhu, the daughter of C.D. Sidhu, the play when premiered in the late seventies evoked rave reviews and was acclaimed by the lovers of Punjabi theatre. “Bhajno” is the central character whose struggle against feudal exploitation of women is reflected through her interactions with her good-for-nothing husband and his brothers and her confrontation with rowdy elements. Living in a social ambience rotting in ignorance, lethargy and greed to acquire land, here is a strong-willed woman who rises to create a new world for her, meaningful life and happiness for her children, showing direction to achieve happiness.
The set designed by Jassey creates rural landscape of Punjab which provides the right a backdrop for the action. The offstage sounds enhance the illusion of authentic social ambience.
In the lead role of Bhanjno Shalu Singh is a cut above the others in the cast. Her Bhajno leads a tense life and suffers but is determined to fight against her formidable circumstances with courage, tact, hopping success, exuding her feminine charm at places to score victory.
