The recently held three-day Bhartendu Natya Samaroh organised by Bhartendu Natya Akademi, Lucknow, in collaboration with Sahitya Kala Parishad, Delhi, at the Shri Ram Centre offered a theatrical fare marked by a variety of presentational styles and theme. The highlights of the productions featured at the festival were meticulous direction and brilliant acting.
The festival ended with the staging of Sagar Sarhadi’s “Rajdarbar”, a political satire. It is a parable with interesting twists and turns. Remarkably, the play is full of allusions to the contemporary social and political reality prevailing in India. The production brings to the fore the humanitarian vision of Sarhadi, a multi-dimensional creative personality who has been associated with the Indian People’s Theatre Association to expose reactionary ideas of feudalism and to form a secular and democratic society. “Bazaar” is one of his unforgettable films. At a time when political theatre has become rare in Delhi, “Rajdarbar” was gladly received by the discerning audience.
Directed and designed by Arun Trivedi, the action is set in a kingdom ruled by an autocratic king who is hated by the people. He derives sadistic pleasure from making a mockery of justice. His other pastimes include dispossessing farmers of their land and seducing young women of his kingdom. In his nefarious misdeeds he collaborates with the head priest. In the name of justice he forms a sham court with his own stooges to give justice.
To his shock, his own stooges feel the pricks of conscience; they decide to give justice to the victims of the king’s highhanded treatment and to protect the interests of the hapless people. When the king comes to know that his stooges have turned against him, he liquidates them mercilessly. The action mostly takes place at the court outside king’s palace, and then shifts to the temple in the priest’s inner room, where he is having a good time in the company of his female followers. The use of a formal kind of set with minimal props ensures the continuity of dramatic action. Those characters who are oppressors are treated as caricatures, bringing out their essential inhuman features. The characters representing the oppressed class are projected in a realistic style.
Shailendra Tiwari as Sarkar, the ruler, and Arvind Kumar as the dirty agent of the ruler, along with Preeti Kaur as Ram Kali, the daughter of Dwarpal who resists her oppressor, act admirably.
Satish Alekar’s “Mahaniravan” was once popular on the Delhi stage. Among veteran directors who produced it was B.V. Karanth.
Translated into Hindi from the original in Marathi by Vimal Dev, the production under review is directed by Akhilesh Khanna, a seasoned stage director.
Popular for its black humour, the play moves around Bhauraw, his wife Rama and his son Nana.
The playwright evokes laughter by treating serious situations in an absurd manner. In normal circumstances the sudden death of a middle-aged man is a matter of tragedy. The play looks at it with a sense of mockery and absurdity.
The callous attitude of the local administration and its criminal neglect in maintaining the crematorium does not evoke anger and protest but humour. There is a strong satirical element implicit in the way neighbours join the procession to carry away the dead to the crematorium. When they find the gate of the crematorium locked, they disappear one by one, leaving Nana, the son of the deceased, alone.
Soon he confronts the spirit of his father who insists that he should be cremated in the old crematorium. As it takes considerable time to seek special permission for the cremation, the body starts to rot.
Director Akhilesh has treated some parts of the play as farce and some in realistic style. The wavering between the two styles weakens comic elements at places. He should have consistently followed the farcical style of acting.
Bhaskar Jha as Bhauraw, whose spirit watches the absurdity of performing the last rites, Roshni Verma as Rama, the wife of Bhauraw, and Krishna Shishodiya as Nana, Bhauraw’s son, treat their tragedy in a mocking and irreverent tone, creating situations for black comedy.
The festival opened with the presentation of “Prabhas Milan” under the direction of Manipur-based director N. Rajen Mittai. A students’ production based on Srimad Bhagavat, “Prabhas Milan” reveals the joyous moments of reunion of Krishna and Radha after the separation of a hundred years caused by a curse.
A blend of multiple folk forms of Manipur and elements from the Sanskrit classical theatre, it projects visual poetry on the stage. All the elements, like stylised movements, music and beautifully designed costumes, are harmonised to create a lovely theatrical piece. It has emotional depth.
The chorus consisting of singers with beautiful voices enriches the emotional content of the play. The large cast acts in a restrained manner with lyrical charm.
