Noted theatre personality Ranjit Kapoor’s play titled “Chekhov ki Duniya” was staged as part of the inauguration of a five-day-long theatre festival “Delhi Natyotsav” at Shri Ram Centre for Art and Culture here on Monday.
Organised by the Delhi Government in collaboration with the Sahitya Kala Parishad, the play weaved together a display of emotion, unrequited love, helplessness and struggle.
Through this iconic play, the organisers wanted to salute the genius of Russian litterateur Anton Chekhov. “Chekhov ki Duniya” is basically a set of six different stories and has been staged at different venues.
From Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s ascendance to the Mughal throneto the moving trial of noted Greek philosopher Socrates, the organisers have chosen plays to provide an exhilarating theatrical experience to Delhiites.
“Through this festival we want to stage plays which have been appreciated in the past. We are confident that these plays would continue to be loved by theatre lovers of all ages. Some of the most respected names in Indian theatre are participating in the five-day festival which will present a rich mix of historical and contemporary stories,” said Sahitya Kala Parishad Assistant Secretary (Drama) J. P. Singh.
Written by Dario Fo and directed by Avijit Dutt, “Abducting Diana” is another popular dark comedy which will be staged on Tuesday. The story of a kidnapped millionaire media boss which turns out to be a more complex and eventful than the kidnappers would have imagined will offer a mix of thrill and suspense with shades of comedy.
The festival will stage Robert Ridley’s play “Love in a Time of Oppression” , portraying the courage and resilience of a woman. It was set against the backdrop of a series of major historical events beginning from the holocaust to the fall of communism. The play is being directed by eminent theatre personality Faisal Alkazi, who has directed 200 plays over a career spanning 35 years.
Another historical figure who will feature in the festival is Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, whose ascendance to the throne was fraught with a bloody struggle and ideological differences. The play was originally written in Tamil by Indira Parthasarathy in 1974 and over the years has been translated and performed in English, Hindi and Urdu. Veteran theatre person K. S. Rajendran has donned the director’s hat for this play.
