Even though most folks in the Capital find summer unbearable , there is one section which looks forward to this season. The reason being the chance to view a bouquet of plays — curated by NSD Repertory Company — and staged as part of the Summer Theatre Festival (STF).
“It is a tradition that has been there for more than three decades,” recalls Suresh Sharma, a well known theatre director, associated with the Repertory for long. “The whole objective of the festival is to showcase Repertory’s best plays staged in last one year and those which have remained perennial favourites. It is a much awaited event in the Capital’s theatre calendar.” Agreeing with him, actor and director, Chittaranjan Tripathy, who was earlier with Repertory, says, “The festival marks the culmination of Repertory’s one year by presenting plays which are serious in terms of literature and political discussion for mature audience.”
Chittaranjan Tripathy
This year’s ongoing STF has already staged Taj Mahal Ka Tender , and Bayen with Ghazab Teri Adaa , Khamoshi Sili Sili and Ghasiram Kotwal scheduled for today and next two days respectively. Representing varied genres these plays allow audience to enjoy different styles, treatment and presentation. “ Taj Mahal… is a satire embedded with a message while the all time popular Ghasiram Kotwal talks about nepotism and Bayen takes up the issue of women empowerment,” observes Sharma. Like Sharma, the STF holds a special place for Tripathy too. “With a play having multiple shows in one day and new ones being staged everyday, the festival was a perfect ground to hone one’s acting skills. Besides remembering the dialogues one had to quickly change the mental make-up to play different characters. Initially, it gave me jitters but having got used to it, it helped me professionally.”
Given the soaring mercury, do viewers readily assimilate such serious subjects as dealt with by these plays? “We don’t stop thinking due to heat,” quips Sharma. “Not just the content but how it is presented is also important. Good plays zoom on vital issues with a light touch so that it sinks well.” He cites his play Khamoshi Sili Sili , produced this year. “It is an adaptation of the famous Broadway show Fiddler On The Roof and brings to fore the sufferings of Kashmiri Pandits who have been forcibly evicted from their homes. While the original play was about Jews in the same predicament, here we have brought in Pandits. A musical with nine songs, its first half is suffused with fun but the second one brings up the topic of forced migration.”
The hard-hitting narrative stresses that despite democracy, equal rights, rule of law and police and army, the nation is unable to help Pandits. “The play talks about Nadigram where the biggest migration took place after massacre by terrorists and how innocent love suffers in this polarisation. Unlike other plays, this one does not end with a curtain call. The last scene, showing people taking a last look at their village, home and hearth with a song in the background , makes it poignant.”
Vouching for STF’s continued popularity, Sharma says, “Earlier, when means of entertainment were limited to films and theatre, the festival spread over a days was a super hit. Even now with internet, computer, mobile and home theatre readily available, it draws crowds.”
Political satire
While Khamoshi... is a new play, Taj Mahal Ka Tender has been around for two decades. Directed by Tripathy, it was staged for the first time by Repertory and has had numerous shows. “It was my first directorial venture for Repertory and was selected for the STF that year and got fantastic audience response there. It was so popular that once after two shows, due to popular request we had an unscheduled third one. It really went, what is called viral, when there was no social media,” quips Tripathy.
Describing the play a political satire dealing with serious issues subtly, and not a comedy as is generally perceived Tripathy, avers, “It focuses on the rotten affairs of the bureaucracy right from the peon down to the top babu. Being a bureaucrat himself, the writer Ajay Shukla had infused the nitty-gritties and finer nuances of bureaucracy in the play. I like it for its inherent sharpness and similes taken from Indian history and woven in the Indian politics.” The story is about Emperor Shahjahan inviting the CPWD Chief Engineer to build Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz. Due to red-tapism, the tender for building the monument is floated after 25 years.
Talking about the play takes Tripathy down the memory lane. “I was looking for a fresh script being reluctant to take up Mohan Rakesh or Shakespeare, which though great plays, had been done several times. The then NSD director Ramgopal Bajaj suggested Taj Mahal Ka Tender . Going through first 10 pages itself I was able to perceive the play’s visual imagery.” The play was commended by likes of Mrinal Sen. “He had watched it in Kolkata and during our chance meeting was surprised to know that its director was so young.” Breaking the language barrier, it was put on board as far as Thiruvanthapuram. “The reason for the play’s continuous success is its content which remains relevant,” feels Tripathy.
