कोलकाता में लिटिल थेस्पीयन का नाटक "हजारां ख्वाहिशां" दिनांक 20.9.2019 को मंचित

राजस्थान के लोकसंगीत पर आधारित नाटक का भव्य मंचन

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युगों से माता-पिता अपने व्यस्क पुत्र-पुत्रियों के अपने जीवनसाथी के बारे में लिये गए निर्णय  को नकारते आये हैं. हद तो तब हो जाती है जब यह इनकार शील-स्वभाव या गुण-दोषों पर नहीं होकर मात्र आर्थिक हैसियत  के आधार पर होता है. इसी संदर्भ में कोलकाता में मंचित एक नाटक में जहां पुत्री का एक निर्णय पूरे परिदृश्य को तनावपूर्ण और दु:खद बनाता दिखता है वहीं पिता के द्वारा अपने अहं का त्याग कर पुत्री की पसंद का आदर करने का निर्णय सम्पूर्ण पीड़ा को आनंद में परिणत करते भी।

कोलकाता की चर्चित नाट्य-संस्था लिटिल थेस्पियन  20 सितंबर 2019 को  अपने 25 वर्ष पूरे कर लिये। रजत जयंती वर्ष के अवसर पर कोलकाता के एकेडमी ऑफ फाइन आर्ट्स, कोलकाता में "हज़ारां ख़्वाहिशां" नाटक का मंचन किया गया। 

कहानी एक गरीब लड़की चारुधरा की है जो किस्मत से नगर सेठ की दत्तक पुत्री बन जाती है। फिर उस लड़की को शहजादी के तौर-तरीके सिखाये जाते हैं। लड़की अपने गाँव के लोकगायक किशन से प्रेम करती है। नगरसेठ उसे भुला देने को कहता है। लड़की तैयार नहीं होती।

प्रेमी के कारण गांव वापस आ जाती है। पर जल्द ही अहसास होता है कि ऐशो आराम की जिंदगी नहीं छोड़ सकती, भले ही प्रेमी को छोड़ना पड़े। नगरसेठ गांव आकर चारुधरा और किसन को स्वीकार कर लेते हैं। और इस तरह नाटक को सुखांत बना दिया जाता है।

आइये अब हम नाटक के नेपथ्य और मंच पर काम करनेवाले कलाकारों की बात करें। पहले पर्दे के पीछे के कलाकारों की बात करें। पटकथा और निर्देशन उमा झुनझुनवाला का था। 

राजस्थान के लोकसंगीत पर आधारित इस नाटक का संगीत वरिष्ठ संगीतकार मुरारी राय चौधरी ने दिया। संगीत संचालन अनिंद्य नंदी का था। संगीत में साथ दिया प्रबीर सेनगुप्ता, अब्लू  चक्रवर्ती, सुभाशीष डे और झोटन मानिक।  स्वर आनंदवर्द्धन  और अवंति भट्टाचार्य का था। कोरस में साथ दिया शुभंकर्पिता शीत, नीलांजन चटर्जी और नाज़ आलम। कोरस गानेवाले कलाकारों के नृत्य और अभिनय में एक लय थी मानों कठपुतलियां नृत्य कर रही हों। संगीत और नृत्य ने दर्शकों को बांधकर कर रखा।

प्रकाश संचालन  (जयदीप रॉय ) और मंच सज्जा (मदन गोपाल हलधर) नाटक को प्रभावी बनाने में सफल रहे।

नाटक की प्रस्तुति में अदाकारों का काम तो और भी महत्वपूर्ण होता है। "चारुधरा" की भूमिका में कुसुम वर्मा और  "भैरवी" की भूमिका में पार्वती शॉ का अभिनय सराहनीय था।  अभिनय करनेवाले अन्य कलाकारों का प्रदर्शन भी सराहनीय था जिनके नाम हैं - मो. आतिफ अंसारी, सुमित गोस्वमी, मो. अरशद शादिक़, प्रोनय साहा, मो.मारूफ, नाज़ आलम, तन्मय सिंह, आलम इम्तियाज, शुभांकरप्रिता शीत, नीलांजन चटर्जी, सागर सेनगुप्ता, अवीक महतो, हीना परवेज, सबरीन खातून और सारा एसके।

नाटक के नृत्य और संगीत में राजस्थान के लोकशैली का सुंदर उपयोग किया गया। उमा झुनझुनवाला, अज़हर आलम समेत लिटिल थेस्पियन  के सभी सदस्यों को रजत जयंती वर्ष की शुभकामनाएं।

 उम्दा नाट्य प्रस्तुतियां जारी रहनी  चाहिए।

.............

समीक्षक - राज्यवर्द्धन 
समीक्षक का ईमेल - rajyabardhan123@gmail.com

छायाचित्र सौजन्य - राज्यवर्द्धन

प्रतिक्रिया हेतु ईमेल - editorbejodindia@yahoo.com

Speech of Sanjay Chhel on 13.9.2019 at Churchgate (Mumbai) on inauguration of drama course at SNDT Univ.

Live your life as if you were acting and act on stage like living in real life

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It was the occasion of the beginning of the first 6-month certificate course in acting and drama at SNDT University, Churchgate, Mumbai and distinguished speaker for the event was Sanjay Chhel, the renowned lyricist of "Dil toh bachcha hai ji" and "Ai Shivani". Mr. Chhel has worked for some 25 feature films out of which one has been directed by him. He is as well a well known story writer, scriptwriter and dialogue writer. He needs no introduction to the lovers of modern Indian cinema.

"Study of drama is a fortunate opportunity and we should feel proud of it" said Mr. Chhel. He said that the actual life is in fact a much bigger drama than that is presented on the stage. And that is why Bharat Muni the writer of the epic of dramatic art - "Natyashatra" called it the fifth Veda. 

The tone of speech of Mr. Chhel was as if it were a friendly talk to the women students  and professors. He gave a mantra for successful life on and off-stage. It was "Lead your real life as if it were a drama and play a role on stage as if it were your real life. If you acquire good skill in acting then you would feel it comfortable to lead different necessary roles in your life. Even though you don't pursue a career in acting, the skill will help you in interviews for job and various presentations required during the course of doing your duty.."

"When you do theatre you learn to appreciate the life and behavior of every kind of personality- big or small. So, you learn the behavioural language of others and also are able to let others understand your behavioural language. 

"Acting is not an easy job. This is like a nail has been thrust into your sole and the viewers are enjoying to see you jumping in pain."

"Once, when I got a chance to meet Amitabh Bachchan ji at a set of shooting, I was amazed to see that he was getting his dialogues by rote like a school children. When I asked the legendary actor that he, who is the inspiration of crores of people all around the world, how come need to rote the written dialogues like a small student? The Big Bachchan replied that this method is still helpful to me to fix in my mind where to put stress and where to pause while delivering dialogues on the set."

Drama is not merely an academic or career-oriented course. It actually works like a sieve who takes out all the demerits of your personality and  make you a better human being. Ultimately he gave a mantra "While acting on stage never bother for the responses. Concentrate solely on your work".

All the students and professors listened to the thoughts and ideas of Mr. Chhel very attentively. Though his way of conveying his message was very humorous, he was sincerely initiating the young women to the newly started course by helping them get a perfect disposition for the course.

A lady professor offered the vote of thanks and the event came to an end. This was the time when the young girl students geared themselves up for impromptu photographic session with the celebrity and others. The other distinguished persons present were Satish Vyas, the well-known Gujarati drama director, Prof. Pushpa and other professors.  Hemant Das 'Him' was also present in the inaugural function.

.............

Report by - Hemant Das 'Him'

Photographs by - Bejod India blog

Send your feedback to - editorbejodindia@yahoo.com
Note- Organisers are requested to send more info or photos  to the above email ID for adding in this report. 

"9 Angry Jurors" performed by Jeff Goldberg Studio at Khar, Mumbai on 13.9.2019

A slap on the mob mentality

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Though from the very beginning to the last second of the show the play talks only and only about the judicial decision over a crime of homicide yet it is not an illustration over jurisprudence. This play is actually a slap on the mob mentality. It targets the insensitive mindset towards the others in general and weaker section in particular. The 9 angry jurors show all the colours of our society - Class divide, social inertia, individual ego, resistance to the morbid system.

A young man has murdered his father in a rage and the eyewitnesses have given their testimonies in due manner. Moreover, the culprit has accepted the guilt. And now it is up to the nine jurors who comprise of the intelligentsia of the society though from absolutely different backgrounds. There is one female and eight males out of which one is sort of anchor of the decision making process. There is no time limit. The only condition is the decision should evolve through consensus. 

Initially all seem to be in a hurry to summarise the process to a word of 'Guilty' based on the testimonies of the witnesses. When voting is conducted there appears a 'game spoiler' who through opting for "Not guilty" compels everyone to sit. And when that man is asked whether he is sure that the culprit is not guilty. His reply is "Not sure" to the chagrin of all.

The man who raises the voice against the seemingly cosy consensus that may actually amount to "death sentence" to an innocent, is not a protagonist and typically represents the common populace. He is a man who even has to bother whether rickshaw-walla took more money than the exact. The implication is that, in our society, all belonging to the privileged classes want to maintain the status quo regardless of whether it is right or wrong and the deprived class fights the injustice almost single handedly,

Though the odd man favouring "Not guilty" leaves the eight others in a fit of pique, but being from the intellectual class, soon they take it as a challenge to their wisdom and take up the route of brainstorming. As the discussion proceeds, the good sense prevails and the members turn their sides from "Guilty" to " Not guilty".  Each of them does so one by one after some or the other rounds of discussion. Examination of facts already gathered through the  testimonies is conducted minutely. In the climax, everyone faces a megalomaniac persona who is not ready to give up just for the heck of it. Even after long verbal exchange, when he is adamant without a plausible reason, another member coolly suggests him that it is not he who is opposing it is someone else in him who is doing so. On this he agrees to "Not guilty". So, the consensus is reached and an innocent poor young man is saved from being hanged.

Reginald Rose had written the story of "12 Angry men" in 1957 and several feature films were made thereafter over it including Hindi film "Ek ruka hua faisla" in 1986. Based on the same story was the adaptation in this "9 Angry Jurors". The director was Ashok Pandey who had been assisted by Subrahmanian Namboodiri. The actors were Raj Mishra, Sunny Yadav, Shamik Aga, Sayali Rajendra, Gaurav Pal, Priyank Pagar, Jevin Contractor, Siddant Ahuja and Areyann Gurbaxani.

The thing attracted the viewers was also the background of the set (not visible in the pictures presented with this review though can be seen in the Hindi version of the review the link of which is given above) that was perceived by the people as local rail standing on the platform. This created the atmosphere with whom this story deals. Whether a person in a moving local train can watch and understand 17 seconds episode of actual murder was the moot point. So the intuition behind the set design must be acclaimed. The director Ashok Pandey has taken out excellent acting skills of the advanced learners. Though acting by all was up to the mark, the adamant man who surrendered to "Not guilty" in the end was fantastic. He hoisted his flag of overbearing attitude and kept doing so till the end. The lady member gave a good show of the feminine ego particularly in a scene when she is requested to leave her chair to facilitate some illustration by a member, she refused stubbornly. Nevertheless, she also showed her sign of compassion and care for justice through her facial expression remarkably.

The first "No guilty" supporter though delivered every bit of dialogue flawlessly still there is a scope of making it more powerful with exact stress and pauses. The member who was sort of anchor was also impressive in showing his managerial skill. The man in snow colour coat was able to make good eye contact with viewers. All others also gave good performance in terms of dialogue delivery and body language. The whole play depends overwhelmingly on the sole performance of actors and they came out with flying colours. In this conversational play, the director's role was less but not least important as they were the persons who taught how to act naturally.

The presentation by Jeff Goldberg Studio, Khar, Mumbai on 13.9.2019 will stay longer in the memory lane.
......

Review by - Hemant Das 'Him'
Photographs by - Jeff Goldgerg Studio
Send your feedback to - editorbejodindia@yahoo.com
For 79 more Drama Reviews by the same author - Click here

The Woodland Place / A poem by Shobana Ravi, Ex- News presenter, Doordarshan, Chennai (with it's हिन्दी translation)

The Woodland Place

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The place described here in this poem is the old Shantaram studio that belonged to the veteran film Director V Shantaram. It now houses The film and Television institute of India. It is in Pune near Mumbai. In this poem I try to recall what I saw there and remember the friend who walked with me that day but who is now no more.

It was a sprawling woodland place with giant trees
Whose roots heaved up as if to mark their territories
The undergrowth was not so dense, but teemed with bees
Butterflies, larva balls and such small species!
At dusk and dawn, the place exploded as all birds
Cawed and cooed and chirped full-throat in plaints and fights
Their calls merged in a single boom that drowned all else
Their urgent clamour to settle down, heralding the nights!

It was once a place where people weaved gossamer dreams
Of songs and dances, pure emotions and villainous schemes
In celluloid, the maestro and his doe-eyed muse
With their ideals of art and craft they shot amorous themes!
The rainbow lent their colours and the deer its prance
The breeze caressed the harp that was but half in trance!
And so, therein, years ago, a lithe danseuse
Lived the dream, forgetting her own self perchance!

At every hedge and winding lane, their floating scent
Came up like, from down the sea a sudden crescent!
My friend and I walked on through the brambles dense
In silence, as though talking there was an offence
The birds had now brought down their calls; they’d made a truce!
The clouds profuse, in the west, were now abstruse!
Every niche stood up still for a special use
Director though there now was none to call the cues!

The dusk was dusting grey on the eastern clouds
The day was closing curtains at the western roads
A pond with lilies, a little one, was the last surprise!
I bent down to look and ah, I met those pair of eyes!
A grand old toad he was and really huge in size!
Waiting for a damsel to kiss him into a knight?
And so he sat like a mound of clay, mottled and round
Like a hoary sage, waiting, not time-bound!
.....

(Hindi translation of the poem is presented below)

इस कविता में यहाँ वर्णित जगह पुराने शांताराम स्टूडियो की है जो दिग्गज फिल्म निर्देशक वी शांताराम का था. अब इसमें भारत का फिल्म और टेलीविजन संस्थान है। यह मुंबई के पास पुणे में है। इस कविता में मैं उस चीज़ को याद करने की कोशिश करती हूँ जो मैंने वहाँ देखी थी और उस दोस्त को याद करती हूँ जो उस दिन मेरे साथ घूम रही थी लेकिन अब वह नहीं है।

वनाच्छादित स्थल

यह विशाल पेड़ों के साथ एक विशाल वनाच्छदित जगह थी
जिसकी जड़ें बाहर निकल निकल मानों अपने क्षेत्रों को चिन्हित करती थी 
झाड़ झंखाड़ इतना घना नहीं था, लेकिन मधुमक्खियों का था वह डेरा
तितलियों, लार्वा के गोले थे और ऐसी ही थी कुछ छोटी प्रजातियां!
शाम और भोर में, सभी पक्षियों के कोलाहल का होता था विस्फोट
पूरे गले से कहीं कांव-कांव, कहीं कूक तो कहीं चहक, झगड़ते या शिकायत करते
उनकी चिल्लाहट एक ही शोर में विलीन हो गई मानो बाकी सब डूब गया
उनकी बदहावास चिल्लाहट धीरे धीरे थमती गई रात्रि की सूचना देते हुए

कभी यह ऐसी जगह थी जहाँ महीन सपने बुने जाते थे
गाने और नृत्य  के, शुद्ध भावनाओं के और प्रपंचपूर्ण योजनाओं के
सेल्युलाइड में डालने हेतु कलागुरु की मृगनयनी साधना में
कला और शिल्प के अपने आदर्शों के साथ कैमरे में डाला उन्होंने अमर विषयों को
इंद्रधनुष ने उन्हें दिये रंग और हिरन ने अपनी उछाल
हवा ने वीणा को सहलाया, अपनी अधमुंदी पलकों के साथ
और इसलिए वर्षों पूर्व,  चंचल नर्तकियाँ
जीती थी स्वप्नों में स्वयं को भूल बैठी सी

हर मेड़ और और पगडंडियों के घुमाव में थी उनकी तैरती हुई खुशबू
अचानक प्रकट हुई चंद्रकला समुद्र के तल से
मैं और मेरी दोस्त गुजरीं कंटीली झाड़ियों से होते हुए
बिल्कुल नि:शब्द मानो बातचीत करना हो अपराध
चिड़ियों ने अब अपनी पुकार नीचे ला दी थी; मानो हो कोई युद्धविराम संधि !
पश्चिम में बादलों की विपुलता, अब हो रही थी दुर्बोध!
हर झरोखा एक विशेष उपयोग के लिए अभी भी खड़ा था
लेकिन अब वहाँ  'क्यू' देनेवाला कोई निर्देशक नहीं था!

शाम ढलते-ढलते पूरब के बादलों पर धूल छा रही थी
दिन पश्चिमी सड़कों पर पर्दे बंद कर रहा था
कुमुदिनी के साथ एक तालाब,  छोटा सा एक, आखिरी आश्चर्य था!
मैं देखने के लिए नीचे झुकी और आह, मुझे मिली आँखों की वह जोड़ी!
एक विशालकाय बूढ़ा मेढक, वह वास्तव में आकार में बहुत बड़ा था!
अपने मस्तक के चूमे जाने के लिए किसी नवयौवना की प्रतीक्षा कर रहा है?
और इसलिए वह मिट्टी के एक टीले की तरह बैठ गया था, छींटदार और गोल 
एक धवलकेश ऋषि की तरह, उस प्रतीक्षा में जिसके समय की नहीं हो सीमा!
.......

Original poem in English - Shobana Ravi
Email of the original poet - shobravi02@gmail.com
Hindi translation by - Hemant Das 'Him'
Send your feedback to - editorbejodindia@yahoo.com

Marvel Arts' Gujarati Play 'Dhummas' staged in Chawpati (Mumbai) on 8.9.2019

The ordeal of a father 

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The little daughter of a Padmshree awardee psychiatrist is kidnapped by terrorists and he is asked to get some vital info out from his patient facing high intensity of mental disorder. The info possessed by the patient girl is very sensitive and can bring disaster to the nation if leaked to unscrupulous persons. The doctor is highly loyal to his nation and loves his daughter extremely. What should he do?

'Dhummas' is a family entertaining thriller packed with a perfect dose of patriotism.  The alchemy of  tight-fit script, realistic acting and conceptual set design put forth by the intuitive director produces a medicine that not only soothes the viewers but also fills their  hearts with strong pious motive towards the nation. And surprisingly it did so without songs, seductive or provocative dialogues and gaudy outfits of beautiful women.

A renowned psychiatrist Dr. Vikram has a loving nuclear family consisting of wife Aart and school going little daughter Kavya. The wife is on rest having the foot fractured. Dr. Vikram is called from his hospital for treating a newly admitted patient girl Kesar who is suffering from severe bipolar symptoms. When he returns home he receives a telephonic call conveying him that his daughter Kavya has been kidnapped by the caller. The ransom demanded is not money but to get some info from Kesar who is under his treatment in the hospital.

The kidnappers are so knacky that they have not only disconnected the Wi-fi of Dr. Vikram's house but also are able to see all the happenings in-house of the doctor through their low-vision camera device. His phone has been set in a way that he can't make call to anybody and can receive only the calls of the kidnapper. Dr. Vikram and his wife are warned severely against communicating anything to anybody. Even the housemaid and neighbours should not enter their house and they can't make any insinuation or pass signals to anybody out.

When the next day the doctor reaches the hospital he eavesdrops the telephonic conversation of his colleague Dr. Jay Bhatt with someone and it is revealed that he was in collusion with the caller against him. Peeved on this, the Dr. Vikram lambastes his colleague for betrayal. The colleague says that actually, he is also under duress as his daughter Puja is also kidnapped by them. Both the doctors are bewildered as what to do to save the lives of their most lovely persons. 

At the nick of time, a man appears on the set who is from ATS (anti terrorist squad). He declares that one of the girls is dead and the kidnappers are in fact, members of a terrorist group working against India. Why terrorists are so anxious to get some info from the bipolar Kesar should remain a secret here as to let it be viewed in the actual show. Though the happy ending of the play can be guaranteed  to the viewers of the show.

The set design was an example of innovation and it was a combination of two unique concepts - first, a straight line railing pattern with several turns like a meander of modern life and secondly a three dimensional buildings structures on both sides of a road looming large from the background. The director claimed that such a design has not been erected earlier in Gujarati theatre. Those metallic railing patters with wooden footpath structure helped in two ways - one, in taking Dr. Vikram from his home to the hospital in ten seconds. Two, running concomitant scenes at the house and the hospital at a time since the structure in between acted like a buffer.

Acting was the the essence of the play. Dr. Vikram championed the cause of the nation elegantly in an impressive manner. The body movements by Kesar was exemplary and the child artist Kavya's flawless and emphatic dialogue delivery left the audience wonderstruck. Dr. Vikram's recuperating wife Aart and the colleague Dr. Jay Bhatt at the hospital gave him their respective strong support. The play does not have songs as not to dilute the feel of suspense but the tuneful pieces  at every important pause went pretty well with the flow of the story.

The play is written by Anshumali Ruparel, produced by Marvel Arts, Mayank Mehta and presented by Chitrak shah and Kiran Malvankar. Actors were Linesh Fanshe  (Dr. Vikram), Toral Trivedi  (Kesar), Rajkamal Deshpande  (Aart, Dr. Vikrams wife), Baby Krisha Bhayani (Kavya, Dr. Vikram's daughter), Krishna kanabar (Major Rajput, Kesar's father), Jay Bhatt (Doctor at hospital), Umesh Jangam  (ATS officer) and Mohit Mahajan  (Terrorist).

The script is a well-knit, compact and aligned thoroughly to it's main object that is how to deal with the kidnappers. Of course, it typically resembles the bollywood style to a considerable extent still I can say that it's essentially not a mushy, slushy show and never becomes more than life-size so as to let each and every viewer to identify himself with one or other character of the play.

The whole team must be congratulated for the healthy presentation of patriotic theme in a genuinely entertaining manner.

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Review by - Hemant Das 'Him'
Picture courtesy - facebook wall of 'Dhummas'
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