INVC NEWS
New Delhi,
The lush green grounds of National School of Drama witnessed the wind of change as Janki Devi Memorial College, Sri Aurobindo College, Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce and University School of Studies put forth their productions in Advitya. The night also beheld the struggles of Satyagrah, but with a contemporary twist. Each production had an issue that needed a voice and the artists did justice taking firm stands on them.
Directors Meet
The audience was brought up close to the directors of Mahabhoj (Dir. Anup Baral), Infinite Walk (Dir. Saras Kumar), Sudama Ke Chawal (Dir. Jagdish Sharma) and Mali (Dir. Nikhildas Puranattukara). The students who keenly feasted their eyes on the plays from day before turned into staunch critiques. While questioning the team how far the message has been propagated of the play Infinite walk the director said, “the message is still being propagated.” Next up the dais was opened to Sudama ke Chawal Director Jagdish Sharma, he explained that the play explores who a man is as he thinks something, he says something, he does something and actually is something.
Today’s Play
JAMILA
It becomes an obsession with young Syed, a painter, to paint the portraits of his lady love, Jamila.
By a strange quirk of fate, Jamila arrives at Syed’s hillside village as a bride of Sadiq, Syed’s elder brother. Everyone takes it for a case of love marriage, which it is not. Defeated by Jamila in a horse-cart race, Sadiq abducts and forcibly marries and brings her to the house. Jamila tries her level best to reconcile with the situation by being dutiful to all the members of her newly acquired family. But her self-respect gets wounded at every step. The responsibility of selling crops falls upon Jamila’s shoulder in a nearly market. There she meets a meek and outwardly weak person, Daniar, and discovers a strong sense of self-dignity in his character. A new chapter of life unfolds itself heralding the dawn of a new journey for Jamila.
PANCHAVATI YAKSHAGANA
The performance starts with the traditional invocation Poorvaranga to lord Ganesha with dance and music. Sri Rama moves to the forest, with wife Seeta and brother Laxmana. The sages of the forest complain about the demons and solicit his protection. Rama assures to help them.
Shoorpanakha, Ravana’s sister, smells the odour of human flesh and approaches Rama’s hermitage. Looking at Rama, she gets attracted by him. Using her magical powers she transforms herself as a beautiful damsel and expresses her desire to marry him. Rama, for the sake of fun, advises her to marry his brother Laxmana who is younger, more handsome and yet to be married. With lust and desire, excited Shoorpanakha runs to Laxmana. Laxmana becomes angry, scolds her for her behaviour and asks her to bring proof from Rama. Rama writes on her back, suggesting Laxmana to chop off her ears and nose. Laxmana sees Rama’s orders, and cuts off her ears and nose. Angry Shoorpanakha takes a vow that she will take revenge.
PEHLA SATYAGRAHI
Pehla Satyagrahi is directed by Shri Suresh Sharma, Director – Incharge, NSD and is about the life and struggle of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known as Mahatma Gandhi around the world. This is the story of Mohandas’s journey of truth and non-violence as well as the story of the independence of India. He fought a political war for almost twenty years in South Africa and when he returned to India, he, through his non-violent crusades like Quit India movement, Champaran Satyagraha and Dandi March, made it difficult for the British government to rule India.
Gandhi had said, “My life itself is my message.” What kind of life did the Mahatma lead, what were the challenges he faced, and what were the difficulties he encountered, is what we have attempted to express and showcase through this play. Gandhi’s life is larger than life and his personality quite dramatic. He was a walking and fasting saint-politician. He was spiritual and religious. And his death too was dramatic.
The purpose of this play is to convey a contemporary version of the legendary tale, and not to undermine the pleasure that it is supposed to bring you.
LIVE NUKES
When two boorish government lackeys working in a nuclear facility accidentally launch a nuclear weapon into the stratosphere, the chase is on! The mismatched duo’s quest to save the world from nuclear annihilation hurls them from a decrepit bunker, down a sketchy roadside, through the clouds, and down to the very depths of Hell itself. Their journey, of course, culminates in a valiant duel against the king of demons. This critically-renowned screwball comedy has toured across America in 2019, and has been hailed as a “master-class in mime and physical comedy”. Live Nukes! is a truly international play, performed without the use of props, set, or real words of any kind!
