Ram, Sita are back
ROMESH CHANDER
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Vishal K. Dar and Anurupa Roy use puppetry and digital images to tell the ever-inspiring tale of Ram and Sita.
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This past week at New Delhi's Habitat Centre, one saw what may be called a new-media theatre presentation by Vishal K. Dar and Anurupa Roy titled "about Ram", a collective multi-media and puppetry performance that breaks new ground in Indian theatre.
Tradition of puppetry in India is still pretty strong in the Southern States as also in Rajasthan, Bengal, Assam and Orissa where they still have traditional practitioners and also a few practicing modern puppeteers. Delhi has about seven or eight full-time modern puppeteers that include some of the well-known names like Dadi Pudumjee, Ranjana Pandey and Anurupa Roy. And what is more, new trends and experimentation in puppetry seem to be catching on as was witnessed in "about Ram".
Reference point
"about Ram" is based more on Bhavabhuti's "Uttra Ramcharith" rather than the Ramayan itself that Anurupa uses only as a reference point. The presentation is split into six scenes and as the lights come on the stage one sees a tormented Ram on the seaside. Across the sea he can see Lanka where he must reach to rescue his abducted wife Sita. Sitting by the sea he feels the distance between them is impossible to scale. Memory scrolls unfold the past in fragments. Desperate to reach Sita, Ram is in agony. From the depths of emotional despair comes to life his super-human alter ego. Hanuman is born. He dives into the sea and swims towards Lanka. On reaching Ashok-Vatika, Hanuman explores his surroundings. He finds Sita and gives Ram's ring to her. Sita looks at the ring. The moon emerges and within it she sees her beautiful memories of a shared love with Ram. A most beautiful scene indeed. Soon after, Hanuman is captured by a demon and his tail is set to fire. Enraged Hanuman sets Lanka on fire. Next we have the war on Lanka and in the aftermath Ram is covered in blood. He sees Sita who is waiting with open arms. Ram turns to her too but suddenly a voice blocks his path. Is Sita still pure? Did the glittering Lanka change her? These questions become voices in Ram's head, loud whispers he can't subdue. He is unable to face his beloved Sita, one look at her and the whispers start resounding. He turns away. A heartbroken Sita sinks into the earth.
"about Ram" is Ram's internal journey and memories and to project these memories Dar makes a dramatic use of slide projections, as Ram lies by the sea looking towards Lanka. The animation also becomes the environment of Ashok Vatika as also of the war later on.
The presentation uses two distinct styles of puppetry, digital images using the Andhra Shadow puppets and the physical puppets inspired by the Japanese Banruka and the Thai Rod puppets. In some of the scenes of the animations, the image and puppets interact, creating, as it were, a third dimension and the correlation between live action and digital imagery. Like in the Ashok Vatika and Hanuman scenes or earlier when the past memories crowd Ram's mind. Dar and Roy believe that "puppetry and animation are very closely related. The technical presentation is what sets them apart. Both are dependent on caricatured characters and both have puppeteers (manipulators/animators)". To bring the two together, indeed, is a step towards the development of a new media theatre in India that is new both for audiences as also for theatre practitioners. Perhaps NSD could arrange a lecture-demonstration of "about Ram" for theatre workers and others interested in theatre.
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