Abhiyan gathers strength
ROMESH CHANDER
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Abhiyan's "Tyagpatra" is an excellent play with a sensitive projection of life.
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INSPIRING A scene from "Tyagpatra", staged in New Delhi this past week.
Abhiyan, one of the leading theatre groups in Delhi, has produced 48 plays, all directed by Rajinder Nath, and what is more it takes up only Indian plays. One of its greatest services to Indian theatre has been the introduction of some of the most outstanding Bengal, Marathi and Gujrati plays in their Hindi translation. And it is only through such translations that some of the best Indian theatre has been seen on the national circuit.
"Tyagpatra" that was on the boards this past week is the late Jainendra Kumar's novel of the same title. Writing about Jainendra Kumar's work immediately after his death what the noted journalist Mrinal Pande said in a newspaper fits so beautifully to what we saw in Abhiyan's presentation of "Tyagpatra" . Ms. Pande wrote, "Jainendra Kumar loved to argue to express doubts and ignite controversy, in life and in his prose. It was not surprising that readers who preferred to be led along by the finger and not provoked into reflection often found him heavy and somewhat abstract. Reading him is to say goodbye to a relaxed, casual kind of reading, and be ever ready to be halted midway to ponder over the inexplicable mysteries of the human mind. `Tyagpatra' does not humour or titillate or guide you along but it urges you step into a looking glass and you find you have stepped into the depths of your own soul."
Sensitive projection
The play is a sensitive projection of life by Pramod (well played by Ishwar, an old hand with Abhiyan) as seen by a young man. Through his eyes we see the pain of a young woman tearing herself away from decadent traditions that still plague our society. The relationship between the aunt, Mrinal (Suchitra Gupta), and her nephew Pramod exposing the future values of a smug, callous and decadent society are well brought out by the two actors.
The acting honours of course go to Banwari Taneja, one of our senior actors on the Delhi stage and as a narrator he is excellent. It seems acting runs in the family. Banwari's daughter, Mallika Taneja, playing as young Mrinal more than fulfils the promise we saw in her last year's presentation of "Ouch".
The cast's older hands with Abhiyan live up to expectation though the new comers have talent but need more training. The play is on the boards again this Friday and is a must for Abhiyan is once again in its old form after a rather shaky 2006.
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