Short stories with a sting in the tale
Two evenings of Hindi short stories being enacted by SRC Repertory at its auditorium this past week offered moments to reflect on human relationships in the urban Indian milieu. These stories recount the lives of people suffering from violence, crimi
nal neglect and anxiety. The stage versions of short stories are part of the SRC Summer Theatre festival. The presentations are directed by the senior actors of its repertory. This exercise provides them an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the art of stage direction and enables them to enrich their acting too.
On the first evening, three stories were featured, beginning with “Wapasi” written by Usha Priyamwade. It is the moving tale of a man who has just come home after retirement. In a jubilant mood he restarts his daily routine in the company of his family, which he missed through his working life. But soon his dream shatters. He realises he is a stranger in the family, whose sole objective is to get his money and treat him like dirt.
It is directed by Shrikant Verma, an actor, director and playwright, with sensitivity and imagination. He slightly changed the story here and there to give it a proper theatrical shape, to focus on the central theme of the play – the plight of ageing people who are victims of their unabashedly greedy and ungrateful family. Trained in Theatre Arts from SRC, Shrikant imparts a gentle touch to his production, trying to capture the rhythm of middle class family life with its hypocrisy and selfishness.
Sanjay Kumar Singh’s aged retired father evokes feelings of pity, sadness and anguish. He acts in a restrained manner that imparts emotional intensity to his portrayal.
Unrequited love
Designed and directed by Naresh Dabral, “Uske Saath Chai Ka Aakhri Cup” presents the bitterness of unrequited love. Written by Sudhanshu Gupta, the action takes place on two time levels – present and past. Naresh is able to weave present and past into one narrative whole, projecting uninterrupted flow of dramatic action. Ashish Sharma, Babita Kurdiya and Jyotirupa Devi reveal various shades of perplexities of love that has gone sour.
The evening came to a close with the presentation of Vijaydandetha Detha’s Rajasthani story “Khojee”. Also directed by Naresh, it illustrates the parable of man’s perpetual disaffection with his lot and his quest for fulfilment which tends to be a chimera and often culminates in catastrophe.
Naresh has displayed novelty by changing performers to play the lead character without breaking the rhythm of the production. Stage compositions are changed in quick succession to give the illusion of the ambiance in which the action takes place. However, he wavers in the style of direction. Instead of treating the story in a realistic fashion, he handles vital situations in a light-hearted manner.
The second evening was remarkable for projecting a striking image of an idealistic doctor of a small town who fights for his ideals and his dignity even in his old age, suffering from partial paralysis. At another level, it indicts the younger generation devoid of moral values, pursuing the mad race to acquire wealth. Directed by Bhoopesh Joshi, the story was “Alag-Alag Kamre” written by eminent Hindi fiction writer Mridula Garg. The story is powerful and so is its stage presentation. The director, his cast, the off-stage music and the light designing create a tense atmosphere on the stage which enables the actors to reveal their inner dilemma.
In the lead role of the aged and sick doctor, Joshi, a graduate of Bharatendu Natya Akademi, Lucknow, and a seasoned actor, creates a powerful portrait of his character, leaving a deep impact.
Professor Asghar Wajahat’s short story “Mein Hindu Hoon” marked the culmination of the short story evenings. Directed by Ambrish Saxena, it presents the plight of a mentally challenged orphan against the backdrop of communal violence. A gripping production, it exposes the inhumanity of hooligans and the brute force of police that destroy an innocent life. Ashish Sharma as Saifu, the mentally challenged orphan, gives a convincing performance which will continue to haunt the audience for long.
DIWAN SINGH BAJELI
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