Bhubaneswar: Much to the delight of theatre lovers, the government-sponsored monthly series of plays ‘Natyadhara’, which was stopped since March, 2020 due to outbreak of COVID-19, has resumed.
As is the norm, three plays were staged on April 1, 2 and 3. The first play was ‘Nistabdha Sahanai’, staged by Bhubaneswar based theatre group Expressions. The play, written by Bhaskar Chandra Mohapatra, conceptualized and directed by Debanand Nayak (Sony), revolves around Sona, a Dalit sahanai player and his fight against injustice meted out to those who belong to the lower strata of society. Nalini Nihar Nayak’s light design, Shakti Prasad Mishra’s music, Pandia and Group’s set design and, last but not the least, the acting of actors like Jaga, Biswarajan, Sharada, Jashmin, Soumya Ranjan, Surjya, Akash, Ashish, Bapi and Joseph made the play successful.
On April 2, Ramchandi Socio Welfare Cultural Organisation, Puri, staged ‘Shrestha Sanlapa’. Gautam Das, a clerk in a government office, has a small family comprising his wife Dhara, son Rahul and he. Dhara is a bed-ridden patient. Gautam is also known for writing scripts for street plays. His scripts are generally based on the injustice prevailing in the society. His fearlessness costs him dearly. He is sacked from his job.
Since his son is unemployed, it becomes difficult for him to buy medicine for his ailing wife. Yet, he remains stick to his principle.
Then election comes. Nityanand Mallick, a candidate from a political party, approaches Goutam, requesting him to write a script for him for a street play as part of the campaigning. In view of his poor financial problem, Goutam has to compromise and accept the offer. He writes the script, glorifying Nityanand. But it keeps haunting him. And finally, he ends his life.
Written by Ganeshwar Mohapatra, the play is directed by Pradyumna Mohanty and music by Anjan Kumar. Sandipta, Sameer, Krupasindhu, Ganeshwar, Soni, Samalada and Kanha did justice to their characters.
The third play of the series was ‘Eka Jidkhor Jhia’, staged by Satabdira Kalakar, one of the premier theatre organisations in the state.
The play opens into a drawing room of a family. Brajabandhu, the patriarch head of the family, runs his family through unfair means. Mangala from a different family background marries into Brajabandhu’s family. As time passes by, she gets to know how her father-in-law earns his living and opposes it. Brajabandhu hands the responsibility of running the family over to Mangala. Mangala sets up a pickle and papad manufacturing unit and tries to earn livelihood honestly.
The play ends with Mangala accepting her failure to run the family and asking her father-in-law to take the charge.
The play brings the reality of earning livelihood through honest means with such a clarity that the audience find themselves naked before the mirrors.
The play is an Odia adaptation of Vijay Tendulkar’s Marathi play ‘Ek Hatti Mulagi’. Adapted by Ramakant Banerjee, the play is designed and directed by Dhira Mallick, the founder of Satabdira Kalakar.
Choice of artistes was excellent and they performed upto the expectations of the audience. However, when it comes to take the cake, this reviewer’s choices are none but Santosh Mohanty (Brajabandhu) and Dharashrabani Mohapatra (Mangala).
Pratap Rout’s music, Darpa Narayan Sethi’s light design, Sangram and Nrusingha’s stage design, Kartik Sahu’s costume and Narendra Senapati’s make up contributed a lot in making the play a successful one. Satyaprakash and Manoj were the assistant directors of the play.
‘Natyadhara’, a monthly series of four plays-three plays on the first, second and third day and the second Sunday of every month, is organised by the Culture Department, Government of Odisha in collaboration with the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi and Odisha Natya Sangha.
Odisha Natya Sangha was formed in 1988 and persuaded the government to start a series of plays to keep the theatre movement in the state alive. Finally the government listened to the demand of the Odisha Natya Sangha and thus ‘Natyadhara’ was born in 2012.
Initially, a single theatre group would stage the same play on the first, second and third days of every month. As of now, three different groups from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri regions are staging three different plays at Bhanjakala Mandap. And on the second Sunday of every month, a troupe from other districts is staging a play at Rabindra Mandap.
The last play staged before the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic was ‘Mu Phula Kahuchhi’ on March 13, 2020. Last year, plays under ‘Natyadhara’ could not be held on March 1, 2 and 3 for National Theatre Festival ‘Purva Ranga’ was underway from March 1 to 5. On the second Sunday, i.e. March 8, Adrushya Natya Ashram, Sambalpur, had staged ‘Vaishnava Jana To’ at Rabindra Mandap. And the usual three plays to be staged on March 1, 2 and 3 were instead staged on March 11, 12 and 13 at Bhanjakala Mandap. ‘Phashi’, ‘Kritadasa’ and ‘Mu Phula Kahuchhi’ were the three plays staged by Mirror, Bhubaneswar; Kabach, Puri and Parampara, Bhubaneswar on March 11, 12 and 13 respectively.
Thereafter, to contain the spread of infection, a ban was imposed on holding of any cultural activities in the state.
By kalasanskruti.
