Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 16: Balwant Gargi’s acclaimed story ‘Loha Kutt’ was staged on the second day of the ongoing Festival of Plays 2020-2021, organized by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, at the Abhinav Theatre, here today.
Presented by Manoranjan Kala Kendra, and directed by T.S. Premi, the Punjabi play written in 1944, still remains relevant as it brings attention to the cultural values wherein the desires and wants of women are never the priority.
The play ‘Loha Kutt’ as the name suggests revolves around a hardworking blacksmith Kaku, his wife Santi and two children. Set in rural Punjab, the play emphasizes how true love can break the shackles of conservatism. Kaku’s young strong-willed daughter Baino, in love with Sarvan refuses the dictates of her father who has already arranged a match for her. She, in a bold move, elopes with Sarvan. Santi, who was married to Kaku at age of 19 despite being in love with Gajjan, in a dramatic climax, following her daughter, gives up the oppressed, male-dominated relationship runs away with her old lover. The infuriated Kaku, who knows that he had lost her just like his daughter, drops his axe and goes back to the hammering of the iron until the lights go out.
The cast led by Amarjeet Kaur as Shanti, Pandit M.L Shashtri as Kaku, T.S. Premi as Gajjan and Maithali as Deepa, succeeded in keeping the audience engrossed till the very end with their pacy delivery of the dialogues. At the same time, the lead actors in order to be emotive often ended up being loud and melodramatic. The elaborate set was successful in delineating the rustic setting of ironsmith’s house. The village passage in was very well established by the low parapet wall. The background score though affective in its own right was discordant with songs selected from classical Punjabi films.
Other members of the cast were Kulbir Kaur as Bachni, Chitra as Banso, Harbans Singh as Tarloka, Ramesh Sharma as Karma, Shiv Pal Singh as Bharu, and Davinder Singh Dhanjal as Sipahi. The music was by Balwinder Kaur/Mohit Sharma, make-up by Meena Sharma/Renu Sharma, costumes by Prakash Kaur, set designed by Dr Rajinder Thappa, Virji Sumbli, M.L. Sharma and Ajay Gupta.
Tomorrow, Vomedh Rangmanch will stage the Hindi play Mein Mujrim Nahi Par Mein Hi Hoon.
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