Sir,
It is heartening to read that Natrang Studio Theatre presented William Shakespeare’s famous romantic comedy’A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in Hindustani at Abhinav Theatre, Jammu some days back. William Shakespeare or the Great Bard,as he is known, is probably the greatest playwright world has ever produced in the English language.Many films based on his plays have have been produced in different languages of the world and his plays have also been produced as television adaptations in various languages across the world.Even in Bollywood, films such as ‘Haider'(based on Hamlet), Omkara (based on Othello), Maqbool (based on MacBeth) etc.have been directed by the famous director,Vishal Bhardwaj.Some Hollywood films are also reported to have been based on his world famous comedy’A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ believed to have been written in 1595 or 1596.He is perhaps the most filmed author in any language.
Many famous quotes such as’The course of true love never did run smoothly’,’O, hell! To choose love by another’s eyes”,Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind/And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind’, I’ll follow thee and make a heaven of hell/To die upon the hand I love so well’, etc first used in this famous play, have enriched the English language.Surely, the presentation of such a play in Jammu and that too in Hindustani is a rare feast to the ears and eyes of all those who are interested in Shakespeare and his art.The director and the cast and all those associated with this noble endeavour deserve appreciation for their effort.Already, some of his plays such as’Hamlet’, ‘Julius Caeser’etc. have been staged in Jammu in Dogri, which have received tremendous response and enthralled the spectators.It is hoped that this play will be equally welcomed and will help in popularising the Shakespearean art in our state.
Yours etc…..
Ashok Sharma,
District President,
All J&K Plus 2
Lecturers’ Forum,
Udhampur.
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