Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Mar 21: Wostad-I-Shehnai, staged by Kashmir Performers Collective, Srinagar, at the Abhinav Theatre, here today, emerged as a befitting theatrical tribute to Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, a musical genius, and an epitome of composite culture.
Shahid Iqbal, Additional Secretary to Chief Minister, Director Information, M. D. Tourism, Jammu & Kashmir was the chief guest on the occasion.
Scripted, directed and designed by Manzoor Ahmed, today’s performance was conspicuous for the successful reiteration of the grand legacy of pluralism that informs the cultural ethos of our country, especially the inheritance of classical music nurtured by generations of practitioners like Ustad Bismillah Khan sahib who firmly believed that music is above religion and caste.
The plot of the play opened in a middle-class Kashmiri household where a man who is listening to a Shehnai recital on Radio is chided by the wife for waking up their son. This leads the man to explain to his wife the life story of Ustad Sahib from childhood to old age.
Sponsored by Ministry of Culture Govt. of India, as a part of the commemoration of the Birth Centenary of Ustad Bismillah Khan, today’s performance was designed as a collage of scenes in which the life story of Ustad Bismillah Khan is enacted in parts details about biographical landmarks are told by narrators. It opened with Saraswati Vandana in the background of a live recital by Gh. Rasool Bhagat (Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee) and Gh. Ahmad Bagat, traditional Surnai players from Kashmir. This not only created a cleverly connect between the Kashmir’s musical tradition with rest of the country but also reflected upon the living heritage wherein the same set of artistes perform at Hindu as well as Muslim functions.
The scenes representing Ustad as child prodigy inborn with attraction towards music, a Sadhu blessing him at Varanasi, achieving fame and name in young age, naming his Shehnai as Begum in memory of his wife and the great honour bestowed upon him when he performed at Lal Qila in 1947-all were appreciated by the audience.
Sapna Soni, a senior actor of Jammu in multiple roles of dancer, mother of Bismillah Khan and a narrator, impressed everyone with her wide range of dance as well as acting skills. Other actors who also gave good performances included Daizy Bazaz, Bashir Ahmad Bagat, Kosar Chandpuri as the child artist, Khursheed Mir, Rani Bhan, Rashid Shehnaz, Rohan Singh Jamwal, Vinay Pandita, Kanwal Peshin, and Bunty Raina. The other artists were Gulzar Ahmad Dar and Aamina Ji. Sandeep Tikoo and Rajeev gave accompaniment on Tabla.
The costumes were designed by Anita Chandpuri and Princy Bhat, set by Virji Sumbly, music by Surinder Manhas and makeup by Arshad Nawshahri. The production was managed by Rohit Bhat.
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