Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Mar 16: Young and talented Dogri short story writer and playwright Rajeshwar Singh Raju’s Dogri play ‘Apne Upper Bhari’, came out as a creative retort to the social attitude that considers the birth of girl child as inauspicious and burdensome, by portraying that in fact the males due to their predatory nature were a real threat to her.
Staged by Rangshala Theater Group on second day of the ongoing Dogri Theater Festival being organized by North Zone Cultural Center, Patiala, in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, at the Abhinav Theater, here today, the play was enjoyed by the audience for its sensitive subject. Especially enjoyable was the comic way in which the malaise of the traditional mindset of families who go to any extent to and to have a male child a first born was projected through situations and dialogues comprising of colloquial phrases and expressions.
Directed by Umesh Singh, today’s play design, in a welcome experiment incorporated some elements of the almost extinct Dogra folk theatre form of ‘Bhagtiyan’. These included the opening prayer by the Chorus and the versified dialogues of the ‘Senti’ and ‘Benti’, who acted as Sutradhar. The incorporation of shamanistic ritual, also added a touch of Duggar’s folk life.
Veteran actor Umesh Singh, in multiple roles of the self-styled holy men who exploit the gullible, and as grandfather-the ‘Forester’, gave an impressive performance. Other members of the cast included were Veena Dogra, Chanchal Dogra, Rekha Sharma, Rabia Khajuria, Garima Khajuria, Nazuk Bhagat, Kanchi Khajuria, Mukesh Bral and Varun Sharma. Gautam Singh was the assistant director of the play, costumes by Sunita K. Thakur, make-up by Nikita Dogra, music by Nikhil Singh, Set by Siddharth Singh, and props by Abhishek Singh.
Tomorrow, Dogri play ‘Bhagyavidhata’ will be staged under the direction of Aditya Bhanu by Laksha The-Aim.
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