There is an uninterrupted continuum of stories that enable us not only to escape but also to see the truths of this life, from Aeschylus to Shakespeare to today’s storytellers.
Theatre honors the tradition of theatre as a narrator and chronicler of social, cultural, political, and spiritual realities on World Theatre Day with a diverse range of incisive, informative, and thought-provoking plays spanning many genres and themes. Here’s a rundown of the stories that are both timeless and contemporary:
Court Martial
Swadesh Deepak, one of the most famous modern playwrights, novelists, and short-story writers, wrote ‘Court-Martial’ in 1991 at a time when caste-based prejudices were not often addressed in the arts. This harrowing play is widely regarded as a groundbreaking commentary on caste oppression. ‘Court Martial’ relates the story of Ramchander, a junior army officer who picks up his rifle one day and shoots down two of his senior officers for no apparent reason. Vikas Roy, his defense lawyer, senses that this isn’t a simple case and tries to go deeper into the crime’s motives, where he discovers a startling reality. ‘Court Martial,’ a crisp judicial drama, an analysis of the justice system, and the study of an unequal society, is one of the most performed plays in contemporary Hindi literature.
Rajeev Khandelwal, Govind Pandey, Bhagwaan Tiwari, Saksham Dayma, and Swapnil Kotriwar feature in the drama directed by Sourabh Shrivastava and Karwarkar Bhavika. Dish and D2H Rangmanch Active, as well as Airtel Spotlight, will broadcast it.
Wrong Turn
“Who gets to determine the meaning of justice and to deliver punishment?” is one of the key questions raised in this drama. Ranjit Kapoor has written a compelling psychological drama about a stranger who walks into an old house to seek shelter on a stormy night and finds a few retired lawyers amusing themselves with a game that he agrees to join, inspired by Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s 1956 novel, ‘A Dangerous Game,’ or ‘Die Panne,’ and its premise of a mock-trial. However, as the fake trial progresses, he realizes that the stakes are higher than he imagined and that if he is proven guilty, he will face unimaginable consequences. Every accusation reveals a new secret, and the truth behind the seemingly innocent game astounds not only Arun but also the viewers.
Govind Namdev, Lalit Tiwari, Suneel Sinha, Liliput Faruqui, Varun Badola, Suzzane Mukherjee, Anangsha Biswas, Shalini Sharma, and Niraj Sah appear in the play directed by Ishan Trivedi. TataPlay Theatre will broadcast it.
Bombed
Is it possible to use humor to investigate a serious topic? This oddball tale of individual quirks, ambitions, and intrigue accomplishes the seemingly impossible. The drama, written by Asha Duggal and Bobby Nagra, examines what occurs when a disoriented teenage tenant, an erratic landlady, a cop on the trail of an international terror suspect, and an aspiring actor meet. Multiple storylines intersect, revealing the outward and interior reality of Zameer or Zed, Fiona, Yogi, and Inspector Sudarshan Damle in a comedy of errors or perhaps dread. The play also addresses problems such as intolerance and the absurdity of living in a permanent state of mistrust toward the “other” with wit and clarity.
The play stars Amey Wagh, Aseem Hattangady, Chaitnya Sharma, Lucky Vakharia, Prerna Chawla, and Siddharth Kumar and is directed by Adaar Khurana. It will be broadcast on D2H Rangmach Active and Dish.
Where did I leave my Purdah?
‘Where did I leave my Purdah?,’ like the majority of playwright and director Mahesh Dattani’s tales, exposes realities we’d prefer to ignore. On the surface, it’s about Nazia, an aging theater veteran whose once-thriving repertory company, ‘Modern Theatre,’ is now a thing of the past. When we examine the play more closely, we discover that it is also about unresolved anguish and the unknown stories of brutality that numerous women experienced during the Partition. Nazia’s determination to resurrect her theatre company resurrects the past, as well as Nikhat, the daughter of her niece Ruby. Nazia’s buried memories are forced to surface, revealing the sorrow and terror that drives her life and art.
Sohaila Kapur, Divya Dutta, Swara Bhasker, Sunil Palwal, and Deepal Doshi feature in Mahesh Dattani’s play. It will be broadcast on D2H Rangmach Active and Dish.
Kahaani Mitra Ki
Even today, same-sex couples are not equally represented in stories, although in 1982, Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar wrote ‘Mitrachi Goshta,’ which is regarded as one of the first contemporary Indian plays on the subject. ‘Kahaani Mitra Ki,’ based on a Marathi play, is set at a Pune college during the pre-Independence era, where a traditional romance takes an unexpected turn as a triangle forms between three students, Bapu, Mitra, and Nama. While Bapu is captivated by Mitra, Mitra is drawn to Nama, who sadly leads to her demise. The drama explores the misery that social conceptions wreak on those who don’t fit in. In a society that doesn’t understand unorthodox relationships, it’s about sexual politics, betrayal, and self-destruction.
Sayalee Phatak, Parna Pethe, Abhay Mahajan, Om Bhutkar, and Priyanshu Painyuli star in the play, which is directed by Akash Khurana.
TataPlay Theatre will broadcast it.
Love
Love, like art, is a transformative force, but this play investigates what happens when a beautiful creation comes to life and begins to confront its creator. Will the creator be able to cope if they created begins to convey its own thoughts and feelings? Are we to think that nothing we make ultimately belongs to us? The narrative of a man who constructs a robot to convince his interfering mother that he is getting married is also a statement on how scientific gadgets are taking over our lives. However, as the robot gets more self-assured, this weird love tale takes an unexpected turn.
Rajeev Siddhartha, Yuki Ellias, Shivam Patil, Sonali Sachdev, Payal Nair, Nandini Sen, Priti Shroff, and Suhani Gandhi star in the drama, which is directed by Karan Talwar. TataPlay Theatre will broadcast it.
