Guwahati Plays

Playwright : Pankaj Jyoti Bhuyan
Director : Krishna Bhuyan
Group : Rangabhumi
Language : Assamese
Duration : 70 Mins.

Play:

Panchawati, a boat that sails in the heart of river Dirang, isn’t just a boat. It is the source of strength for a crew of young men, and a symbol of determination and prestige for the village. By winning every annual traditional rowing event held in ten neighbouring villages, Panchawati has always stood out as a figure of protest. But, this is troubling the region’s MLA, and she is utilizing every deceitful trick she has up her sleeve to defeat Panchawati. She has tried her best to break the team down. On the other hand, five courageous women reorganize the crew and the event, as a resistance towards the MLA’s political ambitions. They provide shelter and shade to oppressed people, just like the five ancient trees called Panchawati. This is the story of victory of women power.

Director’s Note

Panchawati is a fictional social drama.  The play mainly attempts to show the power of women as a means of fighting against an evil force. The play is presented with special emphasis on Assamese folk music and dance. The play attempts to present the diversity of culture with the color of lights. The play makes extensive use of symbolism in its presentation and characterization. The play shows the courage and inspiration of five women.  In their inspiration, the victory of a culture and the defeat of a bad culture are at the heart of the play.  The play is an attempt to symbolically portray one of the folk cultures of Assam, boating.

Director

Well known actor and director, Krishna Bhuyan has been working in different fields of theatre in Assam. He has played major roles in famous plays such as Andhayug, Kukurnesia Manuh, Tomak Valpaw, Janmantar etc., and in about thirty plays and TV serials in Assam. He has also directed Kangsha, Siyali Palegoi Ratanpur, Moi Tuniya Tun Tunalo, Lavita, Akashor Nodi etc. He directed Andarat Sihatar Mukhabor that participated in Jashne Bachpan 2012 organized by National School of Drama. He was awarded the best actor and director awards in State Level Competition of Assam and National Theatre Competition held in Orissa. In the 10th “Purrvottar Natya Samaroh, by National School of Drama, New Delhi 2018, the play Dhaniramar Theatre was directed by him, staged in Arunachal Pradesh. ‘Panchawati’, the play directed by him had been selected for Pragjyotish Theatre Festival 2020 by National School of Drama.

Group

Established in 2012 the organization Rangabhumi is relentlessly working for the all-round development of the village children, as they are not lucky enough to get support for their extracurricular activities. The group has done a tremendous job by making this organization work throughout the state. It is producing many talents in the field of culture and sports, and also organizing theatre workshops, recitations, quizzes and music competitions. Rangabhumi has staged many children’s plays including Jokar, Xaxagot, Xiylirxadin, Anivobi Monbur, Bakhor. Dhaniramar Theatre, Panchawati, Andharot Hihotor Mukhbur which have been selected for National and International Theatre Festivals by National School of Drama. A good number of talent from Rangabhumi is now successfully working in different socio- cultural and sports arena in various parts of Assam.

Director : Khoisnam Ranabir Singh
Playwright : Mahasweta Devi
Group : Khoriphaba Artistes’ Association, Manipur
Language : Manipuri
Duration : 75 Mins

Play

The play Meenai depicts a story of Paatan, an Aajir(slave) enslaved by a bond signed by his ancestor very long ago. That bond of slavery denies him the right to love and marry. Now he and his entire life belongs to the Master Maatang Shunri. The Mistress of the house who is the wife of Maatang is a young and luscious wench and loves Paatan very much. Paatan looks up her as a mother. So one night, she steals all the jewelries and gamchha binding the bond from her husband’s chest and then runs away with Paatan to a distant place. When he asks her for the bond, she shows him by shaking the gamchha that there is no bond any longer to bind him as it had long turned to specks of dust. But he does not believe her and bursts out of furious anger. Out of control of his extreme rage, he kills her by squeezing her throat. At this terrible juncture his Master Maatang and Villagers find them and catch him. Paatan tells all the things why he had killed her. His Master opens up the truth that he and even his father had never seen that bond in the gamchha as it had turned to dust long ago. Now Paatan discovers himself that he was never been a slave and was a free man. And he loses his luscious woman forever.

Director’s Note

The play entitled as Meenai is an adapted Manipuri Version of the play Aajir written by renowned playwright, Mahasweta Devi. It depicts a sad story of a slave, who was enslaved by a bond signed by his ancestor very long ago. But he could discover too late that the bond had long turned to dust. Such late discovery is a metaphor, for traditional constraints that bind the individual in India long after the legal authority has given away. Our creative endeavour  is focused on the quest that a weakest person is one who has no self confidence and not bold enough to live in liberty. People must be aware of class consciousness in an outdated social system and exploitation of man by man as well.

Director

Born on 1^st March 1954, Ranabir Khoisnam, B.Sc. B.Ed, is a serious theatre enthusiast and has been rendering his services as an actor, director and organizer since 1979. Now he is also working as General Secretary of Theatre Centre, Manipur, an apex body of all theatre groups in Manipur. He received the basic education of theatre art from various luminaries of Indian Theatre namely Shri Heisnam  Kanhailal, Padmabhusan Awardee, Shri  Sanakhya  Ebotombi (N.S.D.), Shri Wareppa Naba, Padmashri Awardee etc. as his gurus.  He directed more than 40 plays and conducted many seminars and theatre workshops. He is the recipient of the prestigious awards for outstanding achievements in  the field of theatre in national and state levels, recipient of Manipur State Kala Akademi Award 2020, Ranga Ratan Award. Few of publicly acclaimed plays under his direction worth mentioning are- Ningthou Pheijomthok (the naked king), Doctor Faustus, Mother of 1084, Ashadh Ka Ek Din, The Fire and The Rain, Hayavadan, Shen Thanaba (The Bet), Meenai (Aajir), Post Master,  Kaikup-Phi (kaphan), Kanasu Eigi Ming Khangde, The Last Journey, Phagigee Maikhum (Mask of the Joker), Fate of An Artiste  etc. As contribution to Dramatic Literature, he has translated 8 plays into Manipuri  and dramatized 6 short stories. Now he is working with full dedication in contemporary Indian Theatre with great insight in the traditional and cultural roots.

Group

The Khoriphaba Artistes’ Association, Nambol, established in 1969 and registered in  1971 under the Indian societies Registration Act, XXI of 1860 is a dynamic theatre group of Manipur with the objectives for bringing preservation, promotion and propagation of theatre culture in the state, in particular building the contemporary Indian theatre in general and in developing children’s theatre for children as well.

The Group has strenuously involved in the contemporary theatre movements and actively has been engaged in multifarious cultural activities to the cause of cultural movements and artistic growth with the hardship of 35 young and energetic artistes under the guidance of Kh. Ranabir Singh. It has produced more than 90 plays of different categories and organised workshops, seminars, interaction programmes, lectures and demonstrations etc. It has participated in the National and State Level Drama Festivals and Seminars organised by reputed organisations at New Delhi, Allahabad, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Kolkatta, Assam and Manipur State Kala Akademi, Imphal theatre Centre, Manipur, 4^th National Theatre Festival 2019 organized by Minerva Natya Sanskriti Charchakendra, Kolkata, National IPTA Platinum Jubilee Festival 2018, Patna, Under the Sal Tree Festival 2019, Goalpara District, Assam  etc.

Now, This theatre is seriously going on experimentation solely based on indigenous culture and traditions to evolve a new theatre idiom-Theatre of Inner Spiritual Essence.

Director and Writer : Debananda Nayak
Group : Expressions, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Language : Odia
Duration : 105 Mins.

Play

Far from this hurly – burly world, there was a hamlet, Malapur, at the midst of nature, surrounded by hills, forests and stream, where Nandibali a tribal cultivator is living with his family comprising his son Bagla and daughter Kajodi. Nandibali’s life as an independent cultivator is not fitting to the game plan of Sahukar (money lender), Revenue Officer (tiger), Police (wild buffalo) and Dhangda (eunuch servant). They set the Botala Bhuta (country liquor) after him as a plea to get relief from physical stress and strain. Nandibali became bankrupted. Inspite of knowing the evil designs, Nandibali helplessly allowed Sahukar to take away his son as slave and daughter as kept. Now Nandibali is realizing that the country liquor engulfed him.

Director’s Note

It’s a play featured with realistic acting, stylized costume, illusions in character identity, folk dance, folk music along with a little creativity in Odia dialogues to give the subject a countryside flavor. This play is very much influenced by “NATA “the traveller actor, singer of ancient Odisha and his belonging box (NataPetika). As we know style is the manner of dramatic expressions hence the style is borrowed from typical Odishan folk theatre. Style is the degree and kind of life likeness that has used in its writing. The play starts from tree worshiping, as it’s a common and ever practiced ritual among Odishan hill side people. It’s a story of hill side farmer’s struggle for existence which turns to a tragic end.

Director & Writer  

After completing Post Graduation in dramatic literature and direction, Debananada Nayak focused into street theatre along with exclusively the Folk and Traditional Theatre arena of Odisha. Later he is a front liner Director, Writer to a number of Odia Tele Serials and Feature Films, one of them got President Award at National level also. Apart from these, as a director scored a remarkable recognition at National Youth Festival and National Inter University Festivals various times. A lifelong member of Odisha IPTA group, conducted theatre workshops on behalf of State Sangeet Natak Academy in a number of districts. He is presently working as a Faculty in the department of drama at Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubnaneswar Odisha.

Group

A center for social welfare, registered in 2015, Expression is functioning under the guidance of Shri Debananda Nayak, a Post Graduate (Specialization in Dramatic Literature) from Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, BBSR Odisha. The group has already attended around 10 National Festivals along with 12 State Level festivals till Date. Successfully 45 Student already trained within 5 years. Out of them 25 are continuing in the group as actors and Technicians. Experts those are already recognized by State Sangeet Natak Academy and Central Sangeet Natak Academy like Sadasiv Pradhan (Chau dance), Praful Mitra (Hindustani Vocalist), Joty Shankar Mahapatra, Amiya Kumar Maharana (Stage Craft & Illusionist), Nalini Nihar Nayak (Director & Designer) etc. are closely associated with the workshops and Productions of the group. The Play Botala Bhuta is the second production of this group which is going to stage its 76^th number of Show in respected Bharat Ranga Mohatsav 2022. The group believes in contemporary theatre only.

Writer : Dharamvir bharti
Translator :  Pronota Bandhyopadhyay
Director : Poulami Bose
Group : Shyambazar Mukhomukhi, Kolkata
Language : Bangla
Duration : 105 Mtns.

Play

Andha Yug is based on the ancient Sanskrit epic, Mahabharata written by Ved Vyasa. The play begins on the eighteenth and last day of the Great Mahabharata War, which devastated the kingdom of Kauravas, the feuding cousins of Pandavas, their capital the once magnificent Hastinapur lay burning, in ruins, the battlefield of Kurukshetra was strewn with corpses, and skies filled with vultures and death laments. Fatalities were on both sides as cousins killed each other. The survivors were left grieving and enraged as they continued to blame each other for the destruction. No one was willing to view it as a consequence of their own moral choices. Ashwatthama, son of guru Dronacharya, in one last-ditch act of revenge against the Pandavas, releases the ultimate weapon of destruction – the Brahmastra, which promises to annihilate the world. No one comes forward to condemn it: Ethics and humanity have been the first casualties of the war. Krishna who mediated between the cousins before war, remains the moral centre of the play. Even in his failure he presents options that are ethical and just and reminds us that a higher or sacred way is always accessible to human beings even in the worst of times. The play ends with the death of Krishna.

Director’s Note

Andha Yug (The Age of Blindness) is set in the last day of the Great Mahabharat war. The five-act tragedy is a metaphoric meditation on the politics of violence and aggressive selfhood and that war dehumanized individuals and society. Andha Yug highlights the perils of self-enchantment in an anti-war allegory. It elaborates on the consequences, when a society fails to stop a cycle of revenge and instead chooses a redemptive path, which is always available even in worst of scenarios. Bharati uses the war of Mahabharat to make an anti-war statement and raises questions regarding moral uprightness, loss of faith and national identity. The play is not limited to the conflict between good and evil but it makes a nation aware about facing the changing times of the post modernity and post colonialism. Andha Yug does not therefore remain a tale of mythical characters but becomes a dialectical narrative where the past undergoes so many changes in order to comprehend the present. As a director I wanted to project the ills of modern society, the crisis that society is facing due to inaction, self destruction and the rotting Dmoral fabric, all of which can be overcome by following the last words of Krishna as portrayed in the play which says that the age of darkness can be overcome by displaying courage in the face of adversity, to have freedom of choice and to have an imagination to create something new. I very strongly feel that the play ANDHA YUG is a testament of our times and is extremely contemporary in its philosophy.

Group

Since its inception in 1996, Shyambazar Mukhomukhi has traveled in search of meaningful and creative enriching theatre and this journey continues unabated without having lost its momentum. On one hand Shyambazar Mukhomukhi obeys the responsibility to generate a new group of theatre activities and has selected diverse but interesting, highly acclaimed socially relevant plays and has ensured a high level of production quality and presentation .At the same time Shyambazar Mukhomukhi has felicitated veteran theatre personalities for their contribution, thus bridging gap between the older and the younger generation of theatre enthusiasts.

Prantapasya, Atmakatha, Neel Mati Laal Kankar, Prem Nai Lambakarna, Teen Kanya are some mach applauded productions of Shyambazar Mukhomukhi. For the  last 20 years the group has been organizing drama festival for five days continuously which includes Exhibition, Seminar, Street Drama etc. with felicitating renowned Actors, Light designers, Music directors, Set designers & Critics also.

Playwright : Budha Chingtham
Direction &  Design :  Ningthouja Deepak
Group : NT Theatre, Manipur
Language : Manipuri
Duration : 60 mts.

Play

A pena player of the modern times, forewarns of an unknown disaster lurking in the deep water of the river of life.  An unknown force constantly invades upon the lives of fishers at this spot, from none could escape.  The attack took place one day in the lives of Rabei, a fishermen, Leihao his wife, also a priestess, and their son, Lemba and both father and son were taken captives.  A sculptor working in the area instructed Leihoa, the priestess to find her lost ones by using her hidden power.  But, at the moment she should trace them, she was forcibly given liquor as well as raped by the unknown force.  She was left alone in a secluded area, people blamed her for a woman of loose character and in thin ignorance of the fact, punished her severely.  Later on head Mother and her followers of the school of maibis came to take her fact to thin order.  Lemba who remains untraceable, the while returned to take up the chisel to carve a statue of peace, he found the old sculptor had turned into a statue himself. Pena player of the modern times remains still.

Director’s Note

The play is an attempt to show the various rituals involved with the life of a priestess in a Manipur society.  It is the story of how a priestess, by using her hidden power, tries to trace her husband and gets lost in this conflicting situation of this society as it usually happens.  While searching for them, she also becomes a victim of the evil forces.  For depicting the journey of the priestess through touch times, various ritual art forms of Manipur are portrayed in this play.

Director

Ningthouja Deepak started his acting career at the young age of seven under the guidance of his father Ningthoujam Tombi Singh, prominent theatre director of Manipur and Director Chairman of Manipur Dramatic Union (MDU), the oldest theatre group of Manipur.  He became a child artiste of All India Radio, Imphal at a young age and has now been upgraded to a B High Artiste.

He worked with Wareppa Naba, Padmashree, Director Theatre Mirror Manipur for about fifteen years.  After establishing NT Theatre, Manipur in 1999, there has been no looking back.  Under his Directorship, the group has been participating in a number of National and International Festivals. To name a few, International Theatre Festival 2019, Tomsk, Russia, Bharat Rang Mahotsav, International Theatre Festival of India, organised by the National School of Drama, New Delhi 2012, 2013, 2014, Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award (META), 2011, 2012, 2013, 8th Theatre Olympics 2018 etc. Under his guidance, the group has also organised National as well as International Theatre Festivals – All India Multilingual Drama Competition, North east Theatre Festival and Asian Theatre Festival in collaboration with Manipur Sangai Festival.

Ningthouja Deepak is also an awardee of Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award (META) for Best Choreography in 2011, the highest theatre award of India.

Playwright

Budha Chingtham (b. 1957 Imphal) is a critic, playwright and regular columnist on the Sangai Express. His criticism could be found in The Sangai Express, Theatre India, published by the National School of Drama, the Jharkhand based Hindi Theatre Journal “Rangavarta” and Manipur’s ‘This Week’. He is the founder, actor and director of Galaxy Mobile Drama, since 1975 and has acted in most of its major productions.

He received several META Award nominations for his plays best known for his conflict trilogy – Mythical Surrender, A Far Cry and The Priestess. And his solo play Dreams from My Room” is also nominated for META Theatre Festival, 2015. He is also the recipient of several awards such as the Best Original Script in META 2011, Ambedkar Kalakshetra Movement National Award 2013, Best Writer Award for Drama and Best Actor Award among others.

Budha Chingtham is a multi-talented theatre practitioner. His plays were blended with philosophy, poetry and dramatic narrative and have travelled to many International and National Theatre Festivals. He has presented more than dozen papers in Seminars on Theatre, held in various part of the country. A columnist for the Sangai Express, Chingtham was awarded the R.K. Maipaksana Journalist Fellowship for 2014. And he is a state member of NEZCC, Dimapur and programme committee member of EZCC, Kolkata.

Group

NT Theatre, Manipur is one of the most outstanding theatre units of North-East India, established by some enthusiastic supporters and theatre activities with encouragement and patronage from various personalities of Manipur.

NT Theatre, Manipur has been short listed to participate in the Bharat Rang Mahotsav, International Theatre Festival of India organised by the National School of Drama, New Delhi in 2012, 2013 & 2014. The group also had the opportunity to take part in the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award (META), sponsored by Mahindra Group, from 2011 to 2013 winning the Best Choreography, Best Innovative Sound Design (twice), Best Original Playwright & Best Set Design. The group also participated in the 8th Theatre Olympics, organised by the National School of Drama, New Delhi under the aegis of International Theatre Olympic Committee and Government of India. It also Participated in the 5th International Theatre Festival  at Tomsk, Russia from 8th to 13th Nov., 2019.

So far NT Theatre Manipur has organised All India Multilingual Drama Competition, North East Theatre Festival and Asian Theatre Festival, in collaboration with the Manipur Sangai Festival and National Theatre Festival.

Playwright : Daya Prakash Sinha
Director : Arvind Singh
Group : Sumukha, Delhi
Language : Hindi
Duration: 105 Mins.

Play

The period of social disintegration with the dissolution (break down) of the empire, In the last phase of Mughal rule, is the protagonist of the play Seedhiyaan, who loses its chastity with the falling values of the society. Degenerate society, corrupt elites, voluptuous rulers are such livid, who caused the miserable picture of the past be drawn miserable. The colors neither disolved nor faded in course of time. Even in the present picture, observers can clearly see the glimpse of the blurred colors of the image of that period.

The hero of the play Sidhiyan is neither the Mughal emperor Mohammad Shah Rangila, nor Salim who became Subedar from a simple ‘Dhindorchi’. Its drama is the period, in which only truth is- in victory. The victory of untruth over truth, disbelief over faith, lust over love and violence over compassion: the religion of the era.

Most sacred passions of man hanging on the cross of cowardness to enunchism, from luxury to destruction, from revelry to blood streams and the ambition; the beginning and, the end- all the same. One step after another, but the stage of the journey is the same, the question is the same, the problem is the same, the self seeking is the same- in one sentence this is Sidhiyan.

Playwright

Daya Prakash Sinha, the creator of the play Sidhiyan, in addition to the Padma Shri by the Government of India and the ‘Academy Award’ by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi is honored with about two dozen other prestigious awards in the field of drama. Today he is considered to be amongst the best playwrights of Hindi. His contribution to Indian theater as a playwright, director, theater scholar and arts administrator has been unique.

Daya Prakash Sinha himself directs his plays, before they are published. Makes them stage- perfect, modifying them accordingly. Hence, his plays can easily be performed on stage, keeping their literary potential intact.

Daya Prakash Sinha’s plays are prescribed in the syllabus of many universities because of their literary excellence. A number of research scholars in many universities of Kerala, Gujarat, Delhi, Kashmeer, Rajasthan, West Bangal, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh etc. are Doing / have done research for Ph.D. on his plays.

Daya Prakash Sinha’s plays have been translated into many Indian languages including English, Oriya, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam etc. Daya Prakash Sinha, the author of fifteen plays, has other famous and much-staged plays – such as Katha Ek Kans Ki, Samrat Ashoka, Apne Apne Daoan, Itihaas Chakra etc. to his credit.

He is presently involved in doing theatre and writing after retiring as an I.A.S.

Director

Born in Allahabad, Arvind Singh has been deeply involved with theatre, music and performing arts since childhood. His activism in theatre had started from Allahabad itself. He has trained in theatre from Shriram Center for Performing Arts New Delhi. Arvind has a rich experience of working with many eminent theatre directors of the country. The major plays directed by him are-  Taj Mahal Ka Tender, Dus Din Ka Anshan, Andher Nagari, Mughal Bachcha, Gharwali, Baad, Kafan, Assi Bahari Alang, Chauraha, Kahaniyon Ka Sangam, Katha Ek Kans Ki, Devdas, Supna Ka Sapna, Thanku Baba Lochandas, Gandhi Ne Kaha Tha, Sidhiyan, Zanjeer Ka Naghma, Bulleshah, Jhalkari Bai etc. Arvind Singh has acted in more than fifty plays and has also composed music for many plays. Arvind Singh has received education in music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad. He was awarded research fellowship by the Ministry of Culture. He has received the Kakasaheb Kalelkar Award in the field of arts.

Group

For the last ten years, our organization ‘Sumukha’ has been continuously promoting culture. We are committed to cooperate and support new experiments in culture. Our organization consists of the artistes trained at the institutions like National School of Drama Delhi, Bharatendu Natya Academy Lucknow, M.P. Drama School, Bhopal, Shriram Center for Performing Arts Delhi etc. and amateur artistes. It constantly keeps on doing something new. It also continues to work with children facing challenges. Apart from entertainment for the general public, our theatre troupe is regularly active in trying to stage new challenges and expressions of cultural works.

Sumukha has performed many plays in Delhi and other states in which it has received immense appreciation. Sumukha has staged plays like Dus Din Ka Anshan, Thanku Baba Lochan Das, Assi Bahri Alang, Kafan, Baad, Taj Mahal Ka Tender, Mughal Bachcha, Crime and Punishment, Kahaniyona ka Sangam, Katha Ek Kansa Ki, Devdas, Sidhiyan, Oedipus, Supna Ka Sapna Etc. Sumukha organizes the Natya Utsav every year.