Nasik Plays

Original Novel in Hindi : Mr. Brijesh Varman
Adaptation & Director : Late Prof.  Afsar  Hussain
Group : Rudreshwar, Panaji, Goa

Play

Vishwamitra is a play based on the novel with same title by Mr.  Brijesh Varman in hindi.  Directed by Prof Afsar Hussain, the play revoles around Vishwamitra, the Mythological Scholar.  The references required are taken  from multiple stories of Mythology and are used to interprete the Character of the Vishamitra.

With the objective to set a once nation and eliminate the Evil powers Vishamitra decides to associate with Ram and laxman. In the play important scenes like Tadhka vadh, Ahilya’s curse, Lord Parshurama’s  Interpretation of India (bharatvarsh), Indras Ego and power struggle etc are highlighted,  which makes narratives interesting.

The play Focuses on the most important aspects for good governance. The play, attempts to make performance attractive by using elements of Natyashastr like angik,  Vachik,  Satvik, Aharya abhinay along with  Mudras, dance singing and acting. The play has been recognized and rewarded to complement the success in various theatrical festivals.

Director’s Note

I have been teaching Indian Classical theatre popular as Natyashatra in various theatre schools across India since 1990.  I read and adapted the hindi Novel” Vishwamitra” written by my friend Mr.  Brijesh Varman.  I could witness elements of Indian Classical drama in it.

Vishwamitra is a play directed by me and is influenced by structure of the Natyashatr. The play begins with Purva –rang (Nandi and prastavana) then followed by the actual story of the play concludes with bharatvakya.  Play revolves around Vishwamitra and his journey.  He alongside Ram and Laxman covers the journey in which the focus of Vishwamitra was on to create a RAM RAJYA by making ram Capable to sit as adminiatrator of the Bharat Rastra.

The methodology of the acting is based on lokdharmi and Natyadharmi, with Dance,  mudras and Songs esthetically , which enhances the experience of the audience.

Director

An M.A in Drawing and Painting from University of Udaipur and an awarded general council member of Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academy (1988) Afsar Hussain completed his three year diploma in Dramatics from National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1984. He was awarded one year scholarship from National School of Drama to work with Deaf Artistes 1984-1985, and a fellowship by the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academy to study folk theatre.

He held solo and group shows of paintings at the cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Shimla, Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Goa. He Directed,  Acted In, and translated more then 50 plays in different languages during a period of more then 30 years. He has conducted more then 50 Theatre workshops across the country and participated in numerous National and International Theatre festivals. He toured to Dublin in 2011 with “Red oleander” and “The Post Office” the plays by Rabindranath Tagore.

He was Professor at Kala Academy Goa’s School Of Drama 1990-2002, and the chief of Repertory Company of the same from 2002-2012.

He is at present a free lance Theatre activist and is a visiting faculty to many Theatre Institutes including N.S.D.

Group

“Rudreshwar” Panaji is an institution which interalia works for the promotion of cultural, sports and literary talents in the state of Goa and in that pursuit Rudreshvar Panaji for last over 28 years had been carrying on hunt and identifying and locating the exemplary talent available in this Parshuram Bhumi.

Since its establishment, institution has produced more than 100 full length & One Act Plays in Hindi, Marathi, English and Konkani languages for various festivals and competitions. The institution has clinched more than 1650 prizes in aggregate in various competitions organized by different institutions & Government Bodies at State, Inter-state & National levels which itself creates an  history in the Goan Cultural Field.

The Critically acclaimed Plays of the institution are Tuka abhang abhang Menkasukta, Mahaprashthan,  Vishwamitra,  palshetchi Vihir,  Vakshak,  Soul  to Soul among many others.  The along side full length plays institution also conduct production workshops for children and one act plays.

Director : Gangaram (Satish) Narvekar
Playwright : Late. Linganath
Group : Rudra Studio Laboratories
Language : English, Konkani
Duration : 70 Mtns.

Play

Soul to soul is a story based in Goa on background of Goa Portugal freedom struggle. A Hindu girl and a Christian boy fall in love with each other. Girl’s father is a freedom fighter and boy’s father is in Portuguese police. Both are in love with each other from childhood but can’t come together. Boy’s father takes transfer to Portugal to solve this problem and leaves Goa with his family. Meanwhile Goa gets freedom and after that boy returns to Goa and convinces the girl to marry him. He gives girl a book written by him on his childhood memories with her and asks her to read the book and take her decision. That one hour journey of girl is shown in this play while she reads the book her soul (mind) comes to her, talks to her, and helps her take the decision.

Director’s Note

How a person takes any decision in his life? Is it on his past experiences? Advice given by other people? Or by talking to his own consciousness, soul? What is the process/ affair that goes within us before we come to any conclusion or decision? Do we do what our conscious or soul tells us? Are we the puppet handled by our soul? Or is our soul a puppet which is handled by us? There are lots of questions comes to our mind before taking any decision, and when it is related to Love, it is very difficult to come to a conclusion. In this play, we try to find answers to these questions. It is said that before anyone comes together in love, it is important that their Soul comes together first.

Director

Satish Ramakrishna Narvekar was born and brought up in Goa. He is post-graduate in Dramatics and presently working as Asst. Prof at Kala Academy, Goa’s College of Theatre Arts. At the age of 7, he started working with a Cultural group ‘Rudreshwar Panaji’ (RUP), from Goa, where his love for theatre related activities was nurtured. Since then he has acted, directed, done background music, lights, sets, and costumes of more than 70 dramas & one act plays across various languages like Marathi, Konkani, Hindi and English. He has roughly six hundred shows of different plays & one act plays to his credit. He has also been involved in theatre training for the past 15 years and has conducted several workshops in theatre for children in Goa and in Sri Lanka. Satish Narvekar has won several awards in various drama competitions in Goa & Maharashtra for Direction, Acting, Lights, and Music. He is Awarded Yuva Srujan Puraskar (Young Inspiring theatre artiste) by Government of Goa. He has also performed at various regional and national theatre festivals in different parts of the country like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jodhpur, Bhopal & Tripura. The international performances include the performance at the Colombo International Theatre Festival, Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2015 and 2019, 18^th Bharat Ranga Mohotsava 2016 and South Asian Theatre festival (Online) in 2021. He had the privilege to work with well-known theatre Directors like Padmashri Shri.Bansi Kaul, Shri. Mohan Mahrishi, Shri. Dinesh Khanna, Shri. Afsir Hussain, Shri Devidas Amonkar, Deepak Amonkar and M. Saffer, from Sri Lanaka.

Group

Rudra Studio Lab. Is a Sister consent of Rudreshwar panaji a well known cultural institution from Goa which has been awarded best cultural institution by Goa Government and has participated in various National and International theatre festivals. Rudra Studio laboratory works with youngsters to develop their interest in theatre, especially in experimental plays, which includes movement, puppetry, dance, etc. It also organises workshops for youngsters in theatre, in various parts of Goa, to encourage youngsters to do more and more experimental plays. It also works with children and has staged plays with children in various parts of Goa.

DIRECTOR : Dr. Sreejith Ramanan
PLAY WRIGHT : P.J. UNNIKRISHNAN
GROUP: PRAKASH KALA KENDRAM, NEERAVIL, PERINAD P.O, KOLLAM, KERALA- 691 601
LANGUAGE : MALAYALAM
DURATION : 01.30 Hrs

ABOUT PLAY :

SOLITUDE (Ekantham) is a theatrical adaptation of the short story by Anton Chekov. Contemporary Malayalam play Wright & theatre maker PJ Unnikrishnan has done this beautiful job of adapting the story and Dr. Sreejith Ramanan, actor/ director gave it an onstage presentation maintaining an ethos specific to Indian Context. Originally titled The Bet (Ekantham) reminds us to get rid of redundant and conventional practices. The death sentence and the life sentence are equally immoral? To choose between the death sentence and the life sentence is not that easy. Here is a lawyer who chooses the second. The play takes us in to the realms of life and its resultant loneliness and how one renews oneself.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE :

No matter where on earth human beings dwell, there isn’t a moment of emptiness in their lives. Whether he is indoors or outdoors, in company or alone, living a deep/profound life or a meaningless one man can discover freedom. The contemporary playwright PJ Unnikrishnan’s play Ekaantham (Solitude) attempts, in an adapted form in the idiom of the stage, its characterization, and its onstage presentation, to breathe new life into the world renowned writer Anton Chekov’s short story The Bet. This stage version of the story reminds us of the urgency of the need to discard our age old/redundant customs and practices.

Director

Actor, director, researcher and theatre-trainer, Dr. Sreejith Ramanan is currently Head of the Department School of Drama and Fine Arts, University of Calicut, Thrissur and Campus Director, Dr. John Mathai Centre .
Born in the southern most state of India, Kerala, Sreejith has completed his Bachelor of Theatre Arts (School of Drama, Thrissur), Master of Performing Arts (University of Hyderabad), Master of Philosophy in theatre (Mahatma Gandhi University) and three year diploma in contemporary acting (Theatre Training Research Programme, Singapore). Trained under internationally acclaimed practitioners for more than a decade at camps and workshops, Sreejith’s aptitude and energy have been transformed into competence in these avenues. He is an active performer, who has participated in about 80 productions in various capacities, that were staged all over India and abroad. He was casted in the lead role in the play Saketham that was staged in Tokyo and also in the plays of Maya Tungberg, Philip Zarilly, Fueda Uichiro, Leela Alaniz, Kok Heng Luen, S.Ramanujam, Abilash Pillai, Hiroshi Koike and Ram Gopal Bajaj. He has also been honored with the best actor award by the state government of Kerala in 2003 for Chayamukhi, directed by Prasanth Narayanan, which was performed in BRM 2005. He was the Technical Director for the prestigious International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFOK, 2011,2012,2013).

Among his half a dozen directorial ventures, The Chairs(Eugene Ionesco) and The Museum of Lost Pieces (a devising project of the students of the University of Hyderabad) merit most attention. He has also directed a short film, Yakusha Co.Ltd(Japanese), which won the best director award at the Swaralaya Film Festival.

A theatre practitioner with deep exposure to, and hands-on experience in many theatrical and martial arts traditions of South Asia, Sreejith believes in synergizing the insights for an emerging aesthetics. He subjectively studies theoretical approaches and internalizes them for working his way through the world of the visual, the auditory and the energetic.

ABOUT GROUP :

The workers of Prakash Kalakendram firmly believe that qualitative change of society can be speeded-up with the spread of lofty progressive ideals through art, especially through drama. With this noble vision and goal, Prakash Kalakendram commenced its functioning in 1958. The majority of the members of the Prakash Kalakendram are wage labourers, students and ordinary people of Neeravil on the shores of Ashtamudy backwaters. It is working on the pittance of income and contribution of the generous people. “Vignajanaposhni” an ‘A’ grade library which boasts more than 10000 books is housed in Prakash Kalakendram building. Prakash Kalakendram has provided with computer, Television, Musical instruments, lights for presenting of plays, sound system and other properties for stage in the enclosure.

Prakash Kala Kendram hosted numerous Drama festivals by noted theatre groups, Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Akkadami, Soorya Festival etc.

The important plays produced by Prakash Kala Kendram are : Ashadathile Oru Divasam Eswaram, Mary Lawrence, Pakayude Eswaran, Chithalukal, The Chairs, Chayamukhi, Chayagrahanam Bhagavadajjugam, Dura, Makkalkoottam, Uthuppante Kinar.

PLAY:             Sangeet Suvarnatula
DIRECTOR:   Ms. Deepti Bhogale
WRITER:        Mr. Vidyadhar Gokhale
GROUP:         Gandharva Bhushan Jayram Shiledar Sangeet Natya Seva Trust, Pune
LANGUAGE: Marathi
DURATION:  Two hours and 30 minutes

Play:

“Sangeet Suvarnatula (संगीत सुवर्णतुला)” is a Sangeet Natak, a musical play in Marathi. The storyline of Sangeet Natak have predominantly been based on Historical (इतिहास) or Mythological (पुराण) themes. The storyline of the play “Sangeet Suvarnatula” can be stated in one line as – “To destroy the pride of a jealous wife” !

Satyabhama, the newly married wife of Bhagwan Krishna, is jealous of his other wives, especially Rukmini. Rhishi Narad observes this behaviour of Satyabhama. To create a rift / conflict between people, for the betterment of the society, is the favourite intent of Narad. Rhishi Narad, who has come to visit Krishna sees the Parijatak (पारिजातक) tree planted by Krishna in Satyabhama’s garden and uses this opportunity subtly to create a rift between Satyabhama and Rukmini. These queens of Krishna eventually get so angry that even Krishna is not able to resolve the conflict between them. Krishna then takes help of Rhishi Narad. Satyabhama has a precious jewel – Symantak Mani (स्यमंतक मणि) – which generates gold in large quantity every day. Together Krishna and Narad device a plan and execute it in such a way that it destroys Satyabhama’s pride about her wealthiness and makes her realize the value of unselfish and unconditional love & devotion.

Music is an integral and important part of a Sangeet Natak. The music for this play has been composed by great stalwart musicians like Pandit Chhota Gandharva (Saudagar Gore), Pandit Ram Marathe and Master Anant Damle. Rendering of the songs in this play are very popular with the audiences.

About the Group

The “Gandharva Bhushan Jayram Shiledar Sangeet Natyaseva Trust” was established on 20th September 1993 in the memory of late Shri Jayram Shiledar, to preserve, promote & further the rich traditional heritage of Marathi Sangeet Natak, which is a unique art form in itself.

The trust has been working to fulfil its following objectives.

(a) Arrange performances of Sangeet Natak and  Natyasangeet to propagate Marathi Sangeet Natak

(b) Conduct workshops related to Sangeet Natak covering various facets of Sangeet Natak such as musical accompaniment, setting, costumes, makeup, etc.

(c) Train new artists and musicians to carry forward this rich tradition of Marathi Sangeet Natak.

(d) Digitalize the old Marathi Sangeet Natak for the benefit of future generation.

Former Director of the trust, Ms. Keerti Shiledar had conducted workshops at the NSD. The trust has been presenting performances of Sangeet Natak and related programs all over Maharashtra and across India including at NSD, New Delhi in programs such “BRM 2010 – NatyaNad”.

Today the trust is operating under the able guidance of Ms. Deepti Bhogale who has been performing on the stage for the past 50 years in various capacities – acting, singing, playwright, direction, costume & designer etc.

“Marathi Rangabhumi”, the organization dedicated to Marathi Sangeet Natak, founded by Shri Jayram Shiledar and Padmashri Late Smt. Jayamala Shiledar in 1949, is the parent organization of the trust. Since 1949, this organization has presented several shows of 20 traditional Sangeet Natak’s while producing 24 new Sangeet Natak’s during the past 70 years of its journey. “Marathi Rangabhumi” completed 73 years in October 2022.

Director : Shri Ravindra Khare
Playwright : Late Shri Vasant Kanetkar
Group : Bharat Natya Sanshodhan Mandir, Pune
Language : Marathi
Duration : Around 3 Hrs.

The Play

Playwright Vasant Kanetkar’s Sangeet Matsyagandha is one of the highly appreciated musical drama in Marathi, based on the very famous Mahabharat Era, mythical story of Satyavati aka Matsyagandha ( one who smells like fish). Betrayed at young age by sage Parashar, giving birth to her son Vyasa, she grows bitter. She thereafter marries Samrat Shantanu – Hastinapur King.The play depicts the relationship between Satyavati – Shantanu – Yuvraj Devvrat aka Bhishma & Amba. Dhivar – father of Satyavati, Chandol carries the play – narration. Priyadarshan – friend of Bhishma add different flavours to the drama.

The whole drama is full of twists & turns showing how the mankind is just a toy in the hand of the Destiny. Skillfully & perfectly crafted dialogues & inticately woven songs adds spice to the story, on it’s way.

Director’s Note

The Epic Mahabharata starts with the story of Satyavati – the great mother of Mahabharata. The play itself is an epic drama in Marathi theatre which transformed the on-going musical pattern into a new one – by Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki – with many traditional singing forms & ragas sung in a classical way, which adds up to the popularity of the drama & the songs are immensely popular.

The play consists of famous songs, based on classical music, like Devagharache nyaat kunala, Guntata hridaya he, Nako Visaru Sanket Milanacha, Saad Deti Himshikhare, Gard Sabhovati Raan Sajani, Arthshunya Bhase Maja ha, Sansaarsukh Nase Bhaali which are composed by well known composer Padmashri Pt Jitendra Abhisheki.

This play is the first musical drama for both – Prof Vasant Kanetkar & Pt Jitendra Abhisheki, both are Padmashree Awardee.

Prof Vasant Kanetkar is the person on whose shoulder the whole Marathi Drama industry was resting for more than 30 years, who has 42 full length 3 act dramas under his name.

Director

The director of this play Mr. Ravindra Khare is a wellknown actor on Marathi stage & media. He has also composed a musical Nishabda Majgharat, which has won prizes at State Level & also in Marathi Drama Competition in Delhi.

He is closely associated with Bharat Natya Mandir Group for more than 40 years now & holds a position of The Trustee of the institution. He is known for his excellent compering for many programmes related to Natyasangeet & Bhaktisangeet. He has directed more than 15 Marathi Musicals.He has given guidance to many students at Goa Kala Academy & Rajiv Gandhi Institute, Vasco.

He has won many Best Actor & Best Director awards at State Level Competitions. He lends his voice to many ad- films & also acts in few TV-serials by renowned directors. He has produced, directed & edited many plays for AIR Pune.

Playwright

A legendry Dramatist Professor Vasant Shankar Kanetakar, who has presided over Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in 1988, is very famous writer in Marathi. Awarded Padma Shri in 1992 for his literary accomplishments, he is a recipient of Filmfare Award for Best Story, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Theatre – Playwriting (Marathi). This is his birth centenary Year. He wrote more than 42 plays & 4 novels & 6 one act plays during his 4 decades of career. Kanetkar’s plays covered a wide range of subject matters. His favorite subject matters were the life of warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from Maharashtra, the cultural reformation in late nineteenth-century Maharashtra, human relationship, and the decline of morality in post-independence India. His famous plays are : Raigadala Jevha Jaag Yete, Suryachi pille, Himalayachi Sawali, Sangeet Matsyagandha & many more.

Group

Having completed it’s 128 years in October 2022. Bharat Natya Sanshodhan Mandir,Pune is known to be the Oldest Marathi Theatre Educational Institution for Culture including Drama, Dance, Vocal & Instrumental Music since it’s foundation in 1894 at Pune. It is producing, organizing, performing Dramas & conducting Dance & Musical Classes since then continuously.

The Institution has fully well equipped Library having many rare manuscripts, old photographs, lot of material related to dramas & several rare drama scripts which were written during the period of more than 150 years. Many PhD scholars used this as Reference Library.

Thousands of Artistes had their debut performance in Bharat Natya Mandir.

The group has performed at NSD, Delhi, the shows of ‘Sangeet Sharada’, He Bandh Reshmache, Mruchchakatik, Katyar Kaaljat Ghusali & also at Purvottar Natya Samaroh at Tejpur & Gowhatti in Assam. The group has also performed at Ninasam – Hegudu, RangShankara – Bangaluru, Rangayan –Mysore, Shimoga, Dharwad, Indore & Gwaliar, South–Central Mahotsav Nagpur & USA.

Director : Dinesh Thakur
Playwright : RANBIR SINH
Group : Ank, Mumbay
Language : Hindi
Duration : 2 hrs approx with an interval of 10 minutes

The Play

ANK presents Ranbir Singh’s HAI MERA DIL, the longest running play in the history of Hindi theatre, having completed a 1163 shows and continuing to play on popular demand. Directed by Dinesh Thakur, it is a hilarious look into the life of a well-meaning hypochondriac who turns his life upside down with his irrational fears. The hypochondriac of a husband, through some misunderstanding is convinced that he is going to die soon of a serious heart ailment.  So he starts to put his affairs in order and the first thing to be done is to plan his beloved wife’s marriage so that she is taken care of. However he cannot reveal to his wife the seriousness of the situation. The wife starts taking his suspicious ways and behaviour for infidelity… his noble thought boomerangs and now the husband is running for wife… and life!! Confusion, Delusion, Illusion…it is the ECG of a Comic Fusion.

Director’s Note

When Ank started in 1976 it was an uphill task to create and sustain an Audience for Hindi Theatre in a city like Mumbai (then Bombay) which had prolific Marathi and Gujarati Theatre. Hindi Theatre was considered serious stuff – profound and deep but not really fun or entertaining. We had realised early enough that the need of the hour was to first get the audiences into the Theatre with something they found entertaining. We decided on Ranbirji’s play, ‘Afsos Hum Na Honge’ and renamed it ‘HAI MERA DIL’ to make the title more catchy and appealing. Ranbirji’s writing was such that it lent itself to easy updation and even after a thousand shows and almost 5 decades the play is relevant and relatable despite changing situations and circumstances. The play has been viewed by generations of the same family and often couples have come to me with their young children in tow to relate how their own parents had brought them to view the play when they were children!

I have been accused of doing popular theatre and in my defence I would only like to say that I have tried to make Theatre popular- for Audiences who came to watch HAI MERA DIL, stayed to also watch an Atma Katha, a Kanyadaan, an Adhe Adhoore or Khamosh Adalat Jari Hai. HAI MERA DIL has bankrolled innumerable Ank projects and I will remain forever greatfull to Ranbirji and HAI MERA DIL.

Director

Born on 8^th August, 1947 as a true midnight’s child, Dinesh Thakur was practicing theatre professionally from 1964 starting out with ‘Azar Ka Khwaab’. Dinesh Thakur learnt immensely from and worked with outstanding talents in theatre like Frank Thakurdas, Habib Tanvir, Om Shivpuri, Ebrahim Alkazi, Dr.Laksmi Narayan Lal, B V Kamath, Wasi Khan, Amol Palekar, A K Hangal, Ram Gopal Bajaj and Devendra Raj Ankur.

He acted in, directed and designed more than 150 plays with about 7000 shows with performances in almost all parts of India and abroad.

Dinesh Thakur  has  contributed greatly as an actor of repute beginning with new-wave and innovative cinema in 1972 with films like ‘Anubhav’, ‘Rajnigandha’, ‘Mere Apne’, ‘Astha’ ‘Fiza’ and many others.

For Dinesh Thakur, theatre remained entirely  the Actor’s medium and he invested hugely in training young actors.

As a writer, he won awards for the story and dialogues of his film GHAR. He was also awarded the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademy Award and the Central Sangeet Natak Akademy Award.

Playwright

Born in 1929, Ranbir Sinh hailed from a royal family of Rajasthan but made Theatre his life’s purpose. He was one of the front runners of the creative left movement and the progressive writer’s movement. He remained a Theatre Activist and the National President of IPTA, the Indian People’s Theatre Association, the oldest and foremost Theatre Association in the Country. Educated from Cambridge, Ranbir Sinh returned to his native Rajasthan, forming the ‘Modern Theatre Group’ in 1953 in Jaipur where he was completely involved as an actor, director, writer, lighting expert and organizer. With the opening of Ravindra Natya Manch in Jaipur he was able to stage a lot of theatre productions and he remained the moving force in the growth and progress of Theatre in Jaipur. He is the Author of many original plays and has adapted a huge number of plays from foreign languages. In recent years he had been very vocal about formulating a suitable policy for Theatre in the country.

Group

One of the largest bodies of work, today in Hindi, with more than 7500 shows of 86 plays all over the country and abroad, Ank repertory, completing 46 years on 1^st October 2022, was set up by Dinesh Thakur in 1976. Dinesh Thakur, the star of many unforgettable films, with his rich experience of 49 years in theatre, Film and television continued to bring a unique vision to Ank.

For Ank, theatre is not just a source of entertainment, it also serves to keep  history alive. Ank believes that it is theatre which provides respite and rejuvenation to any society.

Starting with almost non-existent Hindi theatre audiences in Mumbai, Ank’s repetoire has run the entire gamut from original works in Hindi to the best in national and international theatre.

Ank, now under the stewardship of Preeta Mathur Thakur, continues to seek unique horizons working with many reputed Directors and writers along with experimenting with some first-time playwrights. Ank has also broken new ground, organizing Dinesh Thakur Memorial festivals in different cities of India.