Vijaydan Detha’s story ‘Rijak ki Maryada’ is a tragic story of a Bhaand artist. In the story, there is a Bhaand named Shankar. He is a chameleon and can perform any character. Once, he goes to some area in the guise of a sadhu and makes the act so convincing that no one can recognize him. His fame spreads far and wide. A businessman of that area along with his family becomes his devotee. But at this point of time, Shankar Bhaand comes in his real self and says that he is not a sadhu but Shankar Bhaand. The story goes on to say that whether the King cares about his dignity or not, So, the next day Shankar Bhaand appears in the guise of a witch. His witch act was so convincing that everyone from the King to the peoples ran away after seeing her. But the King’s brother-in-law stumbles and falls before him. When people see that he is not a witch but Shankar Bhaand, everyone ties him with ropes calling him the murderer of the King’s brother-in-law. On the advice of the Ministers, the King wakes up and orders Shankar Bhaand to impersonate a Sati next day.
Writer
Known as Bijji, Vijaydan Detha was a noted writer of Rajasthani literature who with his poignant and analytical insight invoked the sensibilities of both the rural and the urban in his stories. His Indian storytelling style transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. He wrote over 800 short stories that were translated into many other languages. Many of his stories and novels have been adapted for theatre and as films. He was honoured with several awards including the Padma Shri and the Sahitya Akademi Award.
Director
Ajay Kumar theatre journeybegan with prestigious groups Nirman Kala Manch, Patna, and Rang Vidushak, Bhopal. He is an alumnus of National School of Drama, New Delhi. He has acted in several plays, and in enactments of poems, stories, and biographies. One of his notableworks is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Tim Supple, which travelled all over the world. As a music director for numerous plays, Ajay Kumar has evolved a narrative art form of ‘Katha-Gayan-Vachan,’ where a singer-actor performs multiple characters, as seen in his directed playslikeBada Bhaand to Bada Bhaand and Mai Ri Main Ka Se Kahun. He conducts classes onvoice &speech and theatre music at various theatre institutions primarily the NSD, New Delhi. He was conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar in the year 2008 for his remarkable contribution in the field of theatre music.
Director’s Note
The tradition of storytelling and recitation has been practiced in our country since time immemorial. Body movement, gestures and postures play a significant role in this,as the performer develops the body movement and dialogue delivery unique to the characters so that the audience had a visual and aural experience. This entertaining form was known by many names such as KathaaGaayan, KathaaGoyee,QissaFaroshee,BaatPosheeetc. in which the performer has only two tools – the body and the voice – to keep the audience engaged. This age-old tradition is disappearing but there are few areas where such forms still survive.People at large have hardly any information about it and our production aspires to strengthen its revival.
Group
The Sikkim Centre is the first centre established by NSD outside Delhi in the year 2011 offers a one-year residential certificate course in Dramatic Arts. The Centre established a Repertory Company in 2012 which has staged noteworthy productions in many national theatre festivals.