- Written and directed by Atul Satya Kaushik under the presentation of The Films and Theatre Society, the play will be performed in Gurgaon for the first time on the evening of May 4
Gurgaon, May 2014: She was a
queen, wife to no less than the
mighty Pandavas; yet she was a woman in a patriarchal society who held little
sway over her own fate. ‘Draupadi’ might have lived in another era, but the fate
she endured continues to befall numerous women in India and across the world even
today.
A
presentation of
t
he Films and Theater Society, the play is written and directed
by contemporary writer Atul Satya
Kaushik and is based in a Haryana village in 1960. ‘Draupadi’ is an imaginative
re-telling of certain chapters of Draupadi'a life that juxtaposes the life of
the queen of the Pandavas in a contemporary setting, drawing parallels between
her and the women of today.
With
the men of this large family of Haryanvi rural performers gone out to attend a
wedding feast, the women of the household decide to use the opportunity to
re-enact an old play that was ‘banned’ by the male patriarchs who thought it
would corrupt the minds of women.
Performing
the play, the women take up the roles of all characters including men and
reprise the tragedies of their own lives. In the process they discover how
closely their lives are a reflection of Draupadi's life. This intense
story unfolds in an incredibly light and seamless way and makes the production
a literary marvel presented in a visually delightful manner. Like all other
productions of the society this play is also high on folk music.
It’s
an out and out musical play with many songs of different styles such as Ragini,
Qawwali, Ghazal, Heer etc; and tries to narrate a serious issue in a light way.
The seriousness, however, is not lost and the play becomes a powerful
commentary on the need of women emancipation.
By
bringing today's generation closer to mythology in a new and interesting way,
the play makes them draw important meanings from it. Be it Draupadi’s failure
to find the love of the man she chose, her objectification in the gamble played
by Yudhishtir or her public humiliation – the village women manage to find parallels
for each of these tragedies amidst their own lives.
In
the end the women draw the conclusion that even if centuries have elapsed,
nothing seems to have changed as far as their fate women is concerned.
“Draupadi
is not just a mythical character, she’s a metaphor for women of all times and
ages. There is no dearth of Draupadis in our world; they are everywhere – be it
in the villages of Haryana, in the thriving metropolitan of Delhi, in the slums
of Mumbai, on the streets of Ahmedabad or in a village of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwah.
This play talks about the helplessness of being a woman in a male dominated
world which most of the women must have felt even today,” says Shri Kaushik.
The
play is garnished with light hearted jokes and one-liners peculiar of Haryanvi
life-style and hummable and rustic Haryanvi Ragnees.
It
was first performed at the Sri Ram Centre, Mandi House on 28th July
2013; and has since then been staged at the L.T.G. Auditorium, Delhi; Central
Park, Connought Place, New Delhi as well as M C Ghiya Hall, Kala Ghoda Arts
Festival, Mumbai.
This
is the play’s first staging in Gurgaon. The play will be performed at
Epicentre, Apparel House, Sector 44, Gurgaon at 7.00 pm on May 4.
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