Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Sept 17: Octogenarian playwright Moti Lal Kemmu’s two short plays staged by ALG (Aalav Lassav Gindav) Theatre group, at the Abhinav Theatre, here today, came out as artistic takes on divergent issues of contemporary relevance.
A scathing attack on child marriages and exploitation of females in the name of age-old norms of morality, the first play in Hindi, ‘Re-Lolre’, was woven around well known characters from Kashmiri folk lore, Lolrey and Bambur, the young lovers. Lolrey, the queen married at age of seven to an old king, falls in love with the young Wazir Bambur. Instead of being ashamed of her affair, she boldly defends the relationship. She manages to free Bambur from prison and sits on the throne when the king is murdered by greedy courtiers.
The second play Jadugar in Hindustani styled in the folk idiom of Dastaangoi revolved around the calamity that had befallen the city of Jamjam. The king calls upon the services of a Jadugar who with the help of his stooges, a Sadhu and a Kalander, befools the king and escapes with the State treasure.
Alluding to contemporary bloody unrest as a scourge brought by vested interests, the play Jadugar, emerged as a bold attempt to expose the unholy design of the religious zealots who while quietly filling their coffers are inciting young ones for stone pelting and violence.
The play Re-Lolre, with minimal sets, succeeded in creating the feel of royal context of the plot through use of thoughtful costumes, makeup, and background music. Deepshikha Sharma, as Lolre gave a notable account of the talent as an actor as well as a dancer. The last scene, in which she dances as if celebrating her freedom, was very well choreographed.
Manoj Bhat as Dharam Guru with his magisterial movements and diction bestowed the grace and seriousness to his character. Other actors of the play were Vinay Pandita, Shivam Bhat, Susheel Raina, Ramesh Pandita, Anil Bhat, Sahiba Bashir, and Deepanker Raina. The sevakiayan were Neha Bhat, Saras Bharti, Pooja Tiku, Sheetal Sharma, Soniya Manhas, and Shruti Sharma.
In the second play, Shusheel Raina as Jadugar won the heart of the audience for his comic role which was full of masterly control of voice modulation, fluid body movements and gestures. Varun Sharma as Jadugar, Ramesh Pandita as Kalander, Anil Bhat as Baba ji, Shivam Bhat as Kaamgar, Deepanker Sharma as Dhindorcchi also gave good performances. Both the plays were directed by Moti Lal Kemmu.
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