Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, May 17: The Hindi translation of Richard Harwood’s play ‘A Family’ staged by ALG Cultural Society, at the Govt Women College Auditorium, here today, emerged as an artistic take on as to how the apparently much prized individual freedom threatens to destroy the power of the family.
Translated by Avantika and Ravi Kemmu, who is also the director of the play, the plot of ‘A Family’ revolves around a Retired Colonel Inder Kumar and his wife Saroj, who meet every Sunday at their daughters’ places for lunch with the motive to keep all the family members together like an army battalion.
Colonel’s doctor son Ravi, a PoW, the two son-laws and daughters keeping to themselves their respective innermost turbulences, go through the routine of this family reunion. But when the third generation in form of Priya, the grand daughter, rebels during one such luncheon /dinner gatherings, the hell breaks loose. The Colonel when confronted by one and all is not ready to accept the failure in keeping the family together and dies as a heart broken person.
A complicated script was cleverly handled through the use of simple set divided into the spaces indicating bedroom of young grand daughter and family sitting area. With main action restricted to the middle and foreground while the elevation near the proscenium used for flash back sequences, the successful directorial interventions were clearly visible in the groupings of the actors, flow of movements, background musical score and light design.
The longish dialogues especially those of Colonel Inder, were ably delivered by Pankaj Anand who not only maintained the fast pace and tempo but also successfully managed to portray the mannerism and stiff demeanor of an army officer. Rani Bhan also acted well the role of an agonized daughter, wife and harassed mother. Manoj Bhat as brooding and deeply disturbed doctor-son carried his role very well. Vinay Pandita as Mahendra, the alcoholic, gambler son-in-law and Rohitshiv Sharma as Rajeev, the other son-in law, with complex of his upbringing in an orphanage, Sheetal Sharma, the delicate daughter -all acted well. The first timer Priyanka Pandita impressed everyone by her fine portrayal of the mentally depressed and erratic granddaughter.
It was Kusum Tikku as Saroj , who gave one of her best performances by easily gliding with ease between the heavily Punjabi accented comic sounding dialogues and plethora of emotions that reveal her suffering as the mother who receives two conflicting telegrams with regards to whereabouts of her son held as prisoner of war. Today’s play though originally written in 1978, was enjoyed by the audience for its contemporary relevance.
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