Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 16: Manoranjan Kala Kendra presented a Punjabi play “Usnoo Kahin’ written by Pali Bhupinder Singh and directed by Tejinder Singh ‘Premee’ at Luthra College of Education.
The play begins from Aatu’s home far away from the village of muddy houses. Aatu was the best drum beater of the village and some thirty years back in the greed of money given by English people, he did not hesitate to kill his friend “Raja”. When Raja’s was with his dying mother, Aatu did not beat the drum and police came and killed him (Raja).
Aatu was thinking that he has betrayed his friend and hates his drum and also adopted alcoholic addiction. Raja’s spirit comes repeatedly and asks him (Aatu) why he had not beaten the drum that time.
Thirty years after the death of Raja, village chowkidar Rama told Aatu’s daughter “Guddo” that previous dark night will come again, when some anti national elements including Aatu’s son “Sheera” will kill innocent people for religion sake.
Raja’s spirit forced Aatu to beat his drum to aware the people. As Aatu was beating drum, Sheera’s friend “Kanta” push him from the roof, which leads to his (Aatu) death. But by that time the villagers got aware by Aatu’s drum voice and shattered the nefarious designs of anti national elements.
Before dying, Aatu asked Guddo “Usnu Kahein, Aatu Ne Dhol Vaja Dita C”.
Those who acted in the play were Sushmita Banerjee as Guddo, Anil Kumar as Raja, Davinder Singh as Kanta, Vijay Sharma as Sheera, Mukesh Sharma as Aatu, Tejinder Singh Premee as Rama. The lights were designed by Anil Sharma and Ajay Sharma, music by Balwinder Kour, makeup by Anu Kotwal and Vipan Chouhan, costumes by Parkash Kour, set making by ML Sharma and Dr Rajinder Thapa and production controlled by Sushmita Banerjee.
Among others present were Rajeev Luthra, Chairman, Luthra College of Education, Sanjeev Luthra, Managing Director, Luthra Group of Institutions, Pritpal Singh Betab, renowned Urdu writer, Gajan Singh, president, State Akali Dal and Sukhmohinder Singh.