Review of Dharma Stambha

World Theatre Day is on the 27th of March and I decided to catch up on a play for sure. Presto! I was at K.H.Kala Soudha in Hanumanthanagar on Sunday to watch the staging of Antharanga's new play DharmaSthambha.

1) Details of the play

• Name: DharmaStambha


• Production House: Antharanga


• Directed By: Archana Shyam


• Star Cast: Ramprasad, Vijay Jois


• Written by: Original Story K.S.Ganeshaiah, Adapted by N.C.Mahesh


• Origins: A historical tale depicting a radical take on how Ashoka is introduced to Buddhisim


• Misc Technical Data: Includes a neatly choreographed song and dance routines


• Cost of Ticket: Rs 70


• Where I watched the play: K.H.Kala Soudha


• When I watched the play: 27-Mar-2011

2) History:
The second directorial venture of Archana Shyam, a young woman drama director. Both her plays are spanning across time and dive into the treasure troves of Indian history.


3) Synopsis
A historian is invited to Sanchi by a young history teacher. The history teacher would like to showcase some of the actual happenings that happened that have not been chronicled as part of our history lessons that have been passed over to today's generation over time. This young history teacher likens herself to a post-mortem surgeon who performs authencity checks on the actual events that occurred in history. One such situation is explained to us on stage.

Ashoka in his younger days was appointed to head a territory that was under the rule of his father King Bindusara, During the course of his rule, he falls head over heels in love with a lady of high-origin, It is with her contact that Ashoka is introduced to Buddhisim and from where the roots of the spreading og Buddhism take place.
The scene shifts to the site of a Buddhist monastry where in the Mahipal tries to curb the growing lure of "Gruhastashrama" or the lure of family life, in his younger disciples, but success aludes him in this effort.

Does the Mahipal have a secret to hide? What happens to the Mahipal when he discovers his losing influence over the younger buddhists monks? What happens to Ashoka when he learns about the simmerring rebelion in the Buddhist ranks? What course does history take?

Watch this drama to know more.


4) Remarks
Kudo's to the Director Archana Shyam for taking up such a subject and getting the best out of an impressive crew. I must applaud her for showcasing such a radical view on Buddhism and for pulling the controversial rabbit out of the hat.

Ramprasad as Ashoka, showcases "Krodha" one of the Navarasa's in a very apt manner, his fiery eyes play their part as well. The Mahipal is the best actor in the whole bunch of actors playing Buddhist monks. I really liked the way the same actors have portrayed different roles with subtle costume changes as well.

The history teacher seems to be a very apt disciple of Archana Shyam, I see the same movements and expressions and I also hear the same voice modulations that Archana does in the way the History Teacher enacts.

The props used in the play: the famed Ashoka Pillar, a tank bund and the various buddhist signages are simple yet effective.

Thoughts that have lingered in my mind are as follows:
-- The artists must pay attention to their props, and not let them go to the ground in a thud
-- When will the audience realize that they should keep quiet during the performance and not keep asking the people who have viewed the drama more than once about what is going to happen?
-- When will the audience who have seen the drama more than once keep quiet and not spill what will happen next in such a loud manner so that the suspense is broken to all the rows?
-- If buddhist monks are poor, All that they have are mud plates'n'bowls and wooden tools, but yet server water in a "Tamarada" copper bowl?
-- The American Psychological Association(www.apa.org) in a study have mentioned that Buddhist monks have long been admired for their emotional control, most of the actors get their expressions spot on in this aspect, however there is an eager beaver in the list of young monks, who according to me needs fine tuning. (I might be completely wrong here)


5) My Rating

I rate this as:

3 Star's : Watch it for sure.





Inthi,
Manuswath