Review of Gumma Banda Gumma

As part of an invite from the Dignity Foundation I had the pleasure of watching a live performance of the Play "Gumma Banda Gumma" this past Saturday. I was involved in watching the 100th Staging of this play at RangaShankara, I have to mention I watched the staging of this play with atleast 50 to 100 children from a school. Here is the review of the play.

1) Details of the play

• Name: Gumma Banda Gumma


• Production House: AHA! Productions


• Directed By: Vibhavari Deshpande Co Directed by Padmavati Rao


• Star Cast: Raaghu Sirsi, Vidya


• Written by: S.Surendranath


• Origins: The need of having a play just for kids, and the workshop undertaken by Rangashankara


• Misc Technical Data: 98 minutes of play, includes song and dance by the main leads


• Cost of Ticket: Free for me, thanks to Dignity Foundation


• Where I watched the play: Ranga Shankara


• When I watched the play: 19-Mar-2011

2) History:
The management team at RangaShankara observing the dearth of plays that are specific for the children in the age group 5 to 15 decided to take up a camp wherein children are whetted with a workshop on Drama. The outcome of one such workshop is the Drama "Gumma Banda Gumma", The play written by S.Surendranath appeals to kids immensely. The Delight that the kids had while watching this play and the sounds of the peals of laughter from the audience is something worth mentioning about. I was happy that I was able to watch the 100th Staging of this drama.

3) Synopsis
Putta lives in a house with his Mother (called "Amma" thorughout the play) and his litte Sister Munni, they are the quintessential modern day children, they like to sit and while away time at home while watching "Chota Bheem" on TV, Putta likes playing around with Guns but he does not have a toy pistol at home, he keeps sulking for a toy pistol but in vain. Amma implores them to go out and play outside in the park that is nearby. On one such visit to the park they happen to bump into Gunda, Gunda a kid from the lower strata of society, basically does nothing but lord over portions of the park. After a bout of jostling for space the three become friends, Putta and Gunda first form a bond between them. Boys being boys Putta exchanges his cycle with a toy pistol that Gunda has, Slowly Munni becomes party to their frolicking games.
A sudden mishap ends up in Putta helping Gunda monetarily and ends up getting caught at home.

Do the friends triumph in hurdling over the hurdle that money typically brings into friendship? Does Gunda's father understand the fragilities of childhood? Watch the drama on Stage live to find out.

4) Remarks
The initial few minutes that comprises a monologue from Putta seems a tad slow, But the pace immediately picks up as soon as Munni(Vidya in a fantastic entry that she sustains until the very end) enters the fray, But for me it was the entry of Gunda (conveyed superbly by Raaghu Sirsi, an actor who's origins can be traced to Ninasam) that sent the drama into a high.

The props used in the play were very intelligently used and is apt, all areas of the stage are covered comfortably by the trio (Putta, Munni and Gunda). This play conveys the essentials of childhood without resorting to heavy cosmetic makeup that I thought would be in a title named "Gumma Banda Gumma".

2 thoughts that have lingered in my mind are as follows:
Could there have been a younger Putta and Munni?
In what other way could the drama have ended?


5) My Rating

I rate this as:

3 Star's : Watch it for sure.





Inthi,
Manuswath