First year students’ of Department of Theatre Arts, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, staged a play for three consecutive days in GB Maidan. The play titled “Yahudi ki Ladki”, and written by Agha Hashar Kashmiri, kicked off on November 17.
The play had given relief to the students who were going to take end semester exams, said a student after the spectacular show. Prof. NJ Bhikshu said in a facebook comment, “Lucky enough to be associated with this production. I composed music for it. Enjoy watching it.” The Hyderabadis had fun time since the play was in Urdu dialect.
Shaik John Basheer, a research scholar in department of theatre arts, who also worked with the team, noted that, “it was a great opportunity to begin with, since the first year students have come from different educational backgrounds. This time the theme is melodrama, an ancient dramatic and literary work. Although, this is their first show, everyone has given their best. The main objective, upcoming artist should learn the previous practices of theatre. They have to go through the characters. Though this play was written a century ago still it reflects the current political scenario.” He further added that, it was best experience working with the new learners and a legendary director of Indian theatre M.K Raina.
The Director of the play, M. K. Raina, who was graduated from National School of Drama in 1970 with Best actor award. He has directed quite a lot of memorable productions such as Kabira Khada Bazar Mein, Karmawali, Lower Depths, Pari Kukh, Kabhi Na Chooden Khet and The Mother; Andha Yug, which he directed was performed in Berlin and the Festival of India in the USSR. He also produced Jasma Odan at Hawaii University in 1986. He has also conducted many theatre workshops and acted and directed in a number of feature films including 27 down, Satah Se Uthta Aadmi, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, Tamas, Titli, Genisis, Tarang, Ankur Mayna Kabutar etc. He has been honoured with the Sanskriti Samman in 1980, the Sahitya Kala parishad Award in 1981, Best Director of the year by West Bengal Government 1982, the Best Director’s award of Punjabi Akademi, Delhi in 1987. Shri M.K. Raina received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1995 and the Swarna Padak from Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir in 1996 for his contribuition to Indian Theatre.
Storyline
(Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0155398/)
The familiar story features the rivalry between the Roman priest Brutus and the oppressed Jewish merchant, Prince Ezra. Brutus sentences Ezra’s son to death and Ezra in turn kidnaps and raises Brutus’ only daughter, Decia. When the daughter, renamed Hannah, grows up, the Roman Prince Marcus falls in love with her. To court her, he disguises his Roman identity. When his religion is discovered, he is ejected from Ezra’s house. Marcus then agrees to marry Princess Octavia as arranged, but Hannah denounces him in open court and he is sentenced to death by his own father, the emperor. When Hannah and Ezra respond to Octavia’s pleas and retract their accusations, they in turn are sentenced to death by Brutus…
By Kartheek
Department of Communication