Surya Ki Antim Kiran Se Surya ki Pehli Kiran Tak: A Review
In the world where Tv screens and phones have almost taken a hold of life, where even education has adopted online modes following the frequently lockdowns, Theatre is like a remedy for all those who are looking for a break. Theatre is one of those art forms which has survived, and quite gracefully, the brutal waves of time.
Recently, the historic Gaiety Theatre has seen the revival of dramatic plays on stage with the weekend theatre initiative under the aegis of the Himachal Pradesh Language and Culture Department. In the third weekends of December, Sankalp Rangmandal in collaboration with Gaiety Dramatic Society staged a play titled Surya Ki Antim Kiran se Surya ki Pehli Kiran Tak on the special occasion of opening ceremony of Weekend Theatre Initiative.
The play is directed by Kedar Thakur and written by Surender Verma
The theatre abounds with audience during this ninety-minute play. The strong vibes of the play ensure the participation the spectators to such an extent that there is no escape but to enjoy it till the last minute.
The loud emotional outrages of the king and unharbored fecundity of the queen enchant the theatre and spell bound the audience. The other characters are not just flat characters but they are also bound to change with the frequent changes in the plot and eventually help in changing the plot itself.
In the play, staged on 18 dec 2021, the character of King named Aukkak was played by Rupesh Bhimta, Sheelvati, the queen was played by Tanupriya Bhardwaj, Mehkeeka by Shruti Rohta, Mahamatya by Naresh Kumar Mincha, Rajpurohit by Narender Sharma, Pratosh by Lokesh Lucky, Mahabaladikrit by Navneet. While on the following days the role of Sheelvati was played by Priyanka Saraswat, Mehkeeka by Komal Sood, and Mahabaladikrit by Neeraj Thakur.
The plot of the play moves around the lives of a king who is impotent and a queen who is still a virgin. The play opens in media res where the king and the queen are seen who have already spent five years in marriage. Now they are facing the questions of a child, the heir of the vast kingdom, the next king. Since the king is impotent, the queen is now forced (allowed) to spend three nights with a man of her choice and conceive. The queen (after a lot of argument with the king and her own morals) finally choses the man with whom she spends her first night. The king on the other hand is furious and broken with the queen’s decision to follow the rules. The queen now plays an active role where she finds herself with the along awaited answers. The play hints at female sexuality and nuptial bonds that cage a woman ignoring her individuality. The play has an open ending
