Kargil heroes get a theatrical tribute on Delhi stage

On Kargil Vijay Diwas, July 26, actors from National School of Drama’s Repertory Company will perform a play that highlights the valour of soldiers. For this performance, the actors also underwent training in presence of Indian Army officers, for the first time ever.

In 1999, the then young Indians had a vicarious brush with war for the first time as our jawans fought at Kargil. On the occasion of 23rd Kargil Vijay Diwas, today, some of them are paying a tribute to the war heroes through the play, Kargil - Ek Shaurya Gaatha.

As part of Kargil play preparation, the actors received input from Army officers about the correct way to march in parade, how a senior officer gives commands, etc.

“I was in class X, studying in Patna when Kargil war took place,” says Ajay Kumar, an actor with National School of Drama (NSD)’s Repertory Company. Another actor, Pooja Gupta adds, “Mai bahut chhoti thi us time aur mujhe kuchh yaad nahi. Par aaj jab National War Memorial par rehearse and perform kara toh ek alag hi jazba tha hum sab mein un jawano ko yaad karke jo Kargil war ka hissa the.”

Although the events at Kargil unfolded slowly, the script of this play is written in a format to make the live action on stage acquire the required pace.

The repertory actors have undergone quite an intensive training, which lasted more than a month, to portray soldiers on the stage. In fact, this is probably for the first time in the history of NSD that Indian Army personnel involved themselves in the training of actors, for a play, and even provided them feedback during rehearsals. “The actors received inputs on how to march in the parade and the correct manner in which a senior officer gives commands to his juniors. Jo filmon mein representation hoti hai command dene ki, waisa real mein nahi hota. Actors ko Army officers ne sikhaya ki kaise isko real rakhein,” informs Asif Ali, playwright.

The play celebrates the spirit of Kargil war heroes, to fight.

It was, however, not that easy to bring this act together. The performance has formations of human pyramids in quick successions, actors entering via aerial suspensions, and a lot of fast-paced movement on the stage, which takes place under impactful lighting and loud background score. Gupta, shares, “It was quite challenging, especially for the female actors like me who are portraying male characters, and specifically soldiers, for the first time. There were no female soldiers in Kargil war, and here we are representing male parts. We were trained to not feel the gender difference, but it didn’t quite settle in until I wore the uniform. After that everything became different. That’s what it (wearing the uniform) does to you!”

Professor Ramesh Chandra Gaur, director of NSD.

The spirit of Nationalism is felt and lived by all those who are part of this performance. “We celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas every year, but since this is the 75th year of our Independence, I felt it’s crucial to pay a tribute to all our heroes, not just freedom fighters or those who laid their lives in the war, but also those who are still protecting our country at different borders,” says Professor Ramesh Chandra Gaur, director, NSD adding, “Play is an important medium since it is live and has a direct impact, which is more than when it’s projected in films that often use a lot of stills... We all know how we lost a lot of our young jawans in Kargil. This play celebrates their spirit to fight. The script has been developed in phases by the playwright, and director Santanu Bose. It’s not only based on one particular incident, but shows how everyone was supporting our soldiers at the war front. The difficulties and the situation the soldiers were facing at such high altitude, give us motivation that how we as Indians are all together whenever in such crisis.”

Catch It Live

What: Kargil - Ek Shaurya Gaatha

Where: Abhimanch Auditorium, National School of Drama, Bhagwan Das Road

When: July 26 and 27

Timing: 7pm

Nearest Metro Station: Mandi House on the Blue and Violet Lines

Author tweets @HennaRakheja

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