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Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry: Hayavadana is a modern classic
This play written by late playwright Girish Karnad combines myth and folktale, song and speech, humour and pathos.
Theatre enthusiasts in the city are in for a treat as an adaptation of late playwright Girish Karnad’s Hayavadana will go on the floor today. The play is being directed by theatre veteran and Padma Shri Awardee Neelam Man Singh Chowdhry.
The play follows the life of two friends – Devdutt and Kapil - who fall in love with the same woman, Padmini. The two friends cut their heads off in an attempt to win her love. When she tries to save them, she accidentally swap their heads. This comedic tragedy also has a secondary story that is playing out parallelly, where a man born with the head of a horse seeks to become human.
“This is a play that has always fascinated me ever since I was a student. It talks about myth and reality, and desire and duality. It is really what I would call modern classic,” shares Chowdhry.
Written and release in the 1970s, she has added her own twist to the play, while staying true to the Karnad’s writing. “There are so many layers to the play that had to be unravelled and analysed. I have made some changes but I haven’t added any spin to the story. The changes come from the fact that it was written in 1971. Some of the resolutions at the end of the play did not appeal to the century in which I’m living, so it was inevitable that those changes were waiting to be made.”
Actor Ipshita Chakraborty plays the role of Padmini and talking about her character, she says, “Padmini is one who changes the course of narrative of the play. For me she is every woman’s hidden truth. No one in this universe is perfect and she embodies this search for perfection. And the biggest challenge that we all faced, was the ending of the play, which isn’t similar to Karnad’s. But the changes had to be made, to make this old script more relevant in today’s times.”
Taking on two roles in the performance is actor Guru Bamrah, who plays the titular role of Hayavadana and that of a doll that comes to life. He says, “Hayavadana is symbolic of the feeling of incompleteness. Giving a physical form to an idea is a philosophical solution but it is tough for the director and actor to bring it to life. It has been five years since I have acted on stage and one of the biggest challenges was to leave behind the acting for camera and pick up the pace as in theater, time is very limited.”
The play features songs composed by music director and Padma Shri awardee B V Karanth. Chowdhry says, “The combination of BV Karanth and Girish Karnad is dynamite. The music was composed so many years ago and I thought I may have to make some changes to put it in the now. But it is still so exciting and fresh, we did not have to make too many changes to them.”
