PLAY REVIEW: "NAGAMANDALA" BY GIRISH KARNAD

     Play review: ‘’Nagamandala” by Girish Karnad

This play was performed by the students of The K.P.E.S College, Bhavnagar on 4^th October 2015 at Yashvantrai Natyagruh during the “Rajatrang Youth Festival 2015”.

Director: - Mr.Kapil Solanki

Actors: - Jagjeetsinh Vadher(Appanna), Brijraj Solanki(Naga), Akansha Bhatt(Mithi), Tanvi(Andhi Ma), Drashti Vora(Rani).

Plot overview: -

Rani is a young bride who is neglected by her indifferent and unfaithful husband, Appanna. Appanna spends most of his time with his concubine and comes home only for lunch. Rani is a typical wife who wants to win her husband’s affection by any means. In an attempt to do so, she decides to drug her husband with a love root, which she mixes in the milk. That milk is spilled on the nearby anthill and Naga, the Cobra drinks it.

Naga, who can take the form of a human, is enchanted with her and begins to visit her every night in the guise of her husband. This changes Rani's life completely as she starts to experience the good things in life though she never knows that the person with her is not her husband but the Naga.

Soon she becomes pregnant and breaks the news to Appanna. He immediately accuses her of adultery and says that he has not impregnated her. The issue is referred to the village Panchayat. Rani is then asked to prove her fidelity by putting her hand in the snake burrow and taking a vow that she has not committed adultery. (It is a popular belief that if any person lies holding the snake in their hand, they will be instantly killed by the snake God.)

Rani places her hand in the snake burrow and vows that she has never touched any male other than her husband and the Naga in the burrow. She is declared chaste by the village Panchayat. However, her husband is not ready to accept that she is pregnant with his child and decides to find out the truth by spying on the house at night. Appanna is shocked to see the Naga visiting Rani in his form, spending time with her and then leaving the house.

Appanna gets furious with the Naga and indulges in a fight with him. Both of them fight vigorously. Eventually, the Naga dies in the fight. After this incident, Appanna realizes his mistake and accepts Rani along with the child she is carrying.

Review:-

To watch the performance of a play live, it is exciting but a difficult task to review it. You have to be both the spectator, taking in and enjoying the performance and a critic analysing the play.

Recently, I had the pleasure of watching one of Girish Karnad’s famous play “Nagamandala”. The play started with Mithi who goes into a dream followed with the entry of the lead characters Rani and Appanna and the play moves further. Rani is mistreated by her husband. When the old lady gives her a magic powder, it changes her life. Rani reflected the position of a woman in male-oriented society. When Rani gets happiness, the society raises question against her chastity. As “Sita” in the Ramayana gives Agni pariksha, similarly Rani proves her chastity. This play can also be compared with the movie “Paheli” by Amol Palekar.

The play is narrated in a dream sequence which was a superb technique of the director to begin the play. The play followed John Dryden’s view of drama. The play gave a “just and lively image of human nature”. The play also presented the psychological disorder of split personality. This disorder was shown in an amazing way. Aristotle’s concept of “Catharsis” can be seen throughout the play. The romantic scenes between Rani and Naga were beautifully presented. The presentation of the scenes was outstanding.

Each actor was worth noting, but Jagjeetsinh Vadher, Drashti Vora and Akansha Bhatt were brilliant. The director Kapil Solanki has put together an amazing play with smooth scene changes, a clear focus and a cohesiveness that is both impressive and unmatched.

It was an amazing experience to watch this play live. I definitely would love to watch play performed by such superb actors again in future.