JOIN USRevisiting the struggle for freedom
It was a packed house at the Shri Ram Centre auditorium and audience cheered loudly as they saw artistes perform their roles in Ye Daag Daag Ujala.
The play was performed by Dhwani – dramatics club of Acharya Narendra Dev College.
The play borrows its title from Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s couplet that he wrote during the partition in 1947 and attempts to revisit the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters.
The production is also the second in the series after the group made its debut with Sau Mein Laga Dhaga, last year.
Under the direction of Ajay Manchanda, the play revisited history by depicting sacrifices made by freedom fighters like Udham Singh, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Dr Satyapal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew and other revolutionaries who played a significant role in achieving freedom. The storyline was so gripping that it kept everyone glued from the beginning till the end.
In the two-hour play, each actor lived up to the moment. This combined with perfectly designed sets, costumes and lighting that transported the audience into pre-independence era.
The play also raised some critical questions about social issues like dowry, female foeticide and rape.
Authored by playwright Anis Azme, secretary, Urdu Academy Delhi, the play recounts the freedom struggle and the cruelty of Michael O’Dwyer, the then governor of Punjab, with special reference to Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The stage wore a different look with each act from the courtroom to the battle ground and from rallies to the jail. The hall echoed with the shrieks and sounds of gun fire when the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was played.
“We tried to show the social evils in contemporary India while revisiting the freedom movement,” says Ajay. He adds, “We want to make people realise that it is time to raise our voice and not be silent.”
Risabh, who payed the character of Bhagat Singh seconds Ajay. He says that it is his responsibility as an actor to make people realise the immense sacrifices behind our freedom struggle. “As an actor it’s our responsibility to make people realise the true essence of freedom and its struggle. I really liked the character and enjoyed enacting every bit of it,” he says.
Dr Geetu, a lecturer at a DU college says, “Plays like these reinforce the feeling of patriotism. Some of the characters were actually crying while performing which says a lot,” she signs off.