Karnad’s ‘Crossing to Talikota’ opens today

The plot is based on the fall of king Aliya Rama Raya

This weekend sees the return of late playwright Girish Karnad’s last play, ‘Crossing to Talikota’.

Directed by Arjun Sajnani it features a seasoned cast including names like Ashok Mandanna, and Veena Sajnani. Set in the mid-1500s, it revolves around the defeat of Aliya Rama Raya, the king of the Vijayanagara empire. The plot looks at the character of the king and offers insights into the reason for his downfall.

“Girish has created a character who is emotionally unstable. There were multiple reasons that contributed to his shortcomings,” says Ashok Mandanna, who plays the protagonist, Aliya Rama Raya.

“The play is a lot more cohesive this time. We’ve had more time to sit with our characters and understand them better. When you study a script over 2-3 years, you tend to pick up little details and nuances that you may have missed when you first read it,” he adds and emphasises that all actors have brought something fresh to their roles this time.

Dealing with themes like greed and deceit, the play also focuses on Rama Raya’s relationship with his adopted son, Ali Adil Shah. It is played by Maahir Mohiuddin. “Staging Karnad’s last play is a mammoth task. Adil Shah was the king of Bijapur and asked to be adopted by Rama Raya after the death of his son. Although a political move, Adil Shah is emotional about it,” says Mohiuddin, adding, “He was not a typical king. He was a mystic and lost in Sufi ideology. Rama Raya accepting him as his son shows his humane side. It is typical of Karnad to create these larger-than-life characters.”

Veena Sajnani, who plays Satyabhama, the wife of the king, reveals that this is one of her favourite characters. “I’ve been in a few of Karnad’s plays but this one is my favourite, simply because of how complex the character is. She is a good woman, but she also has to be loyal to her husband, who is not an easy person. I feel for her deeply, which makes it easier for me to portray her,” says Veena.

At Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Malleswaram. March 10 to 12, 7 pm. Tickets online.