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 What She Said - Vidya Saranyan e-mail: vidyasaranyan@gmail.com December 15, 2019 The great epic Ramayana is a veritable treasure trove, concealing within its depths not just the story of the hero Rama but several anecdotes linked to the major story. There are many versions of Ramayana not only in India but also in other countries like Thailand, Cambodia etc. Though there are variations, they are known mostly to follow the well-worn path of extolling the heroism of Rama. Enterprising artists have explored the female characters of Rama's story in painting, music, theatre and dance with unusual creativity. What She Said, a Justus Repertory play written and directed by Dr. Gowri Ramnarayan was a remarkable exploration of the psyche of six women characters in the epic. Like Rama and Sita they too face serious challenges; unlike these protagonists we do not realise just how much they are affected in the maelstrom whipping around the hero and heroine. Exactly this meagre information is what Gowri used to her advantage as she endowed these women with vibrant coloured personas.  Aarabi Veeraraghavan The play followed the chronology of events as experienced by the six women of Ramayana and was enacted by three actors. Beginning with the spirited depiction of Urmila, imaginatively interpreted by the playwright and well played by Aarabi Veeraraghavan as a talented and intelligent princess, the drama moved on to Manthara. Following the refined body language of the royalty in the opening scenes, the evil Manthara's role (as she is popularly perceived) turned out to be an earthy performance by Sunanda Raghunathan. Her dialogue delivery carried punch and evoked humour at the right places such that eventually one could feel a sneaking sympathy for the blind love she had for her mistress. This 'no holds barred' portrayal was later mellowed to pathos when Sunanda donned Mandodari's role a few sequences later. Mandodari's lament captured the end of the war as Ravana's queen grieved over her fallen husband and blamed his arrogance, lust and 'working of cosmic justice'.  Sunanda Raghunathan The transformation of Surpanakha from a revenge seeking temptress to a peaceful guardian of the forests was a compelling depiction by Akhila Ramnarayan. Tara who agreed to be in the harem of Sugreeva was another noteworthy episode carried off with the right tinge of maturity by Akhila. The benedictory aura of the concluding scene with Rama played by Akhila, paying obeisance before his elder sister Shantha, a dignified essay by Aarabi Veeraraghavan, was also reminiscent of scenes from Rukmini Devi's magnificent dance drama series of the Ramayana. The delightful music and rhythm by Shreya Devnath and Praveen Sparsh enhanced the acting. The backdrop in geometric shapes and lighting design by B. Charles brought alive the period-feel complemented with a contemporary glow. The play was produced by Dushyant Gunasekharan.  Akhila Ramnarayan What She Said captivated us not just for shining the light on these six characters or the intelligent crafting of mood. Gowri Ramnarayan's approach integrated contemporary ideas in a manner that made sense to the modern day spectators. Love for the environment, futility of war and the marginalising of the displaced natives by invading aliens were relevant concepts subtly presented in the play. These apart, a significant thread running through the script, was the fascinating cause and effect interactions among the women in Ramayana that holds good for women even today. Too often we see women being the worst enemy of one another when even a small gesture of empathy would make a world of difference. In sum, the artistic nuances woven seamlessly into the script, appealed both emotionally and intellectually to the houseful audience on Dec 8, 2019 at Rukmini Arangam, Kalakshetra, Chennai. Vidya Saranyan is an Art critic and also has her blog where she publishes her poems, stories and articles. |
