Laila Majnu drama: NSD artists made the audience laugh and cry, Ramgopal Bajaj’s magic continues

Got a chance to watch the preview show of the play ‘Laila Majnu’ at the National School of Drama’s Abhimanch. This is the second play under the direction of Ramgopal Bajaj after ‘Andha Yug’ in NSD. Till now we have come to see and hear the stories of Laila Majnu through films and gimmicks, but this play is completely different from them. ‘Laila Manjanu’ staged by NSD’s Rangamandal under the direction of Ram Gopal Bajaj can be called a wonderful play. This play written by famous playwright Ismail Chunara is in poetic style. The play has been translated into Hindustani language by Sabir Irshad Usmani.

The story of Laila Majnu has been told again in the style of a traditional poetry and drama. In the play, the story of Laila Majnu is told through the chorus. The music of the play is very impressive. Although the music of Laila Majnu has been composed by adding different music and songs.

The play begins with a chorus of women. It tells how love blossomed in two young hearts. And this passion and intensity of love forced people to think that Kais (Majnu) is possessed by an evil spirit.

Here, when Laila’s father learns that love is blossoming between Laila and Kais, he puts Laila under house arrest for the sake of the family’s honour.

Kais persuades his father to meet Laila and discuss marriage with her father. Kais’s father meets Laila’s father, but Laila’s father refuses to marry his daughter, calling Kais a Majnu and a poet.

Kais gets disheartened and starts drowning in Udali’s quagmire. His father takes Kais to Mecca on Ziyarat to overcome this pain. But here Kais starts crying bitterly remembering Laila in Kaaba.

Kais pleads to God – Let me love, God, let me love for the sake of love. Kais becomes obsessed with the memory of Laila. He starts wandering in the streets, lanes, deserts and forests. He just keeps on calling Laila and keeps on reciting poetry.

While wandering, Kais meets Prince Naufil. Naufil is a soft-hearted and poetry-loving prince. He befriends Kais and promises to introduce him to Laila. Naufil and Kais wander many deserts, cross many high mountains, deep rivers and seas in search of Laila. At one place he encounters Laila’s father. There is a war between the two and a large number of people are killed. He arrests Laila’s father and talks about getting Kais and Laila married. But here a girl’s father says that how can he hand over his daughter like a flower to a Majnu. Naufil is defeated by the father’s argument and frees Laila’s father.

Now Laila gets married to a prince named Ibn Salem. Ibn Salem himself loves Laila very much. Laila marries the prince but she keeps a distance from him. Laila also remembers Kais day and night. After some time, Ibn Salem dies. After mourning the death of her husband for two years, Laila frees herself from all bondages and sets out in search of Kais.

Here the drama takes a very poignant turn. Laila finds Cass. But she becomes sad after meeting Cass. Because the person whom she loves is not this at all. Laila tells Kais – ‘Kais, I have come. ‘ Cass looks at him with astonished eyes. Then goes ahead in his own tune. Laila stops Cass. Kais says – ‘Who are you, what do you want?’ Laila almost crying shouts – ‘I am your Laila, look, I have come to you.’ Kais gives a terse reply – ‘You are not my Laila, my Laila is merged in my soul.’ Saying this he goes ahead. Saddened by the rejection of Kais, Laila sits on her knees and raises both arms towards the sky and asks God – ‘O God, I fasted according to the rules, recited the Quran, yet why is separation in my destiny?’

Kais has now left this worldly life and entered the life of love. In this grief, Laila also leaves this world. And with this scene, the whole theater echoes with thunderous applause.

In the chorus, Madhavi Sharma, Potshangbam Rita, Shivani Bhartiya, Shilpa Bharti, Sugandha Pandey and Pooja Gupta have been successful in leaving an impact on the audience. The role of Kais played by Anant Sharma made us realize many times that the real Majnu has come on the stage. In the role of Laila, Madhurima Tarfdar got a lot of applause for her long dialogues in Urdu language. The facial expressions were impressive. Ibn Salim became Bikram Lepcha, like Ashwathama of ‘Andha Yug’, here too he was successful in tying the audience to the magic of his acting. Two actors who became storytellers dominated the whole play. His dialogues, acting etc. are commendable.

Rajesh Singh has co-directed the play Laila Majnu. The costumes are of Amba Sanyal. Light management is by Avtar Sahni and stage decoration by Aditi Visbas.

In true sense, through the play ‘Laila Majnu’, sarcasm has been made on the condition of women in the society. Here there are many such dialogues of Laila and Laila’s mother who say that women are only hangers-on of men. They do not have any existence of their own. Laila’s last dialogue also shows that women are not listened to even in religion and God’s place. This play demands a fresh investigation into the questions of love, power, politics and women’s emancipation.

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Tags: Hindi Literature, Hindi Writer, Literature, Literature and Art