CHENNAI: Chariots rage past the field and the metallic sounds of weapons striking each other fill the air — every soldier has fury etched on their faces, but standing among them is Duryodhana, leader of the Kauravas, watching the bloodshed quietly. He pines for the blood spilt and lost.
Although known as the main antagonist in the Mahabharatha, Duryodhana takes on more heroic qualities in Urubhangam, a play written by Sanskrit scholar Bhasa in the second or third century BC. The play, which means Breaking of the Thighs, focuses on the eldest Kaurava son during and after his fight with Bhima. Theatre Nisha will produce an adaptation of this play today at Alliance Francaise of Madras.
Directed and adapted by Shakthi, the play will remain faithful to the original text. “The play was translated by many people, but was faithful to the original text. We took a few dialogues and adapted it, maintaining the essence. The words are prosaic, and so we decided to make them more like poetry,” said Shakthi. The 70-minute English production also includes elements of dance and music. Actors will sing and dance accompanied with live music. The play will be focused on movement-based theatre. “For me, a play is all about movement. It’s not just the dialogue or the script. There has to be a lot going on stage, and that’s why I decided to incorporate this into the play,” she said. Aside from this, very little deviations are followed in the production.
The play portrays Duryodhana as a heroic character in a tragic manner, who suffers from his battle wounds and loss. Shakthi said that the sheer volume of literature based on the Mahabharatha was not intimidating; it was rather a source of comfort due to the number of available resources.
“What I took away from the script was that violence has been in existence since the beginning of time; the idea that violence is such a primal emotion, and has been existing ever since we know it and it continues to exist now, but in different shapes and forms,” she said.
Bhasa’s Urubhangam will be staged at Alliance Francaise of Madras, today and tomorrow. Tickets are priced at `200 and is for 12+ audiences. For details, call: 9677172897