HYDERABAD: Despite the rainy Saturday evening, attendees gathered Shilpakala Vedika auditorium to watch the much famed Ramlila of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, now in its 65th year. The performance was a melange of different dance forms and through their swift movements, the artistes narrated the tale that makes for Valmiki’s epic Ramayana. The stage had a giant screen for multimedia projections which went well with the changing scenes, despite some minor hiccups.
The mood was set for the narrative performed through steps and rhythms with some brilliant moves. The combination of different genres like Kathakali, Bharatnatyam, and Manipuri was engaging. The costumes of the artistes left quite an impression with the kaleidoscopic colours teamed with opulent jewellery. It was interesting to see Ravan, played by Swapan Majumdar, perform in a heavy outfit of a Kathakali dancer.
He was good in the role as was Ram, played by Raj Kumar Sharma. The tale unfolded according to the epic, but it was quite disappointing to see Vibhishana absent from the plot as he plays a crucial role in bringing the realm of Lanka down. The children among the audience complained of not seeing the sleeping giant Kumbhakarna, the younger brother of Ravan, known for his large appetite and his skills in the battlefield.
The dialogue delivery, acting, dance moves were all in place but it was quite surprising to see that the Agni Pariksha of Sita was excluded. Happy ending? Maybe for the organisers. Maybe not for the audience.