HYDERABAD: Director Dhwani Vij's play 'Bhagi Hui Ladkiyan' depicts the everyday struggles of four young women from Delhi's Nizamuddin Basti, highlighting issues of class, religion, and gender as they navigate their own identities. The play, created capturing details of women's true struggle for over seven years with a gender-sensitive lens, will take the stage this Sunday.
The play offers a firsthand account of life in Nizamuddin Basti on any given day, delving into themes of gender and sexuality through the experiences of the four actors. Their words and actions provide insight into their confusion about their identities and the constraints imposed by their homes and community.
Dhwani Vij, the director of the play, spoke about her involvement in the project, "I got on onboard with this project when Sanyukta reached out to me to talk about the possibility of directing a play for Aagaaz," she said. "These were early days. Aagaaz had applied to Gender Bender, and their concept note was accepted. Now they had to present a 15-minute elaboration of the concept note. I got excited and said yes!"
Vij emphasised the importance of the rehearsal process, which was integral to the creation of the play she said, "The stories that the actors shared when they were delayed or when they missed the rehearsals became the focal point of our rehearsals. We shared the reasons for the delay, how our home pulled and pushed us, how we feel trapped and free with our friends - the many contradictions which we navigate as Muslim women in Nizamuddin Basti - all became the play itself."
Zainab, one of the actors in the play, added, "Yes, I have been associated with this play from the beginning since 2018. I am an actor who plays a realistic character in which I am telling my real-life stories. I choose to tell what I want to tell, and which story I will pick and tell. That's my role. To express our real self through the play."
Nagina, the oldest actor in the play, discussed her multiple roles, "I play an actor and a part of someone else's story too. To what extent I play my role through an actor's perspective, the same way I play the role of Nagina myself too. With my other three co-actors, I get to know their characters and play their roles too."
For viewers who want a deeper insight into the story, 'Bhagi Hui Ladkiyan' is a must-see. The play will take place on April 23 at Rang Bhoomi Spaces, Gachibowli, offering an immersive experience — a true struggle for resilience for identity. Tickets priced at 300 can be BookMyShow. The show runs for 80 minutes.