HYDERABAD: The year 2019 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi. To commemorate the same several events related to theatre, art, musical, are being held. Recently Qadir Ali Theatre Foundation held the play Kasturba at Radisson Blu. The plot revolves around the two years in the lives of Mahatama Gandhi and Kasturba while they were under house arrest at Aga Khan Palace, Pune in the backdrop of Quit India Movement, 1942.
These were the last years of Kasturba as she dies, and was buried over there. Written by AK Paliwal, the play highlights the same but unfortunately doesn’t focus much on her strengths instead we get to see more of her weaker side as a mother and as a wife. The play begins with Gandhi, played by Vijay Prasad, dictating contents of a letter which Mahadev Desai (Rajiv Kumar) keenly listens to and writes. The conversation between them is on the British ruling India which later shifts to Kasturba.
He misses her but then gets the news that she’s arriving, of course, to be under the house arrest with him. Rashmi Seth, who plays Kasturba Gandhi, does justice to the role proving that she’s a seasoned actor especially when she longs for her eldest son Harilal Gandhi, gone astray after his differences with his father and later personal losses. He comes drunk to meet her while she’s terribly sick.
The play explores Gandhis’ side as worried parents about a son who’s chosen the wrong path as they both collectively say that they are in grief about their son and not angry with him. At one point of time when a bubbly Manu Ben, played by Snigdha Bawa, his grandniece, asks him about his relation with Hari and he replies that he’s more difficult than the problems of a nation.
Directed by Mohammad Ali Baig, the play tries to highlight the Gandhis’ relationship with the country but misses casting a deeper focus on Kasturba’s contribution in Gandhi’s political activities and a major leader. However, Gandhi does admit that despite having received no education Kasturba is above him. The play ends with Kasturba dying in his presence. The cast gave a smooth touch to it with their mature performance.