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LEELA LAGHU NATAKO |
| January 20, 2013 was a special day for me and for those connected with Gujarati theatre. ''''Leela Laghu Natako'''' - a collection of short plays by Naushil Mehta was released that day.
The Mumbai-based Naushil Mehta is a well-known writer, director and producer. His introduction to theatre in the early seventies was through a series of passes for plays that his friend, the noted Gujarati theatre critic, Utpal Bhayani used to receive. He would accompany Utpal Bhayani for different plays, after which heated discussions would follow. Thus a playwright was born!
In 1979 while Naushil was at the University of Akron (USA) for his doctoral studies in Chemistry, he read the work of Robert Patrick and he began to experiment with theatre space to do Cafe theatre, Garden theatre, theatre in the Church, at night clubs, etc. Later, he wrote, directed and produced the play, ATYARE (NOW), which was performed as Cafe theatre. This play was staged by Sabira Merchant''s Studio 29 and become a cult production. Today, young theatre people are increasingly experimenting with different kinds of spaces but Naushil did that way back in the eighties.
ATYARE''s success led to the formation of Vikalp (The Alternative), a group dedicated to theatre. Naushil Mehta is a versatile man. His reading of world literature enriched Gujarati theatre. His translation and adaptation of Samuel Backett''s PLAY as DRAMO in Gujarati is one such example.
Naushil Mehta''s work includes MISS PHOOL GULABI, CHANDU UGYO CHOWK MA, AATMARAME GHAR BADLUE, EK ANOKHEE OLKHAN (with Dhiruben Patel), BHAGAVAN NO BHAG AAPO (the dramatisation of the novel Aagantook by Dhiruben Patel), DEV NA DEEDHEL, KHEL, AAMTHABHAI, etc.
As writer-director he has staged CHOKAT RANI CHAR GULAM, MANAGAMATI KANYA NI SHODHMA, MADE FOR EACH OTHER, the very successful A SUITABLE BRIDE (in English), PATRA MITRO (an adaptation of AR Gurney''s LOVE LETTERS), DOCTOR DOCTOR. He also wrote and produced LOVING BOMBAY which traces the journey of the city through the decades.
The book release function kicked off with comments by Atul Dodiya, Prabodh Parikh and Utpal Bhayani. All three of them spoke intimately about Naushil Mehta, shared insights about his body of work and recalled their personal experiences about the man from Vile Parle.
Two of Mehta''s plays were staged as part of this event. LEELA was read by Manoj Shah and Utkarsh Majumdar. Chirag Vora played the Sutradhar and essayed the parts of the waiter and the doctor. Interestingly enough, this was the original team that had also staged LEELA in 2003 at Prithvi Theatre. DABA PAG NO KHEL was another play that was performed with youthful exuberance and with a Roald Dahl twist at the end.
Afterwards, Naushil Mehta addressed the gathering by remembering friends who were not at the event and those who had passed away; but he shared his memories with a dose of humour. He thanked and acknowledged all the ''Dronas'' (mentors who contributed to his theatre). Being a man of few words, his sharing was brevity personified, crisp and befitting.
In all there are eleven plays that have been published. The play LAPASEE appears in two forms- as a soliloquy and a one-act play. This book is a treasure for all who enjoy theatre. It recreates the times when Mehta wrote the plays. While reading NAUSHIL MEHTA AAPGHAT KARE CHE, I recalled Feroz Bhagat''s performance. When I read it again, I recalled the lines from the English version- CONCERTO FOR AN UNACCOMPANIED SUICIDE IN ''A'' MINOR. I was a part of the English production.
The plays VANNARPOOR NI VAAT and LAPASEE made deep impressions and stirred my emotions. VANNARPOOR NI VAAT is about greed that creates an imbalance in society. The play talks about dowry and female foeticide. This play was performed in 2007 for the first time and today in 2013, the situation is no better. An audio CD of VANNARPOOR NI VAAT comes along with the book. This is the only play that does not require written permission from the writer for performance. This play is dedicated to a larger social cause. LAPASEE addresses the issues of surrogate mothers and specially abled children.
Naushil Mehta dedicates each of the plays in the collection to his friends and mentors. Utpal Bhayani, Mahendra Joshi, the painter Bhupen Khakkar, among others - all are mentioned. Before each play, he also shares the moments and events that inspired his writing. The book launch was graced by Mehta''s friends and well-wishers and the who''s who of Gujarati theatre and Literature. Actor Neeraj Vora (Mehta''s shishya) offered the first copy of the book to Prabodh Parekh (Mehta''s guru), who officially released it.
Leela Laghu Natako has been published by Kshitij Sanshodhan Prakashan Kendra. It is available at Image Publications Private Limited, 199/1 , Gopal Bhuvan, Shamal Das Gandhi Marg, Princess Street, Marine Lines, Mumbai, - 400002 and at 1 - 2 upper level, century bazar, Aambavadi Circle, Ahmedabad - 380006.
Email: imageabd1@gmail.com
Also available at Navabharat Sahitya Mandir, 134, Shamaldas Gandhi Marg, Mumbai - 400002. Email: nsmmum@yahoo.co.in and at Prasar: 1888, Aatabhai Avenue, Bhavanagar - 360001. Email: jayantmeghani@gmail.com
Price: Rs.300/-
Neelkanth Mehta has edited scientific journals and other in-house publications for different companies. Poetry and drama are his passion. He was part of Naushil Mehta''s Vikalp and has acted in Gujarati, English and Hindi plays.
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