RANG BAJRANG Play Review

Ank's latest play and its 76th production, is a Hindi adaptation of Richard Nash's 'The Rainmaker'. It has also been adapted earlier as a Hindi art film entitled Thodasa Roomani Ho Jaye starring Nana Patekar playing the maverick rainmaker.The play has since become a chapter in human management and it advocates the use of "flights of fancy" over a pragmatic approach in life.

Dinesh Thakur has set his adaptation in a drought-stricken Rajasthani village. This is a family drama unfolding in the household of an ageing widower Choudhary Deen Dayal (Makhija) with an elderly, dark, spinster daughter Nandu (Preeta Mathur), a head-strong son Mahipat (Rohan Shroff) and the carefree youngest son Padampat (Ashish Salim). Father in his covert ways and brothers in their overt ways are matchmaking for Nandu in vain. Nandu is embittered by repeated rejections from prospective grooms, either on the grounds of her lack of fair skin or because of her intellect.



The drought adds to the miseries of the family and in such a dismal scenario enters a flamboyant stranger - Bajrangali (Aman Gupta) - a magician of sorts who can conjure up dreams and visions of a verdant future through his poetry. He promises to make rain for a thousand rupees only and Choudhary makes a deal with him much against the counsel of the pragmatic Mahipat. Will Bajrangali deliver the rain? Ahem, that's the moot question.

The narrative is replete with metaphors - choc-a-bloc with spiritual and philosophical messages and inferences that compel the viewer to think and re-evaluate his lifestyle. Alas! The play flounders in terms of the lyrical quality of writing, and the verses are neither strong, nor moving enough...that's where the play loses its grip. Secondly, Aman Gupta essaying the magical role of Bajrangali lacks the charisma and chutzpah that are the cornerstones of this character. Preeta Mathur's spirited Nandu and Pawan Chopra's egoistic cop act deserve a special mention, but even their brilliant performances together with that of well-played roles by Makhija and Rohan fail to revive the flagging spirit of the play.

Pravin Bansode's Rajasthani set design cleverly lends a rustic air to the proceedings while the elevated machaan simulates the requisite surrealism. The Rajasthani mand rendered by Alah Bal and Noor Md Langa enhance the mysticism of the play. But sadly, Bajrangali fails to cast a spell.

*Deepa Ranade is a film and theatre reviewer. She has been an entertainment journalist for over fifteen years.