Jammu, March 16: Natrang theatre mesmerised audiences with its latest production, Uthal Puthal, a Hindi adaptation of a short story by Anton Chekhov, directed by Neeraj Kant.
Staged at Natrang’s Studio Theatre, Kachi Chawni, as part of the renowned Sunday Theatre series, the play’s gripping narrative and emotional depth resonated strongly with the audience, shedding light on the fragile nature of trust and dignity in human relationships. The play follows Malvika, a young student living as a paying guest in the home of Maya, a wealthy but domineering woman. One day, Malvika returns from college to find the household in turmoil. Entering her room, she is shocked to see Maya rummaging through her belongings. She soon learns that a valuable brooch has gone missing, and Maya, who harbours deep suspicion towards everyone, is conducting an intrusive search, assuming that one of the residents or servants has stolen it.
Deeply offended and hurt by the lack of trust, Malvika feels violated and decides to leave the house immediately. However, as she prepares to depart, Nikhil, Maya’s husband, intervenes and confesses a shocking truth—he himself stole the brooch, driven by financial desperation. He reveals that Maya controls all their wealth, leaving him with no financial independence, effectively reducing him to a beggar in his own home. Despite this revelation, Malvika remains firm in her decision, stating that self-respect is more valuable than any material possession. She refuses to live in a place where honesty is doubted and trust is absent.
The play featured remarkable performances by Aryan Sharma as Nikhil, Vrinda Gujral as Malvika, Priyal Ashok Gupta as Nisha, Kananpreet Kaur as Maya, Manvi Devi as Kaaki, and Kartik Kumar as Kaka. Lighting design and operation were handled by Neeraj Kant, while sound design was managed by Adaksh Bagal.
