Jammu, Oct 08: Balwant Thakur’s popular Dogri play ‘GATT’ took the stage at Deewan-e-Aam, Mubarakh Mandi, Jammu, on Sunday as part of Natrang’s weekly theatre series ‘Sunday Theatre.’ Based on Krishna Chander’s famous Urdu classic short story ‘Khadda,’ the play delivered a thought-provoking satire on the erosion of human values in contemporary society, striking a chord with the audience.
Balwant Thakur’s adaptation of ‘GATT’ masterfully depicted the tendency of individuals to evade their responsibilities, instead indulging in grandiose rhetoric about being saviors of the suffering masses. The play portrayed a person trapped in a ditch, desperately pleading for help, but met with indifference from various passersby.
In the performance: Unemployed youth, absorbed in their pursuit of romantic interests, callously ignored the pleas for assistance. The ‘Sadhu’ (Holy Man) offered blessings and prayers but took no practical action to help. The police officer, despite lodging an FIR, directed the victim to the police station, fully aware that the victim couldn’t escape the ditch unaided. A foreigner lady questioned the victim about his allegiance to India or Pakistan, seemingly oblivious to his immediate predicament. A political leader in power visited the area following public complaints about road conditions. Instead of aiding the trapped individual, he used wooden planks to create a stage for a public speech.
The absurdity reached its peak when a minister, in the midst of delivering development rhetoric, ignored the fallen man and the dire situation in favor of political grandstanding. The play poignantly reflected the plight of the common man, who continued to suffer despite celebrating sixty-four years of India’s Independence.
The Natrang actors who brought this powerful narrative to life included Chirag Anand as Neta (Political Leader), Mahikshit Singh as Aadmi (Common Man), Mohd. Yaseen as Karamchari 1 (Unemployed Youth), Brijesh Avtaar Sharma as Karamchari 2 (Unemployed Youth), Aadesh Dhar as Karamchari 3 (Unemployed Youth), Sanket Bhagat as Aashiq-1 (Romantic Youth), Kushal Bhat as Aashiq-2 (Romantic Youth), Kananpreet Kaur as Foreigner Lady, Sumit Singh Bandaral as Sadhu (Holy Man), Vishal Sharma as Police Cop, Vansh Pandotra as Chela-1 (Minister’s Aide), and Abhimanyu Choudhary as Chela-2 (Minister’s Aide).
The show was expertly coordinated and conducted by Neeraj Kant, leaving the audience both entertained and deeply contemplative about the state of societal values.
