Vijay Tendulkar’s magnum opus
Imagine the coming to power of an autocratic, vindictive, and right-wing leader who seeks to take away all those freedoms that you hold dearly. Does this sound familiar? No, we are not talking about current affairs, even though we may as well be. That is the premise of Naatak’s upcoming 112th play, Vijay Tendulkar’s magnum opus, Ghasiram Kotwal, a grand musical about power, politics, and perversion in the times of the Peshwas.
The year is 1777. The Maratha empire extends through most of India. The first Anglo-Maratha war is underway with the English and the Marathas winning. The upper classes are enjoying a decadent high life. Love and Lavani is in the air, an infant Peshwa on the throne, and one of the regents, finance minister Nana Fadnavis is running the administration.
It’s against this backdrop that the play’s titular character, Ghasiram Sawaldas, arrives in Pune from northern India. Initially subjected to ridicule, rancor, and racism for being “different,” he vows to take revenge on the city, and plots, baits, and bribes his way to power. But will the aristocracy allow him to disrupt the status quo? Will the Machiavellian Nana allow himself to be manipulated?
Ghashiram Kotwal was written by Tendulkar as a response to the rise of the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and explores the rise and re-rise of despots the world over.
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13 bald Brahmins ‘a dancing!’
The play is considered one of the great classics of Indian Theatre. Ever since the curtains opened for the first time in 1972 to the unforgettable image of 13 bald brahmins singing, dancing, and narrating the story of Ghasiram, the play has been electrifying audiences everywhere it goes. Written as a musical, Ghashiram Kotwal has iconic and memorable tracks composed by the legendary Bhaskar Chandavarkar, which Naatak will reprise in this production.
Tendulkar based his play on an 1863 story by author-historian Moroba Kanhoba, who tossed together history and fiction to write Ghashiram Kotwal as something of a simple morality play. It was first staged on 16th December 1972, but Jabbar Patel’s production of the play in 1973 made it a cult classic.
While this was the first play of the era to be named after the villain (Ghasiram), the antihero (Nana Fadnavis) played by Mohan Agashe stole the show. Ghasiram Kotwal was later (1976) made into a Marathi movie, which marked the debut of Om Puri, one of Indian cinema’s finest actors.
In-house Naatak connections to Ghasiram Kotwal
Incidentally, Naatak cast member Vinata Karra who plays Gulabi Bai in the current production, played Nana Fadnavis’ young bride in Jabbar Patel’s 1973 version. She was part of the original cast that included Mohan Agashe for over 100 shows! Another cast member, Milind Kulkarni, who plays one of the Brahmins, went to school with Bhaskar Chandravarkar’s son. One of the show’s singers, Gunjan Gore, acted in a UAE production of the play as Nana’s young bride.
Naatak’s production features a spectacular set inspired by Shanivar Wada, vibrant Maharashtrian folk dances like the Lavani, Lezim, Kawwali, and Gondhal, and beautiful period costumes that transport us to 18th-century Pune. The costumes required Peshwe Kalin drapery, which includes an impressive set of turbans for various actors – Nana Fadnavis, Gashiram, Puneri Brahmins, Sipahi, and Dawandiwale. The authenticity and uniqueness of the turbans were important not only to stay true to the era but also to provide the opulence needed for an epic production. After much research, Naatak was fortunate to have Pune’s Yadav Kalakendra make the turbans – most famously, they created turbans for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani.
A production 29 years in the making
Ghashiram Kotwal was meant to be Naatak’s first ever production in 1996. However, it took 29 years to prepare to do justice to this behemoth of a script.
Harish Agastya who grew up in Mumbai and is very familiar with the aura around this play serves as its director, supported by Nachiketa Yakkundi, who has been music director for Naatak Productions since 2014, and Soumya Agastya, the dance director for all of Naatak’s grand musicals. Anitha Dixit is the play’s producer. The play is in Hindi with some original dialog and songs in Marathi, with English subtitles. 10 shows will play over three weekends from January 24th to February 10th.
For more information: www.naatak.com