28-03-2023 (Tuesday)
Aandho Ki Haathi
Nirman Kala Mancha, Patna
Sanjay Upaadhaya
Hindi
THE DIRECTOR…..
Sanjay Upadhyay is one of those theatre directors who have been too many areas of the country to do theatre and do install a new theatre consciousness in the new generation. A graduate in direction from NSD and with a M.A. (English) from Patna University has been carving a niche as a prominent theatre director in the country among the likes of Ratan Thiyam, Habib Tanweer and B.V. Karant.
He is director of Nirman Kala Manch; is a 26 years old theatre group of Patna &Safarmaina, the children wing of Nirman Kala Manch; has performed so many plays in national level & praised by prominent theatre personalities B.V. Karant, Bairi John, Ratan Thiyam, D.R. Ankur etc. Besides this he has been director of Shri Ram Centre, New Delhi. As a part time theatre trainer he has worked in many theatre workshops; has given music to many productions by reputed director like:- Bhanu Bharti, Gautam Majumdar, Robin Das, Bansi Kaul, B.M. Shah, Ramgopal Bajaj, Satyadev Dubey, Bairi John, D.R. Ankur, Alok Chatterjee, Avtar Sahni& Ajay Malkani etc; and has been director for international festivals held in Columbia, Surinaam, Caracas. As recognition of his contribution towards Indian Theatre, National School of Drama, New Delhi has awarded Sanjay Upadhyay with the Manohar Singh Smriti Samman 2010, approved by the Deptt. Of Culture, Govt. of India. He was awarded with the Habib Tanweer Samman, Patliputra Samman, Jagdishchandra Mathur Samman, Rashtra Gaurav Samman, Shivmangal Singh Suman Samman etc.
Sanjay Upadhyay has directed many full length plays like:- Bakri, Bidesia, Jeewan Leela, Gabarghichor, AndherNagri, Samjhauta, HamariBudiya, JasmaOdhan, NalDamyanti, Comrade ka Coat, Khadia ka Ghera, Gajipur ka hajjam, Rustam Sohrab, Three Penny Opera, Malvakagnimitram, Bada Natakiya Kaun, GaganGhataGahrani, Neelkanth Nirala, Company Ustad, Ghasiram Kotwal, Heera Dom, GaganDamamaBajyo, Mrichchhakatikam (Kannada), Smriti Rekha, Harsingaar, DhartiAaba, Mangosil, Kahan Gaye Mere Ugna, Ambapali, PartiParikatha, Uttar Priyadarshi, Janwasa, AndhaYug, Neelkanth Nirala, Swapna Mangal Katha, Janat Tulsidas, Hey Thatagat, Daaliya,Batohi, Jal Damroo Baje, Teesra Mantar, Anand Raghunandan, Kadambhri, Haseenabad, Andho ka Hathi, Asmanjas Babu etc. He has also directed dramatization of poetry, short stories & solo productions and has worked on stage presentations based on the life of literary person like:-Nirala, Rahul, Habba Khatoon, Tulsidas, MahendraMisir, Bhartendu, Kabir, Fanishwar Nath Renu, Bhikhari Thakur, Mohan Rakesh, Vidyapati, Mahadevi Verma, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Heera Dom, Jayprakash Narayan etc& others like:- Birsa Munda, Ashoka the Great, Bhagat Singh, Amrapali etc.
Hes has been Working as Artistic-Director, Sri Ram Centre for performing Arts, New Delhi in 1994-96. Associatated with National School of Drama (New Delhi) BhartenduNatya Academy (Lucknow), Patiala Drama Dept. (Punjab University), Ninasam (Karnatka) Mandi Acting Course, (Himacital Pradesh) as Visiting Faculty.
Hes has been working as Founder Director of Madhya Pradesh School of Drama, Bhopal Department of Culture govt.of Madhya Pradesh from 7th oct. 2010 to 7th 0ct.2018.
Sangeet Natak Akademi ( National Academy of Musi ,Dance and Drama New Selhi) Announced Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the Year 2018 in the field of Theatre Direction.
THE GROUP…..
Nirman Kala Manch of Patna, Bihar, is a much acclaimed theatre group, going strong over the last three decades. Nirman has been working with historical presentations, As well as other cultural presentations of poetry and discussions. Its activities involve all aspects of theatre production, such as stagecraft, light design, costumes, make-up and theatre songs. Nirman also publishes magazines, folders, folders and bulletins of art and culture.
The social objectives of Nirman are deeply intertwined with the underprivileged s downtrodden classes of society. As a result, ’Safarmaina’ a theatre group was established in 1990 to work with the handicapped and the underprivileged children of the slum areas. Nirman has successfully staged theatre productions based on folk-art, autobiographies and current issues. The first commercial theatre group in Bihar, the Nirman Rang Mandal, was established in 2000.
Some of the plays performed by Nirman Kala Manch directed by Sanjay Upadhyay are Bakri, Bidesia, Rustom-Sohrab, Khadiya ka ghera, Bada natakiyakaun, Nal-Damyanti, Jasmaodhan, Company ustad, Kahan Gaye Mere Ugna, Ghasiram Kotwal, Heera Dom, ChoteMiyan Bade Miyan, Gabarchichor, Ek thachida, Ambapali, ParatiParikatha, Harshingar, DhartiAaba& Swapna Mangal Katha, Janat Tulsidas, Batohi, GaganDamamaBajyo, Haseenabad, Andho Ka Hathi, GaganGhataGhahrani, Asmanjas Babu, etc.
In the history of hindirangmanchNirman kala manch , Patna is the second theatre group in country which is participated in pritvi theatre festival 09 with his 5 plays by 10 performances.
The first commercial theatre group in Bihar, the Nirman Repertory was established in 2000 & now We have a huge family of 23 Repertory Artists & Many others.It was also a historic moment by presenting more than 725 shows of BIDESIA in the Music & direction of Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay and written by Bhikhari Thakur, known as Shakespeare of Bhojpuri language.
Nirman Kala Manch has organized Annual Theatre Festival “Rang Jalsa” every year on the foundation day. Nirman Kala Manch is going beyond in the Journey of Art. Serve Art, Serve Theatre & Serve Artist is our aphorism & Improvement, Enhancement & Enrichment of Theatre is our endeavor and we’re aspired to reach the aroma of Theatre to each & Every People.
THE PLAY…..
The Play Andho Ka Hathi, strongly raised social evils, politics, women’s discussion, democracy, governance and the rights of the people. According to ancient Proverb five blind men find an elephant and by touching its different parts, they regard it as a rope, soup, pole, wall and dragon respectively and start arguing with each other.
The elephant then goes away. But these blinds create different opinions, promises and creeds and create their own truth which is completely opposite to the truth.
To give a dramatic inclusion in the story, he is given the charge of the elephant so that he can inform the public about the elephant, but these blind becomes corrupt, power-hungry and selfish, and the public’s representative kills the facilitator because he Used to talk and politics is in danger from those who raise questions Ultimately, this play represents an excellent genre, through songs and cheeky dialogues, entertains the audience of every class and gives a point of thought.
DIRECTOR’S NOTE…..
I have structured this play on three levels. Primarily to explore the mystery of art, then on relationship of art and artist with the mystery of life and lastly on social concerns of the artist. Passing through these focal points only, one can enjoy the essence of the play. This play starts from the same point where it ends and it ends from where it starts. The man who is traversing through on-stage to back-stage is also expressing his innermost pain in its lucid outward lyricity. This man is Company Ustad the don of all dons. When melody of melodrama, dramatics of super-drama and encasd emotions compounds it conceptualizes a new style (dramatic style) and that is purabiya. A perpetual darling of folk life of Purwanchal, this folk form needs no explanation or recognition.
If there would not have been Purabiya style the whole tradition of Sepahiya, Okilva, Mulukwa even Bidesia or Batohiya would not have taken roots. Similarly, without Mahendra Mishra, Bhikhari Thakur could not have existed. But both have quietly been ignored. Both have created one end each of this style. Purabiya on one side and Bidesia on other side.
OnStage…..
Swaram Upadhyay/ Vivek Kumar
Mukesh Kumar
Md.Zaffar Alam
Abhisek Anand
Rohit Chandra
Rubi Khatoon
OffStage…..
