[ Amar Sangno ]
ITANAGAR, 19 Feb: The much anticipated theatre play ‘Arunachal Ek Safarnama – Saga of Arunachal’s Journey – A Vision Reborn’, directed by National School of Drama (NSD) Assistant Professor Riken Ngomle, was staged at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre here on Saturday evening, leaving many in the audience teary-eyed.
The play was part of the golden jubilee celebration of Arunachal Pradesh.
The two-hour play, depicting 50 years of Arunachal’s journey, was a reminiscence of the rural life five decades ago and how the then union territory has gradually transformed into modern Arunachal, racing to catch up with the rest of the world.
Each scene was captivating and kept the audience engaged all the way to the epilogue.
The play begins against the backdrop of a middle-class family’s modern house, where a dropout engineering student is suffering constant nightmares, in which a group of faceless people are shouting at him, asking him about his identity and value in the society.
When his modern parents, who had no time to teach their son their own mother tongue, take the youth to his grandmother, the troubled youth tells his grandmother about his nightmares. The granny interprets it, and tells the youth that his nightmares mirror his loss of mother tongue, identity and culture.
In another set, the play depicts a teenaged boy battling with drug addiction, troubling his widowed mother, caring girlfriend and concerned friend.
The play attempted to reflect the prevalent issues in the modern Arunachal society, such as loss of language, identity and culture, the drug menace, and non-caring parents.
While interpreting the troubled boy’s dreams, his grandfather starts narrating stories of the primitive life, before modern facilities came to the state’s society.
Then, with a village as the backdrop, an unmarried uncle who has filial attachment with his nephew and niece has small pox. He faces ostracism from the society because he suffers from an apparently incurable disease.
The uncle is heartbroken upon learning that his niece is being forced to marry a physically disabled man at her tender age. Later, she manages to escape from her in-laws’ village and takes shelter in the school where she was educated. She narrates the harrowing tale of her child marriage and sadistic husband.
The play further showcased how the villagers resisted when medical facilities came to the villages. The villagers have apprehensions over taking injection. They are convinced later, after small pox is cured.
Old social issues, such as child marriage and ostracism from the society, were reflected, and so was the conflict between two families over child marriage. The play further showcased how our state evolved from being a primitive society to a modern society, and the introduction of education, flashlight and radio in the villages.
“Torchlight in the play was used as a symbol of hope and radio as a symbol of information,” said Ngomle.
In the play, the depiction of former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s visit to Ziro in 1972, declaring Arunachal as a union territory, marks the start of Arunachal Pradesh’ journey of 50 years.
The play ends with a pan-Arunachal patriotic song of different tribes, with the Indian tricolour in the background and the actors shouting the slogan ‘Hum Hindi Hai (We are Indians)’.
“I am overwhelmed by the love and support of the audience and the government. I have been waiting for this moment to stage a play in front of a large crowd. Today we did it with the support of the state government. I am really happy,” said Ngomle.
The play featured more than 50 artists, including NSD graduate and actor Paalin Kabak and actor trainer Rili Ngomle. Duyu Tabyo was the scriptwriter, Tage Apa was the producer, Taba Reema was the choreographer, Kendy Zirdo was the property manager, Goge Bam was the costume designer, Sangeet Shrivastava was the light and projection designer, and Dr Siva Prasad Tumu was the set and sound designer.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Legislative Assembly Speaker Pasang D Sona, Home Minister Bamang Felix, noted Bollywood directors Imtiaz Ali and Rahul Rawail, and noted film producer Rahul Mitra were among those who witnessed the play.
After the play, Khandu showered praise on the team. “I was moved & felt fortunate to witness this evening “Arunachal Ek Safarnama”, a play directed by @RikenNgomle,” he tweeted.
“The play beautifully portrayed our journey from NEFA to Arunachal – one which has taken modernity and our rich traditions hand in hand, while depicting social issues we face,” he added.
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali also praised the theatre play. “The play directed by Riken just blew my mind,” he said. “I never imagined that in Arunachal Pradesh, with Arunachalee talents that too wonderfully directed, well choreographed play I would get to see,” the ‘Rockstar’ director said.
“Those actors were non-professional actors but they were well trained and choreographed. Costume and messages were interesting that we shouldn’t forget our culture with the advancement of modernity. I thoroughly enjoyed and congratulate Riken and everyone who was part of it,” said Ali.
