What happens when women rebel against a king hungry to complete his century of wars is the crux of NSD director Waman Kendre's musical play 'Ghazab Teri Ada' which uses humour to drive the point home.
His second production for NSD Repertory Company after 'Janeman', 'Ghazab Teri Ada' is the new version of Kendre's earlier play 'No Sex Please', which he staged for Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
'Ghazab Teri Ada' is Kendre's take on comic Greek play 'Lysistrata' by Aristophanes, about a woman who convinces the women of Greece to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands and lovers to force them to end the war between Athens and Sparta.
"That was a trial show. There are many changes on the level of content since then. We have added many layers to the play. The play talks about femininity and feminine expression. It is not just about stopping war," Kendre said after the preview screening of the play at the National School of Drama last evening.
Kendre has merged the traditional narrative with modern technique by introducing multimedia to show scenes from war zones.
But at the centre of the play is a group of women, who confronted by reality, take matters in their own hands to stop their men from fighting.
"It is a tribute to those who lost their lives in the World War I. The entire play is on women's perspective about war. It took almost three months to complete the play," Kendre told PTI.
Talking about the unique choreography and the music of the play, the director said the style is largely inspired by folk form.
"I come from the folk background. We researched a lot on music and instruments. But there is not one instrument that represents women apart from 'ghunghroo'. There is a folk form in Maharashtra where women use bells and that's where we got the idea to use bells as an instrument," he said.
The play is being staged in NSD from today till November 23.
With music design, writing and direction by Kendre, the play has music arrangement by Subhash M Karote.
Suresh Bhardwaj is behind the light design while the choreography is by Anil K Sutar. Costume and stage design is by Sandhya Salve and Naved Inamdar, respectively.
