A return to the era of the British Raj and a game of ‘cirket’ took over the Science City Mini Auditorium on December 16, as six- to 12-year-olds adapted Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan in the form of Once Upon a Time in India. Directed by the Kolkata-based Shriek of Silence, one of India’s first theatre start-ups, the play was originally performed by Little Patakas, also based in the city, over a year ago at the National Library. This December, the Friends of Tribals Society (FTS) invited the troupe to perform the play as part of the closing segment of their annual programme.
FTS, a voluntary organisation committed towards the upliftment of the tribal masses of India, also raised donations through the programme, during which the children of Little Patakas, along with directors and associates of Shriek of Silence, raised Rs 1.10 lakh, sufficient to fund a year’s worth of education for over 1,000 tribal children.
A set of dazzling performances by children belying their age
Shivya Bansal as Gauri bore an uncanny resemblance to Gracy Singh’s portrayal of the character in ‘Lagaan’
The play on stage saw the Messenger, played by six-year-old Navya Dalmia, announce taxation decrees, which extracted heartwarming gasps among the audience. On the other hand, Swarna Todi’s Yashoda Maa’s warmth spread the joy of motherly love. The poise of Vaanya Jatia’s Rani-ji, coupled with the resounding hits at translation by Ram Singh, played by Yuvan Veer Sethi, elevated the play further. The delightful Shivana Jalan’s Lali, armed with a doll in hand, taught the villagers of Champaner to take life with a pinch of salt while swaying her braids and smiling along to the beats of Mitwa.
Seizing the spotlight was the Bhuvan-Gauri duo, played by Shivank Jalan and Shivya Bansal, respectively, with an uncanny resemblance to Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh’s rendition of Radha Kaise Na Jale. Aariya Jalan’s Bhoomi, Radhya Dalmia’s Goli and Viraj Lakhotia’s Ismail stole more hearts while Sanaya Sethi’s Ishwari Kaki, Anaya Churiwala’s Elizabeth and Vanya Khaitan’s Mukhiya-ji commanded respect despite their diminutive stature. At the other end of the table stood Captain Russel and Colonel Boyer. Overjoyed at having extracted promises of triple taxation if they could just beat the Indians at the Britishers’ own game, Viraj Poddar and Anika Khaitan not only trod the stage with imperial ego but also nailed their accents. An eccentric Adhrit Goenka portraying Ghuran’s predictions for the future provided moments of memorable comic relief.
However, the star of the evening emerged in the form of a character who spoke no dialogues, for he played the role of the mute Bagha. Capturing nuances and a multitude of emotions through his eyes and the modulation of his shrieks, Atulya Bansal added a unique flavour to the show. “As we work together to create light for others, Shivya and Atulya lit their own way through deeper bonds, new learnings and sensitivity towards a noble cause,” stated Sumedha Bansal, the mother of the two.
‘The children’s growth in terms of confidence, public speaking and becoming free-flowing performers is commendable’
Shivank Jalan essaying the role of Bhuvan, originally played by Aamir Khan
While most sequences of the play were wrapped in songs, some original and some borrowed from its reel counterpart, the initial sequence of Choote Lagaan, where all the characters sat in a circle and commanded introductions through carefully crafted couplets, emerged as the highlight of the play. “We have seen the children evolve from 2018. Their growth in terms of confidence, public speaking and becoming free-flowing performers on stage is commendable. The way the children performed was nothing less than professional,” stated Ritwika Chaudhuri, creative director of Shriek of Silence.
Months of laborious practice, an exquisite set design capturing moods of colonial India, eye-catching light design and the twinkling flames of electronic diyas with audiences swaying along with the Indian flag when Bhuvan, quite literally, hit the ball out of the park made Once Upon a Time in India a hearty watch.
