Rajouri ,SEP 18
Natrang sensitized masses of 6 major towns of Rajouri and Poonch districts through its highly powerful play ‘Loktantra Ka Asli Mantra’ which was staged at Surankote, Mendhar, Poonch, Rajouri, Nowshera and Sunderbani. Innovatively written by Padamshree Balwant Thakur and directed by Neeraj Kant, these shows are sponsored by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K and were locally organised efficiently by the district Election Offices of Poonch and Rajouri. Aimed at making the larger population aware about their voting rights, Balwant Thakur has exclusively devised a highly motivational play using local idioms, cultural expressions and story-telling forms. Interestingly wherever this play is performed, the actors are trained to use the local language in their effective narratives which makes a strong connection with the audiences and they (audience) also identify with the local characters being portrayed in this mind blowing play.
On the occasion Natrang Director Balwant Thakur thanked the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K for giving Natrang this amazing opportunity to use arts for a larger national cause. All the three shows in Anantnag received standing ovations and people were seen acknowledging the fact that this play has impacted them very effectively and have prompted the audience to become the ambassadors of this strong message.
The play ‘Loktantra Ka Asli Mantra’ opens with the aggression of the disillusioned, frustrated youth who are struggling to survive in the contaminated air of corruption, scandals and dishonesty. They do not see any hope in the future as their present is being rotten by the corrupt system. They want to devastate everything around them in rage but when questioned by an educated person that ‘what are they doing to come out of this unfortunate situation?. Busy in their illusionary world created by the social media, they are speechless as they just want the things to happen but are not ready to be part of that change and want everything without making any required effort. The artists who participated in the play Loktantra Ka Asli Mantra included Neeraj Kant, Subash Jamwal, Mohd. Yaseen, Vrinda Gujral, Brijesh Avtar Sharma, Vansh Pandotra, Vishal Sharma, Palshin Dutta, Mihir Gujral, Ananya Verma, Aadesh Dhar, Kushal Bhat, Lalita Sharma, Kananpreet Kaur, Pratibha Verma and Lal Mohd. The music of the play was operated by Mohd. Yaseen & Palshin Dutta.
