Nagpur: Though Shivaji Maharaj’s character has inspired innumerable stage plays, Marathi drama ‘Raje Haach Khara Shri Cha Ashirwad’ was different in many ways. The play sought to present a more humane picture of the Maratha ruler and his mother Jijabai, often considered to be the power behind him. Staged at Sai Sabhagruh on Monday evening, this one was also different as it had ruling party leader in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Sandip Joshi playing the protagonist.
The drama was written and directed by Ujawal Thengdi for the purpose of “narrating the saga of freedom struggle and to also project lesser known aspects of the personalities of these two towering figures of Marathi history.”
The play takes the form of a series of episodes which have been strung together to narrate the prevailing situation in the country during that period, the constant infighting between the Hindu kingdoms, the dominance of Muslim rulers and the growing influence of the British on Indian political scene.
Most of the actors in the play are amateurs picked up by Thengdi, who has produced and directed three Marathi films including the highly acclaimed Wazir made in 1994. “I had seen Joshi at an event way back in 2006, and when I was searching for an actor to play Chhatrapati Shivaji, I remembered him,” says Thengdi.
“Though he is much taller than Shivaji, his eyes and ears create a very strong resemblance. He has very penetrating eyes and an impressive personality,” says the director.
Joshi, who has earlier played the role of Keshav Hedgewar in a film produced in 1989, got a fortnight to prepare for the play. “I was given a 32-page script of which I had to memorize 15 pages. It was lot of hard work as for most of the 70 minutes duration of the play, I am on stage,” says Joshi. “I am a politician and so I could identify with a lot of dialogues. Many of the concerns voiced by Shivaji are relevant to this day too,” he says about the portions which also won him rounds of applause during the performance.
The play handles the dynamics of the inter-personal relationships between the mother and son and other members of the family and their entourage. “I had written it two years back and had held a show in London. Now, I plan to hold it in five other countries where I would also be setting up replicas of Shri Siddhivinayak Temple,” Thengdi informs.
Admiring the acting of Joshi, IT professional Sameer Gautam said, “Though I found the script a bit fragmented, the play was pulled off on the strength of Joshi’s acting. It has been written in a manner that only those who have read thoroughly about Shivaji will understand it.”
