Manjul Bhardwaj’s new Marathi Play
‘Lok-Shastra Savitri ' the Yalgar of Samta !
- Kusum Tripathi
When I received a call from my old friend Manjul Bhardwaj , that his new play 'Lok-Shastra Savitri' is staged at Gadkari Rangaytan, Thane on 27th March 2021 at 11:30 am and I have to come, I was so confused whether it would be right to go out in public in the pandemic of Corona? I was even doubtful whether there would be enough audience for the play! But when I reached Gadkari Rangaytan, I observed that 50% audience was present in the Theatre following the regulations and guidance of the State government. Manjul's play was houseful. Wow! Manjul Wow! You did it! In the era of Corona, where all the artists are just lurking around , you created a new play 'Lok-Shastra Savitri' and premiered it on 3rd January 2021, on the occasion of Savitribai Phule Jayanti and staged it in the Theatres.
In the year 1848, Savitribai Phule established school for girls in Pune, Maharashtra. For thousands of years Manu Smruti had restricted girls from being able to go to school. The Phule couple broke the tradition which was followed for thousands of years. Not only this, but for the first time, the Phule couple challenged the Racism and the ideology of "CLASS”. They facilitated people to be 'human' by challenging the social order based on Theology, Brahmanism, caste system and gender discrimination. Manjul's play takes shape from here; it proclaims to be a 'Human'. The play begins with the song, “I became Vaidehi, I became Draupadi, I became the queen of Jhansi, but now I want to be Savitribai". I want to live Bahinabai and Savitribai within me. When Savitribai enlightens in my mind, I will not get trapped, I will live my life as a human. This Play evokes ‘Humanity’, where women truly want to live as a Human. The constitution has given them the right to equality and not a gender-based discrimination.
The writer and director of the play, Manjul Bhardwaj has aptly shown the nuances of gender distinction in the drama “Lok-shastra Savitri ". Gender inequality is social, cultural, and has been created by human themselves. Gender inequality is volatile. It can change with time, culture, family. Gender differences can be changed. The way Savitribai Phule (whom Manjul considered India's first feminist) changed. Women were established as a human.
The genre of the play is Revolution, A revolt against the patriarchal system. This has limited a woman as a secondary person and stopped her from existing as a human. The squeamish tolerance of lashing, sabotage, exploitation, harassment of women is being presented. As soon as one incarnate self in a woman’s body, gets the adjective of mother, sister, aunt, daughter, grandmother, sister-in-law, but where does the woman's 'self ' go ?
In this 90-minute play, three categories of women have been brought in light. Initially, lower class domestic worker. Sayali Pawaskar has done a marvelous performance. Working hard as a maid, doing daily household chores that are dusting, cleaning, doing utensils, she has attained her financial freedom. But she does not have the authority over it. Her husband at home, who is an alcoholic, claims his authority over her finance using domestic violence. They both fight and quarrel over the money which her husband would use to buy him a drink but as soon as he comes home drunk and showers some love ; this woman thinks - "So what if he fights and quarrels, he still love me." She does not understand the patriarchal control over her.
The other character is of middle-class well educated woman who is a school teacher. Outstandingly performed by Komal Khamkar . There is education, job, life values in her one hand and traditional rites and rituals in the other. Her stake in the so-called male sector enhanced over the increasing time but despite the economy she is bereaved of the right to take her own decisions due to patriarchal domination. She has to determine her own horizons, she has to think, and only then she can establish herself as a ‘human’.
In this play it is very well explained that from time of birth, how the family and society, conditions every girl and each boy by assigning them their particular roles. The girl is not allowed to be educated because she is considered to be the estranged wealth and not the pillar of support during the old age. Whereas Boys are seen as the future family heads, breadwinners, property owners and managers and an active member in politics, religion, business and profession. On the other hand, the girl is expected to give birth to children in the future, to feed, and to serve the sick and the old. Do all the domestic work. This constant practice makes man the Superior and woman as the suppressed / inferior. In this way, in the male-dominated society, the woman has always remained a citizen of second standard for over centuries. All values, beliefs, traditions, cultures and relationships are being followed due to silent tolerance by the woman.
The play also emphasizes on the fact that daughters are not given a share in the ancestral property after the father's death.
According to the constitutional law the daughter shares the same rights as of the son, in their father's property; but the mother herself being the desiccant of the patriarchal system, forces her daughter to sign the paper and handover father's property to her brother. Asking her for what and why her daughter does needs property for? This is the root of the Traditional patriarchal system.
The third character of the play is the "Actress", played by Ashwini Nandedkar in a very upbeat manner. She is self-independent. She has attained her existence as a ‘human’. She explains it to both of them that the patriarchal system is a system of social structures and customs under which men affirm their dominance over women by oppressing, exploiting and controlling them. She evocates, “the woman will have to awaken self-conscience”. Have to live her Self-existence. Only and only then she will be accepted as 'human'. Women have to become fearless, self-reliant, empowered, have to be sensitive and conscious of their existence. For this, it is necessary to spread the literacy, education and consciousness of women, so that social and cultural changes can take place. She as an Actress who comes up with the goal of creating and awakening the self- enlightened dimension of a woman. She comes with a evocation to illuminate Savitri inside us (i.e. To live as a human). Only then you can find a way to live as ‘human’. That will be based on gender equality.
She says, "So what that I am born as a woman? Sex is a gift of nature. Sex cannot be changed. So what I can give birth? So what I am the creator of nature? Being born with a male or female body does not mean that our nature, behavior, roles, even our fate should be decided on the basis of it." Actress has raised many questions based on gender inequality. And the answer was also found that following all these characteristics, why do women have the secondary status in the society? I do not believe in all this. I reject these patriarchal norms and believe to live my life as a 'human'. I am 'human'.
The 'Actress' facilitates that the liberation of women and men is an interlinked process. In our society, it is very difficult for a woman to break the cage of patriarchy and liberate self unless and until men start raising a movement in that same system. The movement of men against patriarchy should not be under the favour or pity for paternity but to re-establish their existence and dignity as a HUMAN. How can men honor themselves if they have no respect for women?
In this play, patriarchy, male power, male sexuality and male knowledge system and patriarchal views that are related socially are all being calibrated and verified, and while doing this both men and women are being involved.
At the end of the play, the other characters Sakshi Khamkar, Priyanka Kamble, Tushar Mhaske, Nrupali Joshi, Surekha Sankule and Sandhya Baviskar, all artists emerge as Group. This group represents as progressive Indian society, in which there are both men and women, who talk of gender equality. They enlighten Savitri in themselves. Savitri has now evolved in everyone, and from here we will go out to live our lives as 'human'.
As the philosophy of Manjul Bhardwaj’s 'Theater of Relevance' believes - “Theatre is not just a medium, but a complete philosophy to liberate and emancipate humanity." This play evolves it's essence of gravity as it moves ahead! At the end of the play, gender equality demands that every one of us, women and men, to be seen beyond our body and rise above our negative masculinity (bullying and pressure, competing with others and autism) and femininity (bending, fear-mongering, demure). For this, it is necessary that all of us girls, boys, men and women facilitate ourselves in positive characteristics of being Human. Each of us has to be strong and gentle, fearless and sensitive, emotional and rational. Women and men everywhere have to work together to achieve the ultimate goal of gender equality, to create a world of justice and peace for all. All men and women have to live beyond their bodies as a 'human'.
Savitribai Phule is to be born inside everyone. !
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