Ladies Sangeet talks about gender stereotyping

Aadhyam Theatre, an Aditya Birla initiative, presented Aarambh Mumbai in Ladies Sangeet, a play directed by Purva Naresh.

The title of the play however does not match the content. By the words ladies’ sangeet we imply a particular gathering for a particular occasion which is a wedding and a ladies sangeet is one of the ceremonies.

In Ladies Sangeet all the women at the wedding get together to sing and dance the evening away in celebration of the occasion. Their songs are often erotic to the point of being vulgar when they take digs at their in-laws.

For instance, rasgulla humai ke mar diyo re, pehla rasgulla, sasurji ko mar, chod diyo re, buddha samajh ke chod diyo re, talks about rasgullas that have been thrown at various male relatives, and the final rasgullas that are thrown at the saiyyan or the husband-to-be. Rasgulla saiyyanji ko mara, apna samjh kar chod diyo re, the song goes on.

Such songs are part of the repertoire of ladies sangeet and in the play there was a lot of music and foot-tapping numbers, some soulful music and a lot of dance and frivolous dance. It also tries to throw light on gender stereotyping.

The play is staged on a grand set which looks like a haveli or bungalow. The daughter Radha is about to wed into an affluent family to Siddharth. Everyone is happy and excited as the music-filled house resonates with cheer. The bride-to-be is nervous right now about two things in particular, one is sangeet, which is three days away and the clothes that she has to wear for the wedding. She begins to realise the physical discomfort she has to go through to be a conventional bride. Later on, she will have to live up to the world’s idea of a perfect wife. Megha the mother, is undergoing her own problems with an impending separation from her husband and as she prepares to talk to her daughter about the duties of a wife, she realises she cannot leave her husband. In another corner of the house is Radha’s grandmother and her younger sister, Rukmini who are locked in a battle of wits over the choice of songs for the sangeet to which the young girl will perform. While the grandmother insists the girl sings thumri or tappa, the girl wants to sing a Rihanna or a Hollywood number.

The director in her notes says that “Ladies Sangeet emerges from a constant argument I have had with my teachers and gurus for the space for the contemporary in classical arts which in our case has been steeped into mythological texts”. She is also the writer of this play.

“I chose to place this exploration in a background of a story and drama unfolding in a house preparing for a wedding and sangeet... because of the setting gender became another obvious exploration; however no argument sustains itself for long if not held engagingly, the drama of the text had to be powerful and what is more powerful than human relationships and their complexities ”

Loveleen Mishra plays Megha, the mother with a rare acumen. Veteran actor Joy Sengupta, plays Yash the father with elaan. Radha played by Shikha Talsania is also quite apt. Nivedita Bhargava plays dadi, with a strong musical talent. Trisha Kale who is Rukmini, is a good singer and plays her part with energy.

All the other members of the cast are efficient in their roles. Harpreet who is the musician has successfully helped teach the cast the brilliant compositions of Shubha Mudgal’s for the play. The music was very good and efficiently sung by the entire cast.

Ladies Sangeet is the third play in the second season of Aadhyam’s presentation of plays from various languages in Delhi and Mumbai.

The fourth play, The Twelve Angry Jurors will be staged on July 30 and July 31 at the Kamani in Delhi.