Anatomy of social evils

India is a land of complexities and several issues are so inter-linked, one cannot look at one issue and close their eyes to another. Addressing a plethora of social evils and issues, playwright K. Harish Singh is busy with the rehearsals of Drama Jantar Ka.

Set in the pre-independence era, the play holds a lot of relevance in the present era as well. “Several issues like mother-tongues, illiteracy, superstition and dowry are highlighted. The issue of dowry has evolved in this age. People no longer demand cash as they used to, now it is a house or a car that they want and they are all called ‘gifts’. The parents of the girl too think that it is OK to give such things, as they are gifts from them to their daughter. But it is not fair towards the girl’s family. As people get more educated and gather higher degrees, their rates also increase,” says Harish.

The play will be enacted in Hyderabadi Hindi. “I am from Hyderabad. Bollywood films always portray Hyderabadi in a comic way. But that is not how life in Hyderabad is. We have very serious conversations in Hyderabadi Hindi in the play and bring out the issue of mother tongues. The play shows how the language has more than what is shown in cinema,” says Harish. He included Hyderabadi Hindi in the play but also added explained the words where things would become difficult for audiences to understand. “For example, I have used the word ‘katnaom’ for dowry, which is a Telugu word. At the same time, in the same sentence, I have used the word ‘dahej’ as well. So the play is fairly easy to understand,” he explains. 

Playwright K Harish Singh.

Harish had to spend time teaching the actors Hyderabadi Hindi, as most of them were from Punjab and Haryana. The play was initially written under the name of Yantar, but later changed to Jantar. It was performed in the city last year as well but has been re-written and directed again. “There are a lot of political changes happening in the country, which are a subtle part of the play this year,” he shares. 

“India has a huge culture of superstition as well, which happens to be the main theme of the play,” he says, adding, “It is very unfortunate that this play makes sense in the contemporary times. I went to get approval for the play and was told that this play makes much sense in such times. That might be good for the play but is not for the society. It is unfortunate that such issues are only becoming common. I will be happy on the day this play stops making sense.” 

The idea of the play is to show how religion, superstition and ignorance play a huge role in controlling several lives. Harish also plays a role of an Indian man, who has returned from England and sees India through his colonial glasses. “The irony of many Indians living abroad is that they complain a lot about how India is backward, how it stinks, how there is a lot of corruption here. But none of them want to come and actually put in efforts to change the country. This play also addresses that,” he explains.

The play will be staged at Akshara theatre on August 4, 2017. The tickets are priced at INR 200.