Theatre is a platform to express a legion of thoughts through acting. The amalgamation of literature and performing arts is incredible, especially when it comes to transforming a literary masterpiece into a full-fledged theatre performance. To do so, it takes dedication, tremendous collective effort, and most importantly, patience. Actors who have worked as theatre artists at the beginning of their careers are more likely to succeed in the field of acting. Because at first, they understand the aura of the stage and the mood and temper of the live audience. Before the rise of Urban Gujarati cinema, theatre was one of the choices of entertainment for people. Many names come to mind while talking about theater performances. Pratik Gandhi is the most recent name and one may call him a theatre gem as he continues to shine as a theatre enthusiast even after his cinematic success. It is worth mentioning here that his love for theatre has been inevitable since his days in engineering.
In Bhavnagar, Sir Sir Sarala was a good experimental play I watched, and just like other reviewers, I stated among my friends that Pratik Gandhi would be a success in the industry. It was the first time I saw his stage performance. In 2016, it was his second-best performance in Bhavnagar while he acted in two plays, Mohan No Masalo and Hun Chandrakant Bakshi; solely performed by him.
And the rest is known to all cinema-goers. Bey Yaar and Love Ni Bhavai was a cinematic success.
Yesterday evening, it was a joyful experience to again watch him in the same plays Mohan No Masalo and Hun Chandrakant Bakshi. However it was not his first performance in Bhavnagar but for many, it was the first time that they would be watching Pratik acting live. So here are my review points.
1. Mohan No Masalo (Mohan's Masala)
This play is basically a compilation of Mahatma Gandhi's learning outcomes from his own life. It depicts the early days of Mohandas Gandhi's early childhood, his married life, his experience of going abroad on seaway, his days of studying barrister in England, the death of his father Karamchand Gandhi, his first case after being a barrister, his journey to Africa, his experience of humiliation and fight against physical violence, and so on.
Through this play, we get to know that a child's innocence and curiosity to know the truth by asking simple yet firm questions continue to grow as a virtue and become a key factor in the overall development of the personality. It is inevitable to stick to the truth in every circumstance, no matter how adverse the situations may turn.
The play has been faithful to Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography Satya Na Prayogo (The Story of My Experiments with Truth).
2. Hun Chandrakant Bakshi (Me, Chandrakant Bakshi)
Before talking about Pratik Gandhi's acting it's important to mention Bakshi Babu himself. Chandrakant Bakshi was a prolific, sharp, and brave Gujarati author who wrote masterpieces for Gujarati literature. His sense of self and me-attitude were signs of living a brave, blunt yet truthful life as a Gujarati author. His contribution to the field of literature set many milestones and inspired many young authors to write more openly in the Gujarati language.
What I loved about the play is Bakshi Babu is shown exactly as he was in his real life. The play inspires many readers to explore more about Chandrakant Bakshi. When Pratik Gandhi played Bakshi Babu it seemed like Chandrakant Bakshi himself was on the stage to talk about himself.
Through this play, I came to know many interesting facts about Bakshi Babu. Along with writing he also loved the profession of a college professor. It was a shocking thing for me that he experienced a betrayal from his close friend when he was terminated from the designation of principal; a friend who once established an institution and appointed Bakshi Babu as principal in first place. It was surprising to know that he was an ardent lover of sweets. He stayed in Kolkata for some time and it is evident that this influence of the Bengali environment is found in his writing as well. Bakshi Babu was of the opinion that every Gujarati should take military training because a fat-free and well-shaped body can make wonders in life. He himself was a marathon runner. He followed a great deal of discipline in writing. Moreover, his passion for living life in extremes is truly inspiring.
The play remains faithful to the autobiographical work Bakshinama.
If a person has a keen interest in Gujarati literature and if she's never read Bakshi then she would be missing a great deal of newness and freshness of Gujarati literature.
Thanks to Shihir Ramavat and Manoj Shah for writing and directing such a beautiful play. It was really a great feast to enjoy.
It's a lark !!!
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