Department of Indian Theatre, Panjab University will stage Vasantasena, a play which is an adaptation of king Shudraka’s 2,000-year-old world classic Mrichchakatikam translated as ‘The little clay cart’, as a part of their annual theater presentation 2014.

Professor Mahendra Kumar, the director of the play said, “The story was written by king Shudraka about 2,000 years ago depicting the culture and social milieu of his period. The play is about Charudatta, the protagonist, who helped people in need, and his love for Vasanta Sena.”Amalgamation of many characters fused into a potpourri of colorful Indian folk drama, the play has been earlier adapted and made into a film, Utsav, in 1984. 

Shveta, Associate Director of the play said, “Around 30 students of the department of Indian Theatre will participate to bring alive this classic on stage. The students have been rehearsing hard for the last three to six months to make the play a grand success.”

Panjab University, which has students from across the world studying here is the true depiction of a microcosm of the global cosmopolitan culture, stages such plays at regular intervals to educate the students about varied socio-cultural differences from across the world. Even the students eagerly look forward to these theatrical performances.

With the advent of technology and the rise of internet, it is a popular belief that theatre and other performance art are fast loosing its sheen in the contemporary era. However, Prof Mahendra Kumar differed from this popular notion and said, “Social Media can’t harm Indian Theater in anyway, though on the contrary Indian Theater has a long way to go and with time it will witness many changes for evolving into a better medium.”

Department of Indian Theatre of Panjab University was setup by Professor Balwant Gargi in 1972. He has major contributions towards the department and the open theater has been named after him to honor the stalwart. Since 1972 the department has steadily contributed to the region and with time it has matured.

Surendra, Master of Indian Theatre at PU said, “We have been practicing hard to stage the play and make it a great spectacle for the audience. After putting in moths of hard work to perfect the nuances of stage art required for the play, we are excited to perform Vasantasena, finally before the audience on June 11.”