The life of one of the great warriors of the country, Rani laxmi Bai was brilliantly showcased on the stage. Marking the second day of Rang Kirti fest, ballet ‘Khoob ladi Mardani’ was performed at Shaheed Bhavan Auditorium on Tuesday.
Directed and choreographed by Chandra Madhav Barik, the ballet was performed by the artists of Kirti Ballet and Performing Arts, Bhopal. The presentation was based on the novel of the novelist Vrindavan lal Verma, the queen of Jhansi and poem by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan.
With as many as 21 artists performing on stage, this was the 36th presentation of the ballet.
The ballet focused on how, after losing Gangadhar Rao, laxmi Bai took up the responsibility of her kingdom Jhansi and became the Queen of the kingdom. A contemporary free style ballet wondrously showcased on how the queen struggled for the victory and freedom of her country. The speedy footworks and the impactful facial expressions, the ballet almost left the audience enthralled.
When she fearlessly fought against the British it was the time when audience appreciated the act with huge applauses. During this 40-minute presentation, a live presentation of war scenes was screened which added much charm in the presentation.
According to Barik, “The struggle of Rani lakshmi Bai was a different kind of Mahabharata. It was a way of religion war, in order to prevent the spread of imperialism and to overthrow the British rule, the native kings needed unity and strength to fight against the British. The queen who was prepared, but the queen’s battle remained incomplete due to lack of unity and some selfish interest among the kings.”
On this occasion, Aruneshwar Singh Dev, Alok Chatterjee, Kathak maestro V Anuradha Singh and senior artists were present. Prior to the ballet performance senior artists Chandra Madhav Barik and Sindhu Dholpure were honored with Shan-e-Madhya Pradesh Award 2017.