A ballet performance portraying the life of Rani laxmi Bai ‘Khoob ladi Mardani’ was staged at Shaheed Bhavan on Tuesday. Noticeably, a three-day ballet performance in the memory of a noted theatre choreographer Prabhat Ganguly is being organized by Kirti Ballet Performing Arts. The programme began here from Tuesday and would conclude on August 15.
While talking to The Pioneer, founder and choreographer of Kirti Ballet Performing Arts, Shruti Kirti said, “To observe the 100th birth anniversary of our guru Prabhat Ganguly, we have organized a three-day theatre fest that began here from Tuesday. His birth anniversary is on August 15 and all the performances would be performed as a tribute to him.”
The ballet began with the most famous poem by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan on Jhansi Ki Rani, ‘Bundele Harbolo Ke Munh Humne Suni Kahani Thi, Khoob ladi Mardani Veh To Jhansi Wali Rani Thi’. The narrators on the stage recited the poem, introducing laxmi Bai in bridal wear waiting for his groom Raja Gangadhar Rao to marry her.
The ballet then focused on how, after losing Gangadhar Rao, laxmi Bai took up the responsibility of her kingdom Jhansi and became the Queen of the kingdom. The ballet was a contemporary free style dance drama that beautifully showcased the struggles and victory of Jhansi Ki Rani through expressions and dance forms.
Certain lines from the poetry of Subhadra Kumari Chauhan were also taken in between to narrate the events that were staged before the audiences.The ballet then depicted the event, where Rani laxmi Bai fearlessly fought for her kingdom against the Britishers and lost her life.
The audiences enjoyed the show with a lot ecstasy. Certain war events, were performed outstandingly leaving the audience enthralled having goose-bumps. The lighting on stage was mild and soothing as the music was loud and touching as well. The lighting and the music technique presented on stage complimented each other to enhance the performance. It was a fascinating experience for the audience to watch the life span of Rani laxmi Bai.