Mother is the strong pillar of the family and everything depends on her. But, what happens when she retires from the home jobIJ This scenario was showcased through a Hindi play ‘Maa Retire Hoti Hai’ here on Tuesday at Antarang Hall, Bharat Bhavan. Originally written in Marathi by Ashok Patole the play was directed by Ashok Bulani and presented by Rang Samuh Theatre Group, Bhopal. The play was staged on the second day of event ‘Smaran Khulbhushan Dalori 2015’ that was organised in the memory of Khulbhushan Dalori, Bharat Bhawan.
The play shows the mother as caring, conscientious wife of a chauvinist husband and a loving grandmother. She is concerned about her sons, daughters-in-law and the husband. She gives hankies to her sons when they leave for office. She washes, cooks and takes care of the grandson. She does all chores, but the daughters-in-law resent their husbands’ devotion to their mother.
The story of the play follows the struggle of the mother, the protagonist of the play Sudha. The elder son and his wife plan to buy a building of an old age home which was started by the mother. In the course of the play, the audience discovers that she was a writer and had been physically abused by her husband.
The younger son goes to a movie with his wife without telling her. The mother in her is very hurt. All the family members take her for granted. The hurt mother tells the family members that she thought she has inherited good values in them but she has failed. Exhausted with the trials she faced everyday in her life she tells them that she is retiring from all the jobs of house and before retiring she gives a month notice prior to retirement which should be considered as her holiday. Her announcement stuns the family and they think that she is just upset and will soon come round but she sticks to her word which upsets the routine of the house. The play was performed outstandingly by artists and received much appreciation from the audience.