A Rajasthani play Chadi Chameli was staged here on Thursday at Antarang Hall, Bharat Bhavan. Chadi Chameli is a play based on the novel Ud Ja Re Sua, written by Shanti Bharadwaj ‘Rakesh’. The theatre aficionados of the city enjoyed the show whole heartedly. Directed by National School of Drama (NSD) alumnus theatre-artiste Rajendra Panchal, the play was performed by the artists of Pera Fin Society, Kota Rajasthan.
The play revolved around a village woman called Chameli (played by Shalini Singh) belonging to the Paswan community, who falls in love with Gopal (played by Kuldeep Singh), who hails from a different community. The play runs in the form of a flashback wherein she is narrating her own story. living in a patriarchal society, Chameli is forced to marry Jamnalal (played by Rohan Sharma) of Paswan community. Following this, Chameli is shocked when she stumbles upon the realisation of Jamnalal’s impotency.
As ideological differences with her husband heighten, Chameli decides to elope with Gopal and consequently moves to a new city. Soon she learns that she is expecting Gopal’s child. The story takes a dramatic turn when her lover dies in an accident. Shocked and devastated, Chameli struggles to start life afresh. The story then takes a 25-year leap, wherein she is seen running her own sewing machine business smoothly.
The play showcased about women empowerment. Dealing with the common issues of a woman’s life, the play tried to interact with the audience in a different manner making them realize about the struggles the woman goes through. The artists with a wondrous performance captivated the interest of the audience making them enjoy the show. Other than the performance, direction was also remarkable leaving the Bhopal theatre buffs enthralled.