Vasani Jirnani, which explores the emptiness of the protagonist when he finds the world he nurtured as a creator lying in pieces before him, is a brave attempt at layering by NSD students. Surabhi Jajodia talks to the director
Death, they say, reveals our true selves and shows up earthly reality for what it is. What we perceive as an accomplished life is but an illusion that is ironically revealed in our dying moments when we are seeking solace. Written by Mahesh Elkunchwar, Vasani Jirnani, directed by lucknow-based Surya Mohan Kulashreshtha, spins around a terminal patient who watches the world change around him as he degenerates and begs for his soul to be released earlier than it should.
This story is of a learned man who considered Tagore his literary idol and spent a good life with his wife. Having come from a middle class family, the protagonist, called “Baba”, sacrificed himself at every point in his life so that his children could live better. He even sacrificed his love for domestic peace. The lady he fell in love was widowed the next day of her marriage. Having nowhere to go, Baba gave her shelter in his house but never did he express his feelings and stayed loyal to his wife. She became the kaaki (aunt) of his kids and took care of them. Just like a typical Indian father, his daughter was the apple of his eye much to the chagrin of his sons. But Baba tried to protect and nurture his family regardless of inner dissension and was the cynosure of all neighbours. Only in the end, when he was bed-ridden and needed his family the most, their real faces unfolded. Unknown to them, for he was in a stupor, they called him the reason for their failure and cursed him for not doing enough for them. This shattered him and the soul of the same man whose family was his pride, in the end, urges God (“Raghu”) to take him.
Originally written in Marathi, the director, Surya Mohan Kulashreshtha, explains the meaning of the title. “The name is Vasansi Jirnani, which is inspired by a verse from the Gita where vasansi means vastra (cloth) and jirn means phate purane (old and torn). Man changes his clothes when they get old. Similarly, when the body dies, the soul enters a new body. Baba feels suffocated after knowing the truths of his life and pleads God to take him away and give him a new body and life.”
Each character in this play is layered and undergoes a significant change from positive to negative by the end. For an ensemble size and effect, each actor has to be powerful. “This is one of the least played shows because of the complexities of situations and roles. When you watch the play, it might seem conversational and slice-of-life but the emotions emerge in the end in all their extremity and subtlety. Baba is shattered when he finds the world he nurtured as a creator lying in pieces before him. The betrayal and distrust are bigger than his physical affliction,” says the director.
The stage set-up was a metaphor in itself. Kulashreshtha says, “Blue signifies the ocean in which humans are taking leaps to find out the purpose of life. There are no realistic props used. For example, there is no medicine box near the ill man, no proper room or hall because this is a play which deals with one’s mind keeping all physical factors aside. Even the exit door is made in such a manner that it look abstract.” Tagore’s songs and references to friendship were liberally interspersed in the play, making the audience wonder who was the real friend indeed, God or manIJ
The message was clear: We must live our life without any expectations. linking the play with his inspiration, the director says, “The play Oedipus, ends on a note saying, ‘No man can be called lucky until he carries his happiness and luck till his funeral.’ Until the end, we live in the false thought that we have done good deeds and helped people. little do we know that we have come into this world with empty hands and leave with empty hands. We are nobody to judge or grade our deeds and are unaware of the outcomes. life is an illusion”.
Another important subject of the play is the way we treat mothers as faceless conveniences. A mother is asked to take care of the household and kids. She loses her own identity. No one knows her by her name. Even if she wants to do something on her own in life, she is laughed at by her family and neighbours. The husband is always the hero. A man does not have to prove his loyalty ever. It is always the woman who is questioned.
In the play, even the principled Baba shortchanges his wife and the other woman but nobody realises it. This sub-plot of complexities in a male-female relationship gives the main storyline a bit of a counter-balancing bounce.
Photos: MD Meharban