Epic play completes 400 shows

The play begins from 1294, when Allaudin Khilji attacked and took over the Devgiri kingdom, and ends with the coronation of Shivaji on June 6, 1674. The idea for the play originated in 1974, when Babasaheb, along with noted figures from Marathi theatre like Damu Kenkre, music director Vasant Desai, Pramila Datar and Fayyaz, put together a 22-minute act on Shivaji’s coronation. "I was surprised by the tremendous response we got," reminisces the playwright, informing that the act ran to a packed 600 shows.

"I kept toying with the idea of how to present the entire Shivacharitra in play form," he adds, admitting that the idea was daunting "considering the period involved and the magnitude of Shivaji’s personality."

On a visit to Rome in 1988, Purandare came upon an eponymous Italian historical theatre production with over 500 actors, 300 horses, 100 camels and chariots showing in an amphitheatre especially built for it. "Seeing the way it had become a permanent fixture onthe tourist circuit, I realised the potential such an idea would have here," he said and added, "I began work on the play immediately after my return." After the play had been written, the next step was to record the entire soundtrack. Senior theatre and film personalities have lent the 36 voices on the soundtrack, which includes all types of folk music from Maharashtra, from Thumri, Dohle Geet, Palnas, Lavani, Gawalan, Jagran, and Gondhal to Vaghya Murali, Koli songs and powadas. The last is especially significant because a Shahir (singer-poet) and his group form the sutradhars of the play.

Once the huge set was designed came the difficult part about the casting. "The play begins and ends without naming the actors," Purandare said. "This is done as the 200 actors are part of a constantly floating cast," he added. Most of the actors are volunteers who are employed elsewhere, and none of them are professional actors. This reporter was surprised to findhimself sitting near an actor playing the treacherous Afzal Khan in the play. "Babasaheb is strict about punctuality and won’t forgive delays even for a minute," he pointed out, explaining he lost his chance to play the Khan in this series because he turned up 5 minutes late for a rehearsal. "I was told I could come to watch the play, so I come all the way from Bhayander every day to watch the play," admitted this Union Bank staffer, who didn’t reveal his name because the troupe’s rules don’t allow it.

Babasaheb revealed that immediate stand-bys aren’t a problem, because the entire troupe knows all the parts by heart. "We make it compulsory for them to know the full script and dialogues, irrespective of the part they’re playing."

"The funds generated from our performances are routed to Chhatrapati Shikshan Mandal," said Purandare. The organisation runs 23 schools and 2 junior colleges for the underprivileged and tribal children in remote tribal areas of the state.

There are plans to have JaantaRaja permanently stationed in Pune in the near future, on the lines of what Babasaheb saw in Rome. "The state government has already promised to offer us land at Katraj, Pune, for this purpose," he informed.