Nautch girl8217;s bent of mind

The room is reeking of the heady behind-the-stage excitement, even though there are two months to go before the first show. And as you step...

The room is reeking of the heady behind-the-stage excitement, even though there are two months to go before the first show. And as you step inside the rehearsal room, the energy is almost palpable. quot;I8217;ll give you such gratification that all Hindustan will envy you,quot; says a high-pitched stage whisper from a corner. Two cast members are working on a scene where a well-connected palace eunuch and an ambitious courtier, Gulam Quaider, are hatching a conspiracy to overthrow Shah Alam, the Emperor of Hindustan then. Then, suddenly, someone tap dances his way across the room and another denim clad actor flops on the floor and starts doing push-ups. On the other end of the room, two women, looking decidedly out of place are waiting for the cast to come for the measurements. A darzi with a measuring tape around his neck and a maussi beard is with them.

The play, written by Pratap Sharma, is a slice from the period of the Indian history when the East India Company was insidiously digging its toes into the land. The year is 1788 and the story is about a woman called Farzana, who becomes a princess, Begum Sumroo 8212; played by Tara Deshpande 8212; through her own merit. quot;She is an educated woman from a well-to-do family. And when hard times fall, she becomes a nautch girl to support her family,quot; says Sharma. With visions of an ideal state passed on to her by her father, she gets involved in court intrigues when her admirer Gulam Quaider tells her of his plans. During that time, the country was overrun by European brigades, all of whom wanted a slice of the pie. Colonel Sombre, mispronounced as Sumroo by the natives, a Swiss-German, was one such mercenary. Farzana goes to him as a messenger of Quaider asking Sumroo to join him against Shah Alam. But disgusted with her lover8217;s treachery, she sows seeds of Nawabdom in Sumroo8217;s head. She explains how he can be the master of his own land if he pays heed to strategy. quot;Fight for the winning side, join Shah Alam against the British. He8217;ll give you land,quot; she says. Intrigued by the nautch girl8217;s bent of mind, Sumroo does as she says, also trains her to be a soldier and finally marries her. And this is no fiction.

quot;She has been forgotten because she was so successful. We remember Jhansi ki Rani and Joan of Arc because of the element of tragedy. But this woman lived till she was 86, overcame tragedies, was considered one of the richest women of her time, ruled her principality after Sumroo8217;s death and was so admired by her men that they killed all her lovers whom she thought of getting married to because they her to be their leader,quot; says Sharma. Alyque choose this play as he finds the idea of a woman in power fascinating.

Alyque enters the set at quarter to four. A hard task-master, he ticks off late-comers. But when Gerson da Cunha, who plays Colonel Sumroo, enters at half past four, it8217;s bouquets not brickbats for him. It8217;s his birthday.

The rehearsals start. First act, first scene: Quaider and Farzana, at her house. quot;Meher, take a note of those who haven8217;t been measured. Hurry! Saleur, make sure the props are in place,quot; barks Alyque. There are no bruised egos as Alyque seems to be respected by everyone. Says Gerson, quot;I had acted with him 22 years ago and now I find it more interesting to work with him. He doesn8217;t arrive with set ideas and everything evolves in a very creative manner.quot;

Alyque is explaining the play to the lightsman today. quot;There are footlights on either side of the stage. The play opens with Shah Alam8217;s courtier walking through the audience with a loban, an incense stick and a hazy mist hovers over the audience. There is a prologue. A blue light comes on stage and three pairs of dancing ankles with ghungroos come in view. There is a ground spot on the ankles. Then the back lights for the silhouettes come on and then the face light. There is an old haveli and Farzana, Zulekha and Gauri are on stage,quot; describes Alyque. There is a whole set of advisers for the play: historical consultant, Islamic rituals consultant, an advisor on historical military uniforms and a walrus-moustached military advisor 8212; Major Kochhar 8212; who is present for the rehearsals.

The rehearsal goes off beautifully and it looks like Alyque will redeem the disaster of Roshni when this play opens on August 16 at Homi Bhabha Auditorium. The opening is timed with the 50th year of Independence as, quot;Begum Sumroo can be considered the forerunner of the Independence movement,quot; says the data sheet.

Roll of honour

Writer: Pratap Sharma

Director: Alyque Padamsee

Cast: Gerson da Cunha, Hosi Vasunia,Tara Deshpande

Producer: Raell Padamsee

Music: Taufiq Husain

Sets: Motilal Khanna

Choreographer: Keka Sinha

Costumes: Arjun Khanna