War truths

The play etches out, in exhaustive detail, the tale of camp, front and heroes in their finest hour. All the same, the emphasis is on the acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;ordinary manacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;, who loves cricket, films and his wife. It is personalised, breathing life into individual officers: their jocular, yet intense relationships with colleagues, their bravado-filled letters and calls home. However, the tragedy formula is overplayed to an extent. So when anyoneacirc;euro;trade;s personal life is focused upon, you guess the poor guy is doomed. Commendably, the play creeps beneath the blanket of bravery, to touch upon the very natural doubts, fears and vulnerability of these ordinary men in extra-ordinary circumstances. Yet when soldiers of both India and Pakistan raise significant questions how innocents pay for government disputes; why martyrs are valued more than survivors; and how to combat the deadliest enemy: fear these issues are conveniently swept under the carpet of desh-bhakti. acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;When we later met these acirc;euro;tilde;herosacirc;euro;trade; they werenacirc;euro;trade;t physically impressive orintimidating,acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; says Husain, who along with wife Virat carried out extensive pre-production research, acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;We were trying to understand why8230; what prompts a man to give up his life for his country?acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;

Unfortunately, the production falls into the trap of oversimplification while seeking these answers: duty and patriotism. And Indians and Pakistanis are comfortably given Bollywood-like slots of heros and villains, respectively. So weacirc;euro;trade;re fed dramatic statements acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;contemporary military history written in bloodacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;, cliched sentiments acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;I love my country more than my family tooacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; and convenient sum-ups acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;a nation comes of ageacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;. Regrettable, considering the play touches upon yet passes over issues like manipulated emotions, bereft families and environmental damage.

The two-and-a-half hour production recreates the action-and-emotion-packed 50 days of Operation Vijay, with spectacular effect. Sets advance and recede on rails in keeping with the tension-ridden pace of events. The seating platform moves 360xxxx, as the audience accompanies the soldiers on their turbulent journey: through Drass and Baitalik, Tololing and Tiger Hill and brief glimpses into enemy camp. The brilliant lighting and sound not to mention, heat and scent effects bring the harsh terrain to life. And while the narration doggedly wrings emotion out, it facilitates the skillful changes of mood, place and time.The emotion-arousing playacirc;euro;trade;s huge success, when it was staged last year just after the euphoria of a acirc;euro;tilde;winacirc;euro;trade; is understandable. With the perspective that time and analysis lend, however, it isnacirc;euro;trade;t a wonder that now acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;audiences are slowacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; to receive this rather black acirc;euro;trade;nacirc;euro;trade; white presentation of facts. Yet theyacirc;euro;trade;re determined to win Mumbaiites over. Like in Delhi, war heros are being invited as chief guests. acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;When Capt Kushal Thakuracirc;euro;trade;s widow attended one show, the actor playing the martyr could hear her weeping during the performance,acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; recalls Husain, about the first production that has had him emotionally involved.

And of course, it has won him a Padmashree too inexplicably for cinema. acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;Itacirc;euro;trade;s great to receive an award when youacirc;euro;trade;re young enough to enjoy it. It usually takes ages to receive government recognition in this field,acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; beams the director, dismissing suggestions that the acirc;euro;tilde;nationalisticacirc;euro;trade; government with members liberally mentioned in the play helped. After all, he points out, Chhagan Bhujbal caught the play twice in the capital and was instrumental in bringing it here. acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;Apart from technical demands, a major problem with such a huge production, is energy,acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; he smiles, acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;It is only once the stagings are over that Iacirc;euro;trade;ll be able to celebrate.acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;Yet, as the play ends with the recitation of martyrs in hierarchical order, of course8230; once the officers are named, a patriotic song drowns the ceaseless names of sipahis one does pause, to echo the thoughts of a soldier: on acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;kamiyabi ki keematacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;.