Venue: Kamani Auditorium
Date: 10 July 2016

Aadyam

This Aditya Birla Group initiative is in its second year with some good theater and live performances. It was our first time to watch an Aadyam presentation and we were pleasantly surprised to see the great production value they have brought to Delhi Theatre scene.

Ladies Sangeet

We managed to watch the play “Ladies Sangeet” on a Sunday afternoon. The play boasts of a stellar star cast of actors from TV, film and new media. Loveleen Mishra (“Chhutki” from “Hum Log”), Joy Sen Gupta (TV, Film and stage actor), Gopal Dutt (Web series “The Pitchers” and AIB), Niranjan Iyenger (Celebrity talk show “Look who’s talking”) and Shikha Talsania ( “Wake up Sid” fame ) along with a host of talented singers and actors kept Delhi audience glued to their seats.

The wedding theme doesn’t seem to go out of fashion. After Bollywood and cricket, weddings seem to be the front runner when it comes to engaging Indian audience. Ladies Sangeet relies on this conventional and time tested theme of Indian weddings to say something unconventional and rather uncomfortable to the audience.

“Ladies Sangeet” is about a family where the eldest daughter Radha is getting married and the family members and extended family get together to celebrate. Amidst the chaos that comes naturally with
Indian wedding and Sangeet, a lot of issues that were pushed below the carpet come to surface. While first half of the play is all fun and festivity, it progresses towards the real issues in the second half
albeit with songs and music.

The emphasis on a proper lehenga, the entry of Dulha-Dulhan and the food, the lighting and the relatives get so much importance that the things that really matter like personal choice, take a backseat.

While we were a little put off by the clichéd first half, it was probably intentional and prodded the audience to get involved in the plot fully to take notice of the real message the play has to convey.

This is what theatre is supposed to do –  to show mirror to the society. To talk about issues unspoken.  To make people uncomfortable. To start a debate. To initiate a discussion. “Ladies Sangeet” successfully does all of this and more. We think it’s an overkill to touch too many issues but on the brighter side the play had something for everybody. While many in the audience were laughing and had a great time at the comic punches, many could see themeselves in Radha, Yash or Megha and relate and sympathise with these characters.

Joy Sen Gupta (We saw him last in the Cineplay “Dance like a man“) as the bride’s father Yash was absolutely fantastic. Nivedita Bhargawa as the grandmother had a tough role that she assayed effortlessly with some great singing. We applaud these actors and the director to create a shocking but beautiful climax.

Adding glamour to theatre

Once again the play moved the audience without being boring or overtly serious. The classical, folk and western songs kept us entertained through and through. The Kulfi during the break was a tasty surprise.

One could see the emphasis on good design everywhere. The graphic designers have done stupendous job at designing tickets and the booklet (oh my my, this one is for keeps). The auditorium decorated as a wedding venue, the ushering staff with turbans on their heads, mogra gajras or the stage design, everything added to the experience.

Not just that, a young band at the Kamani reception area entertained the audience before the show time with soulful rendition of some Indian classical songs infused with western guitars. We specially loved the Mahashweta Devi poetry performed by the lead singer.

Aadyam is presenting 5 plays in an year to Delhi and Mumbai audience. We can’t wait to watch their next production.