When Alexander invaded India in 26 BC he was forced to turn back from the Western banks of the river Beas. In spite of his strong desire to reach the end of the earth through the conquest of India, Alexander was compelled to turn back. Why? Asks Dr C.D. Sidhu, in his new play in Hindustani, Sikander Ki Jeet.
Did the powerful Indian kings like Porus strike terror in the hearts of Alexander’s soldiers? Did the wisdom of Indian sages and philosophers like Calanus teach Alexander a lesson, the lesson of peace against war, life against death?
The play opens with Alexander’s victory celebrations, where his Army is riotously enjoying the brief respite from battle. They are in throes of fun until Alexander forges a new martial plan. In the background one sees the sage Calanus, played by the director of the play Ravi Taneja, who is listening to Alexander’s victory speech. In his military formulations Alexander does not take into account the turbulent River Beas which is in full spate at the time. The soldiers are in revolt against the orders of Alexander to cross the river. They do not want a death by drowning and beseech the emperor to take them back home. Some of his generals agree with the soldiers and put up an application to Alexander asking him to head back for Greece.
A disappointed Alexander is roaming on the banks of the River Beas where he meets Calanus. The sage asks Alexander if he is happy with his life. Did he not regret killing all those people he had already slain? Did he think wars were right? There is much that Alexander said in his own defence, but he was finally forced to accept Calanus’ sagacious words on peace, life and love.
If in the battle of words the victor is Calanus, the honours for acting go to Alexander/Sikander. Gautam Grover made an n elegant and sensitive Sikander.
Tough when required, he was soft when needed. One can understand Ravi Taneja’s desire to act, but does he not realise that he is himself in each role? The individuality of the actor is inevitable. But the actor should, while remaining, himself, search for new ways of expressing himself.
The play staged at the SRC is well-written and directed. Though Dr Sidhu takes a partisan view of the reason for Alexander’s retreat from India, he argues his case authentically. Taneja’s direction is neat and the crowd scenes are particularly well-handled.
1947, written and directed by Sayeed Alam for his Pierrot’s Troupe, is an excellent piece of writing on a much written theme of Partition. Alam creates a picture of the traumas and tribulation of partition through the travails of a single man, a widower, Gazanfar Hussein, rather than talking about the historical happening of the period. Thus, he paints a very humane and rare picture of those Muslims who stayed behind in India while their relatives left for Pakistan.
Ninety-year old Gazanfar is played to perfection by Salim Shah who at the beginning of the monologue declares that he is not an Alzheimer’s patient as proclaimed by his extended family with whom he lives. The play opens with him writing a letter to his brother-in-law Mushtaq in Pakistan asking him to come for his sister’s, that is his wife Tanni’s, last rites. When his son reminds him that his wife and her brother are already dead, he throws a fit. He makes a list of his son’s “failings” to prove him wrong.
The play continues with the imaginary dialogues Gazanfar has with his friends and family painting a picture of what the Indian Muslim feels about living in India as opposed to Pakistan. He says that when Pakistan was formed he pictured a nation where all the men kept beards. But no one has a beard. Jinnah did not have one, neither did Musharraf, nor Bhutto nor does Zardari. “Here I was forced to keep a beard at 25 years when some esteemed old man told my wife to hide my shaving kit.” There is plenty of humour in the script, which Salim impishly explores. When speaking about the Paksitanis who left from areas like Banda, Faizabad and Muzaffarnagar, came to India looking for their long lost havelis, they bemoan the changes the present occupant has made in their homes. They also turn to morbid stories of loneliness where they recount how so and so’s body was recovered four days after his death.
In the almost 80 minutes enactment there is a natural interval where Gazanfar goes to sleep at the end of the day to wake up the next morning and straight off aims a diatribe at his poor son. He spins many tales about his friends and acquaintances. At one point he is ready to visit Lord Dalhousie to ask him to protect the estates of those who are planning to leave for Pakistan. Then he remembers that Lord Mountbatten had already partitioned India into two and is about to go home. But he thinks Lady Mountbatten will not leave with him, but where will she stay? She cannot stay with Nehru as he is a single man.
Then turning to his son he orders him to write a letter of invitation to Lady Mountbatten to come and stay with him as he was a family man and he had exclusive rooms for her on the top floor of his home.
Sayeed Alam has written the script in an Urdu style and idiom, which is dramatically very effective. And Salim Shah does not miss a single trick.