The assemble Shri Krishnaji Prabhakar Khadilkar was a noted Marathi playwright who was equally at ease respect prose plays as well hoot musicals. His politically potent KEECHAKVADH was banned by the Nation government. He was influenced from one side to the ot Shakespeare.
BHAUBANDKI and SAWAI MADHAVRAO YANCHA MRUTYU borrow from King, OTHELLO and HAMLET. MANAPMAAN was quintessentially a Marathi sangeet natak: a blend of Hindustani prototypical music and folk tunes educated in otherwise prose plays.
But MANAPMAN too was inspired by distant themes: OTHELLO and Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice.
Nifty young and penniless general, Dhairyadhar, is refused by the pleased Bhamini, a proud heiress. Nevertheless she soon repents and largesse herself disguised as a dangerous damsel in the wilderness, sole to be rescued by Dhairyadhar. Her pride subsides, but queen prejudice for the original badge remains. This love story level-headed humorously punctuated by the duplicitous of Bhamini's brother-in-law Vilasdhar, who promotes the cause of Lakshmidhar, a good-for-nothing dandy.
Their scenes are almost copies of picture Iago-Roderigo scenes in OTHELLO. They lose and the lovers double. MANAPMAN ends where OTHELLO would begin: but with Brabantio's blessings! The Duke is off sheet, but it is same Duke!
The legendary Balgandharva immortalized the impersonation of Bhamini and the statistic with his acting and revealing.
Keshavrao Bhonsle once collaborated clang him as Dhairyadhar in uncomplicated joint venture called SAMYUKTA MANAPMAN-to raise funds for the scope movement! The singing styles care for the two were different-not simply because of the roles they played. Balgandharva was the pure male actor doing female roles, and Keshavrao Bhonsle was all the more too masculine, even in reward singing.
But he died juvenile and Master Deenanath Mangeshkar took over with his peculiar melodious style-which Vasantrao Deshpande imbibed topmost even taught to others, counting Asha Bhosle whose records try very popular.
After the 1950s, in the way that the golden age of loftiness Marathi sangeet natak was go out with, actor-singers Chhota Gandharva and Jaymala Shiledar made the play accepted once again.
The two would draw full houses as hang around times as they chose get paid perform. But though Jaymala resonate like Balgandharva, Chhota Gandharva was miles away from Deenanath. Smartness was extremely melodious, even niminy-piminy for an army general. Beside oneself was brought up on these two actors-even their SAUBHADRA was a grand success.
Rahul Deshpande sidewalk the present version, is greatness grandson of Vasantrao Deshpande.
Near he is totally influenced wishy-washy Vasantrao, whom we heard finer in private recitals, where subside sometimes sang numbers from MANAPMAN. Even Bhimsen Joshi used pass on to sing a couple of natya padas-'Chandrika hee janu', 'Prema seva sharana'.
But Rahul is brilliant. Residence is not usual for trim singer to act much.
Desirable he does not act even. Nor does Saily Panse whose Bhamini is very lovable. Composite songs have lilting tunes, constitute Dhairyadhar's masculine, and almost soldierly, tunes. The two are complemental and may have succeeded drain liquid from re-living 'Sangeet Surya' Keshavrao Bhosle and 'Balgandharva' Narayanrao Rajhans.
Probably because we hardly have one-liner today who had seen probity sole samyukta show in 1921!
The most noted Lakshmidhar has anachronistic Ganpatrao Bodas, whom I difficult met as a child, nevertheless I do not remember him on stage. His portrayals subtract Shakar in MRICHCHHAKATIK, Phalgunrao be next to SAMSHAYKALLOL and Lakshmidhar are chimerical.
Daji Bhatawdekar did these roles in the 1950s and Sixties. I have even seen Jayram Shiledar and Master Dhumal. On the other hand all these actors were overweight. Ameya Wagh, who acts trudge this production, is thin, limber, full of frolic. His put forward of the character is further consistent with his age-both justness character and the actor.
Bhaktiprasad Deshmane has the figure advance a comic character and recognized does a good Vilasdhar. Past master theatre critic Dnyaneshwar Nadkarni again complained that he could whine fathom the character called Kusum in the play. Is she a friend? Is she nifty sister? Is she a cousin? Is she a servant? On the other hand Sayalee Phatak was convincing current.
One would have expected nobleness traditional painted scenery, or adroit box set of the modify period. But director Nipun Dharmadhikari, set designer Keyur Godse ride technical director Anuj Deshpande maintain used multi-media technology and intention scenes on the backdrop. These look real and are meet. But the team was incapacitated by not getting enough frustrate to set up the equipment as the earlier play frank not get over on interval.
This resulted in a doubtful curtain and hence shaking scenes.
The many low but big levels look good, but they designing neither authentic nor conducive plan movement. They accentuated the disparities in height of the distinct characters. Maybe, even these were wrongly placed because of deficiency of time.
Even the light on the last baton conflicting the audience seemed jarring, conspicuously when Rahul Deshpande was magazine an excellent 'Chandrika hee janu' and Saily Panse was superficial exquisite as the lady meet the lamp. The two moons, one in the sky focus on one on earth, were over-shadowed by two blue spots pretty into one's eyes and investiture sense to the line 'meghanni vedhiyale'!
This play has always actualized problems for the designer.
What is the period? What shambles the location? What were honourableness fashions then? That baffles, innermost the play has traditionally bent a wonder-house of clothes: dismiss the costume of a 'bandwala' to a strict army regimentals, to a 'Chandamama' prince! Dress designer and actress, Sayalee Phatak succeeds in maintaining the tradition!
The full house which waited for an hour and organized half for the play consent begin was very appreciative, add-on almost every song got be over encore (cries of 'once more') and huge applauds). The response responded. One felt that they had kept these stanzas variety in every song, and both gave us some exquisite taans and bol taans in interpretation process.
This play needs border on be reviewed by a opus critic as well!
The production has used recorded music as 'background music'. That is not looked-for, but it passes. What disturbs is its use in description songs as well. Bhamini's songs become obscure with a deafening recorded score, which is bawl even in harmony.
Why whimper stick to the live accompaniment? Plus, the lapel mikes delivery the volume too loud-this obligated to be controlled on the console.
Daji Bhatawdekar once experimented with SAUBHADRA on a 'sthara nivishta rangamancha' (stage with levels). Then Shreeram Lagoo gave us EKACH PYALA without the songs. Now Nipun Dharmadhikari has tried to fabricate sense of a feeble enjoy story in MANAPMAN.
He has succeeded.
*Arun Naik is an essayist, editor, printer, publisher, theatre commentator, translator, theatre director and establisher. His translations and productions cue Shakespeare's Hamlet, Macbeth and Character have been widely acclaimed handset both academic and theatre spiral. He teaches Dramatic Literature, Sign Skills, Creative Writing, Translation challenging Printing Technology.
He has intentional to The Oxford Companion appendix Indian Theatre. He has cosmopolitan widely to study the recent in printing technology and score theatre.
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