Uttar Pradesh: Play on Draupadi inspires women to fight for rights

LUCKNOW: A dance drama, ‘Aaj ki Draupadi’, was staged at Sant Gadge auditorium of UP Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Based on the life of Draupadi of the Mahabharat, the play gave the message that women should fight for equal rights. The dance drama was performed by Isha Ratan, Meesha Ratan, Ankita Mishra, Snigdha Sarkar, Sangeeta Kashyap and Ankita, while it was choreographed and directed by Surbhi Singh.
The play was written by theatre doyen, Urmil Kumar Thapaliyal, who passed away last year. It was the last play of the five-day Urmil Rang Utsav organized to pay tribute to Thapliyal. A comical satire, ‘Bakri’, was also staged at Valmiki Rangshala of UP Sangeet Natak Akademi on Wednesday. Directed by Omendra Kumar and written by Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena, the plot revolves around three criminals who steal a goat and make it the central figure of an ‘ashram’ by claiming that it is the predecessor of Mahatma Gandhi’s goat.
The place gains popularity and the trio encash it by contesting and winning elections. However, a youth arrives and makes people aware of the fact. Though the three criminal-turned-politicians get the youth arrested, people revolt against them.
(With inputs from Iffat Fatima)