For The First Time In Bhubaneswar, Blind Students Perform A Play

For The First Time In Bhubaneswar, Blind Students Perform A Play

Bhubaneswar, January 4: Unlike cinema, theatre plays make a direct appeal to the audiences’ mind and soul. Although, films have taken over as the main medium of artistic presentation in this fast-paced world, plays haven’t lost their charm. They become even more endearing when it is performed by artists without eyesight. For the first time in Odisha, a group of blind students of the Bhabagrahi Model School for Sightless enacted an unusual play called ‘Indra Darbar’ at the premises of ‘Orissa Association for the Blind’, this evening. The play was performed on the occasion of the 43rd annual function of the Orissa Association for the Blind.

The play was about Hindu gods like Bishnu, Shiva, Yamraj and Laxmi in discussion with Maharaj Indra about the situation that the world is in today. It was, however, not a mythological play and conveyed important social messages like road safety, terrorism, and other evils through humour. Ollywood actor Hara Rath, who directed the play, said, “The secretary of the association Dr. Prashanta Ku. Bhuiyan asked me to do something in their annual function. I suggested him to do a play by their students. I was confused in the beginning over what script or story to choose that will work with the audience. So, I spent more than a week to know the children better but found that initially none of them were interested to be a part of the play. The reason was simple; they had never seen a play before.”

His dilemma grew when the students finally agreed and the number of participants increased. “With 27 students ready to perform, I had to ensure that all get a chance to act. Most of the sequences at the ‘Indra Darbar’ have been planned in such a way that the students are seated for the maximum time as they will not be able to move freely on the stage as normal artists. There isn’t any script as well as they cannot read it. The biggest challenge for me, nevertheless, was to communicate with them. The only way of communication with them was by sound and touch. In spite of all impediments, I was surprised to see that these students completed the rehearsals in 20 days, whereas normal artists would usually take almost a month. After watching their final performance, I am both amazed and happy.”

Sharing a memorable moment with the blind students, Rath said, “The moment when a partially blind kid told me that I am looking handsome, was the most memorable one for me. They are very innocent and lovable children.”Director Susant Mani and actor Jhilik who were also present at the event, entertained the kids. While Jhilik performed some dialogues from her movies and encouraged the students, Mani recollected his memories with the school where he shot his first documentary. Students and their parents were seen taking selfies with Jhilik and Mani.

When asked about the play, Mani stated, “In a play the stage is divided into nine divisions and light zones are designed according to them. The artists are instructed to go to the specific zone as per the direction. I have seen many times that normal artists miss the zones. Taking these blind kids in a play is like almost impossible, but hats off to Hara to have accomplished this difficult task.”The event, which also celebrated the 209th birth anniversary of Louie Braille (inventor of Braille writing system) was graced by Minister Prafulla Kumar Samal, MP Prasanna Patasani, BMC Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena along with other guests.