Five-day theatre festival kicks off
Prayagraj: As the story unfolded on the illuminated stage, an innocent face and its unspoken pain touched every heart. “Gudiya Ki Shaadi” tells the story of a girl who faces taunts and neglect at every step because of her appearance… yet the smile on her face and the positivity in her heart never fade. When the biggest day of her life approaches, an incident changes everything, and from here begins a journey of emotions, struggle, and self-respect that shakes the audience to the core. On the first day of the Bharatmuni Theatre Festival, organized by the North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, at the Central Auditorium, this presentation, directed by theatre director Sanjay Srivastava and penned by Samita Sagar, brought to life the poignant story of a lower-middle-class family from a small town in Bundelkhand. The play not only brought tears to the eyes but also raised profound questions about society’s way of thinking. On Friday, the program’s chief guest, Ankit Shukla (National Head, Rashtriya Kala Manch), Deputy Director (Programs), Dr. Mukesh Upadhyay, and Program Advisor Kalpana Sahay inaugurated the program by lighting the lamp. The play’s central character, Gudiya, who faces neglect from society and family due to her dark complexion, leaves a deep impression on the audience with her positive attitude and pure heart. Her determination to live life simply and joyfully despite constant taunts and neglect emerges as the play’s strongest aspect.
The story takes a dramatic turn when, just a day before the wedding, an unexpected incident further disfigures Gudiya’s appearance, causing anxiety and confusion within the entire family. In this moment of crisis, her sister-in-law’s strong character emerges, handling the situation despite her own past struggles.
As the play unfolds, the frustrations and inner pain of each member of the family are revealed. Meanwhile, Gudiya’s simple and innocent words reveal a deeper philosophy of life, conveying the message that true happiness lies not in external appearance, but in simplicity and positivity. The actors moved the audience with their powerful acting. Bhoomi Bathri in the role of Gudiya, Abhishek Shahi as Radhe, Geetika Devdas as Sarla, Kashf Khan as Pappu, Geeta Ahirwar and Sakshi Gupta as Alka, Ekta Chaharsiya as Sweety, Lakshya Arora as Inspector, Vineeta Devi as Dadi and Roshan Avadhiya as Uncle presented their characters with liveliness. The music concept and assistant direction of the play was done by Abhishek Dubey. At the end of the program, Deputy Director (Programme) Dr. Mukesh Upadhyay honored the play director Sanjay Srivastava by presenting him a shawl and a plant.
