Skip to main content

After a gap of 25 years Nitish Bharadwaj makes a brilliant come back in a play ‘Chakravyuh’

Who can forget Lord Krishna as portrayed by Nitish Bharadwaj in the famous Mahabharata series that used to be shown on national television? 

 And most people still say that he is an ideal choice as Krishna.

Nitish Bharadwaj also starred in a Malayalam movie called ‘Njaan Gandharvan’ which created ripples in the film industry right from the time its much acclaimed director Padmarajan announced it. I believe that the director could pull it off mostly because of one person’s amazing presence and acting – Nitish Bharadwaj.


And so, it happens that after a gap of 25 years Nitish Bharadwaj acted in a play titled ‘Chakravyuh’ written and directed by Atul Satya Kaushik. Of course, i was excited and thrilled to get an opportunity to watch him! Counted every minute to the play! 

 And when I got there, it turned out that I was in the third row! Could see 'Lord Krishna' real close!!! Okay, stop, stop, I am getting goosebumps on my skin!

About the Play ‘Chakravyuh’

‘Chakravyuh’ is an attempt to present the glorious tragic fall of Abhhimanyu, the brave son of Arjuna and Subhadra and nephew of Lord Krishna. The hidden meanings of this episode in the Mahabharata is presented with thought-provoking dialogues between Lord Krishna and the others. 


 I thoroughly enjoyed the play. 

What amazed me is the effortless ease with which Nitish Bharadwaj becomes Lord Krishna even after so many years. There is magic in his eyes and in his smile. His expressions, from playful mischief to serenity to seriousness, lend depth to the character of Lord Krishna that he is playing. The play also marked the entry of his son, Lalit Bharadwaj (dressed in a pink and blue outfit as shown below, standing at his side). Many scenes played by Lalit Bharadwaj received the applause of the audience because of his acting and dialogue delivery.


Another striking character that deserves a special mentionis Duryodhan (featuring Rahul Bhuchar). In terms of screen presence, acting and dialogue delivery, he stands out too.

Music and Lights in the Play ‘Chakravyuh’

The play ‘Chakravyuh’ has impeccable lighting effects by Atul Satya Kaushik and beautiful music composed by Ravi Rao and Latika Jain.

Dialogues in the Play ‘Chakravyuh’
There are many thought provoking dialogues in this play.

In grief, Arjuna asks many questions to Lord Krishna, saying, “You are God, Guru, Father and Mother to my son. Yet you didn’t save him from death. How could you let my son die?”

Lord Krishna’s response is a heart-wrenching one. You have to watch this play to experience it.

Director of the Play ‘Chakravyuh’

Atul Satya Kaushik is an alumnus of Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC, Delhi) and is a qualified CA and holds a degree in law. Still to reach 30s, Atul Satya Kaushik has already written 10 full length theatre plays and produced and directed 12 theatre productions with over 150 shows in different parts of India. He is credited with pioneering modern commercial theatre in Delhi and running many ticketed plays  full houses in his theatre productions. He formed ‘The Films and Theatre Society’ in September 2009 and it is fast becoming one of the most performing theatre groups in Delhi.

After the Play ‘Chakravyuh

I was so super excited after watching the play ‘Chakravyuh’ that I couldn't help tweeting about it. The responses I got were "Most authentic enactment of Krishna" and "He doesn't even have to try, it comes naturally!" 

 See, people LOVE watching Nitish Bharadwaj as Lord Krishna!
                                     
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most LOVED Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...
181 comments
Read more

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. What is the purpose of lighting a diya? Light dispels darkness. When we light a diya, we bring light into our hopes and positive energy in our personal spaces. Nothing is more beautiful than Light. At what time should we light diya today? Every morning at sunrise and every evening before or at sunset. An ideal time would be to light the diya at least half an hour before sunset. Can we light diya after 12 PM? In ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Scientific reason behind lighting diyas

Lighting diyas at home is a part of my childhood. What is the science behind lighting diya? For decades, Hindu households light the diya or deepam every morning and evening. However, increasingly, there are many questions regarding why this practice is integral to the well-being of a Hindu home.                                                         [Source: Pexels.com]                                       Significance of Lighting Deepam Let's do a practice session. At sunset, switch off all the lights in your home - feel the energy inside your home. After all, everything is the same - your home is the same, the furniture is the same, your personality is the same. Sit in the darkness and decode the energy in your home - is it the same as during sunl...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Book Review: One and a Half Wife by Meghna Pant

When I picked up Meghna Pant's One and a Half Wife , it is the title that evoked a curiosity in me more than the blurb that explains the story of a young Indian Immigrant girl whose Big American dream turns to ashes. To be honest, I’d say that there didn't seem to be a 'new-ness' to the way the blurb explained the story. In fact, if given a second chance, I’d suggest to the author to completely rewrite the blurb because it is plain dull and doesn't do justice to the subtle, exquisite nuances that underlines this deeply touching, well written story.   .  Also read: The Power of OM  and   Dark Night of the Soul Talking about nuances, I like the introduction of the story beginning with a parrot who picks up cards to predict the little girl Amara’s destiny as a ‘one and a half wife.’ The description is deeply touching and will evoke interesting memories with a distinct Indianess that all of us can relate to. The author adds a dash of subtle humor too, poking fun at t...
2 comments
Read more

Khatta Meetha: Life's Games of Wins and Losses

Priyadarshan’s Khatta Meetha is a movie that I didn’t want to miss. I was determined to see the movie that was a remake of one of my favorite Mohanlal-Srini movies. Tired of candy floss romance and terrorist-turns-good romance in Bollywood movies, I wanted to watch something that is about ordinary people like me. The song sequences in foreign locations, the mindless hero-heroine plots and unbelievable romantic encounters were chipping away at my interest in watching movies altogether because every movie seemed to be a rehash of a commercial formula that has doses of love, violence and glamour. Khatta Meetha: Romance is out, Social Satire and Mass Appeal is in Critics have come up with detailed interpretations of this film. However, an ordinary viewer like me didn’t go to nit-pick on the gaps in the movie. I went there to just watch and enjoy. I assume many viewers do the same when they go to watch a movie. When most people watch a Bollywood movie, if the hero-heroine chemistry isn’t...
5 comments
Read more