Kathmandu:

Theatre lovers of Nepal went through a different experience with the staging of Banki Ujyalo by the Actor’s Studio on November 3 at the Rimal Theatre, Gurukul. Adapted from Girish Karnad’s Kannad play Anju Mallige, Banki Ujyalo deals with the issues that the people living abroad have to face and also the complexities in human relations. While the original is a dark play, the Actor’s Studio’s version is more of the original’s positive version.

The story revolves around Satish, a scientist studying in London, and his sister Yamini, who is studying art. The siblings often get into fights over petty things as Yamini is too interfering in Satish’s life, which he cannot tolerate.

Their life gets more complicated when Yamini gets into a relationship with a British truck driver named David, who is married. She further starts getting invisible visitor and has a nervous breakdown. But the revelation of their physical relation by Yamini to Satish’s British wife Julia makes things worse, destroying the whole family.

Director Anup Baral has executed the play brilliantly. He has even created two scenes on the same stage by the smart use of lights and keeping the actors silent. Even the changing of the scenes is smooth without any awkward pauses.

The different characters in the play, both British and Nepali, depicted the various mentality regarding issues like brain-drain, blind patriotism and community. It also showed the sufferings and humiliations that a minority community or the diaspora has to go through. The varying thoughts of British people regarding the Asian people are shown through characters like David and Julia.

Both Anup Baral and Anuradha M Baral have delivered outstanding performances as David and Yamini. All the other actors have done a commendable job. However, Usha Rajak has been able to make a mark with her portrayal of a British girl. With her accented Nepali and other demeanours, Rajak has done justice to her character. The director and the actors deserve a pat on the back for executing the bold scenes and explicit language with poise. The lights and background sound further helped in making the impact more powerful among the audience.

The play was staged in association with the BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation. The students from two batches of Actor’s Studio were also given certificates, for completing their course, at the programme.