Play brings alive need for communal harmony

Chandigarh, July 27   

The three-day  CSNA Children Theatre Festival organised by the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi kicked off to an imposing start with an immaculate staging of a  play, 'Phate Gulab Jamun', in Hindustani by prodigious actors of Alankar Theatre at Tagore Theatre here today.

The programme commenced with lighting the traditional lamp by seven students invited from the audience.  Written by Rohit Kundra and directed by Chakresh Kumar and Jyoti, the play brought into focus the necessity of communal harmony, mutual brotherhood and to provide jobs to slum people while denouncing the child labour prevalent in the country through the life story of a poor slum boy, Irfaan, otherwise a jolly fellow full of life.     The playwright in fact reflects the aspirations and dreams of all slum children through the psyche of Irfaan, ably portrayed by Bhoop Raj who failing to keep up his promise to serve ' Phate Gulab Jamun sweet' to his friends even steals money only to realize his mistake. He requests his father, a garbage worker, to bring the sweet and at times doubts his father that he gives sweets to others. Musical renditions by Sachin Bhatt remained lifeline of the play of which a largely attended morning show was held for school students in the morning. OC