Play highlights problems of strife-torn Valley

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 9

A Hindi play ‘Barff’ was staged at Guru Nanak Bhawan last evening. Ludhiana Sankritik Samagam organised the play. Written and directed by Saurabh Shukla, the play got a rousing applause from the packed auditorium several times during the performance.

Mainly three actors, including Shukla playing the role of doctor Sidharth Kaul, Sunil Palwal in the role of Ghulam Rasool and Sadiya Siddiqui as Nafisa, wife of Rasool, form the main characters of the play.

The play set in Kashmir is more of a study of human emotions and beliefs. As per story of the play, a taxi driver takes a doctor, who is visiting Srinagar for a medical meet, around the city. The driver keeps getting calls from his wife that their child is crying and unwell. On hearing this, the doctor volunteers to go and treat their ailing child. But, the driver is reluctant.

After the doctor insists, Rasool takes him to a ghost village where only he and his wife live. When the doctor attends to the child it turns out be just a toy. Flabbergasted, he questions both, but Rasool says that his wife believes it to be their child.

“It was an interesting play. Unlike some other plays that lead to definite climax, this one in the backdrop of Kashmir not only showcases problems of the violence-hit Valley, but also brings out emotions and belief systems of the people,” said Deepinder, a Civil Lines resident, who watched the play.

Meanwhile, audience lauded the performance of the actors as brilliant. “It was a dramatic play. I have been watching Saurabh Shukla and Sadiya perform on television and in films. It was great to see them perform live. The show gave me goosebumps,” said Gaurika Jindal, another resident.