Myriad of emotions

Have you ever questioned your existence in this universe? The audience at the play Ko-Aham did, after embarking on an emotional journey with the characters. Presented by Creative Theatre at NTR Auditorium, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, Ko-Aham is a fusion of emotions.

Portraying agony, love, fear and a myriad of other emotions, seamlessly blending with the script, Ko-Aham is a complete package. Written by Mercy Margaret, with story, play design, and direction by Ajay Mankenapalli, and writing contributions from Harikrishna Bhandari, the narrative revolves around a man’s journey to find a little light amidst the events that unknowingly enslave us. It is a journey exploring the essence of identity and self-discovery.

The play tells the story of enslaved men burdened by a mysterious package they carry without understanding its contents. A small, curious child attempts to uncover the mystery, leading to a tragic confrontation with Karikala, who kills the child. The child’s father, in his grief and rage, fights back, ultimately killing Karikala.

Asked about the inspiration behind the script, Mercy Margaret, the writer of the play, said, “One day, while I was in a meditation class, I had a strange dream. In it, a face resembling mine looked directly into my eyes and asked, ‘I am me; who are you?’ This question scared me, raising fears about the possibility of someone else taking our identity. It made me ponder: What is identity? Is it something inherent, or is it imposed upon us by society? These questions led me to wonder why identity can become problematic. Does it make us slaves to our own emotions and desires? Are we living in our bodies as slaves to physical and emotional needs? It seems we are carrying an invisible burden that we should strive to discard.”

This act of rebellion and the struggle to explore the contents of the package symbolise the broader quest for self-knowledge and liberation from societal and emotional constraints. The play raises profound questions about identity, the invisible burdens we carry, and the journey to conquer our fears and understand who we truly are.

Regarding the title of the play, she said, “Philosophically, I found myself asking, ‘Who am I?’ Who am I to myself, to my family, and to the world? This question, known in Sanskrit as Ko aham, encapsulates the essence of my reflection.”

The complexity of the script lies in its direction, requiring justification of many aspects in the play. Talking about the challenges faced while directing, Ajay Mankenapalli said, “I was challenged during the idea of the story, but my writers, Mercy Margaret and Harikrishna Bhandari, helped me to clearly explain my vision and align our understanding. Directing the theatre play Ko-Aham presented a multitude of challenges that spanned across artistic, technical, logistical, and human resource aspects.

“The play Ko-Aham has been directed three times, each with new artists on stage. Very few of the actors had prior experience with theatre, and aside from the actors, everyone involved was new to the stage. This made handling the production quite difficult, but it has been an enjoyable experience since 2016 when my Creative Theatre — CT group was established. I decided to work with new people as much as possible, and I am truly enjoying this process till now. Additionally, the length of the scenes in ‘Ko Aham’ is very long compared to my other plays, with a more than one-hour performance divided into only nine scenes. This added another layer of challenge. During rehearsals, a few key actors got injured because of the intense climax action sequence, which required us to adjust and ensure their safety while maintaining the integrity of the performance,” he concluded.

(Written by Vennapusala Ramya)