Over the years, Indian epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata have been narrated in different ways, undergone retellings and been reimagined in many forms. These versions have often challenged the traditional narrative by focusing on parts that have never been told before. Pondicherry-based performance company Adishakti’s Bali is a retelling of the various events that lead up to the battle between Bali, the ruler of Kishkindha and Ram, the King of Ayodhya and eventually, the death
of Bali.
Game of trust
To give the audience a peek into Bali, this is the story so far. To rescue Ram’s wife Sita from Ravana, he seeks the help of Sugreeva, and his army of monkeys. Sugreeva plots a revenge on his brother Bali and following a misunderstanding, assumes that his brother is dead and takes over the kingdom. Bali returns and throws out Sugreeva. Sugreeva then offers to help Ram, but only after he has settled his dispute with Bali. It is then that Ram offers to kill Bali treacherously while Sugreeva is battling him.
Creative inspiration
Nimmy Raphel, the writer and director of the play, tells us more about the play and how she has interpreted it. “The play is not just about Bali and Ram. It’s also about the people around them,” says Nimmy. “It also talks about Sugreeva (Bali’s younger brother) and why he sided with Ram to kill Bali. We also show Ram’s point of view, because he killed Bali from behind — an act that was questioned by Ravana. He asks Ram whether it was all about winning Sita back or was there something else? We ask these questions in the play.” Actors Arvind Rane, Vinay Kumar, Ashiqa Salvan, Kiyomi Mehta. Rijul Ray and Meedhu Miriyam form the case for Bali. Ask Nimmy whether she has taken any kind of creative liberty with the original take, and she says that the beauty of epics is that they have an innate nature of expanding upon themselves. “I have reinterpreted the story the way I felt at that point of time. In the physical language of it, the play is very appealing,” says Nimmy, adding, “I have not used technology, but intense body language with minimum props.”
Close to reality
As it’s the premiere of the show, Nimmy is unsure how the audience is will react to the script. However, she also feels that since epics are an extension of our daily life, they won’t take too long to relate with the play. “Epics are not far removed from our reality,” says Nimmy. “As I delve more into it, I see the politics, the laws, the emotional drama — things that you can relate to, if looked at from a particular perspective. As an actor and director, this becomes very interesting for me, to treat the story.
I don’t see it as something that is independent of me.”
At Adishakti, Pondicherry. April 7, 7 pm.