Feminine power shines in the play karna

Lucknow’s theatre group Darpan presented a compelling rendition of the play 'Karna', uniquely featuring an all-women cast. Directed by Kulwinder Bakshish, the performance depicted the struggles of the Mahabharata character Karna, intertwining Indian folk arts and martial arts, and received a standing ovation from the audience.

A scene from the play (BCCL/ Manas Mishra) Lucknow’s theatre group Darpan brought a magnificent play, Karna to the city, once again. Notaby, the all-women cast enraptured the audience with their stunning acts. Directed by Kulwinder Bakshish, the play attracted a full-house audience.

BCCL BCCL (L) Dr Anil Rastogi (R) Charu Srivastava and Ana Harshvardhan The performance began with a powerful scene from the Kurukshetra war, depicting Karna on the battlefield, showing that he lives on even after the battle ends. The play then unfolded the various struggles Karna faced throughout his life and how he navigated moral dilemmas. Dolly Rastogi (L) and Sudha Rastogi (L) Geeta Oberoi (R) Divya Oberoi (L) Kumkum Rawat (R) Indu Sinha The immersive lighting, shadow play, and music featuring compositions by AR Rahman and other artists enhanced the play’s impact.

Three female actors performed multiple roles, seamlessly blending traditional Indian folk arts and martial arts like Mayurbhanj Chau, Thang-Ta, and Kalaripayattu, leaving the audience spellbound. Shushma Mishra (L) and Aarti Chaturvedi (L) Nisheeth Kapoor (R) Swati Singh As the play concluded, the audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation. Vanita Joshi’s fierce and bold portrayal of Karna was especially appreciated, earning high praise from the spectators.

— Manas Mishra.