About The Play
The play has a premise of rural elections. The focal point of the play is power politics between two groups. Elections – the integral element by which all the characters of the play are bound by. The play is a collage of 19 monologues from the novel ‘Via Savargaon Khurd.’ The unsparing and fearless monologues steer the story forward.
The play doesn’t have a crude storyline, per say. The story unfolds through the autobiographical narration of the characters. The play showcases a potent display of the rural politics, social conditions, interpersonal and sexual relationships between the people, the malice and the enmity between them, their political ambitions and the familial dysfunction.
The villages were really ‘villages’ a little while ago. But they have started to shed the image. The people have started to grow more ambitious. The process of villages turning into cities and vice-a-versa is unavoidable.
The characters through their narration, behaviour and conscience draw a character of the village itself.
‘Via Savargaon Khurd’ has been peformed in Pune, Mumbai, Kolhapur and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra. The play has been selected to perform in ‘Year End Art Festival 2022’, ‘Pune Natyasattak Mahotsav 2023, ‘Akhil Bharatiya Vidrohi Marathi Sahitya Sammela 2023’ and ‘Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards 2023 (META).’ It has received 5 nominations in META 2023 and 3 nominations in ‘Zee Natyagaurav 2023’.
Director’s Note
The most fascinating part of the novel, when I read it, was the style of narration of the characters. They speak with the reader while speak about themselves. The other factor that intrigued me was politics. Even in rural politics scenario, the ambition and the hunger for power make the people stoop low. The people talk and they talk continuously. The narration seems like the only way for them to vent out their psychological chaos.
The most challenging part for me as a director was to find the flow and narrative as the play doesn’t have a plot or story in general. The pace of the psychological and the emotional ruckus or uproar of the characters takes the story forward. The characters take us deep into their selves despite the chaotic and the brutal power politics of the village in the milieu. This individual struggle is extreme and vicious.
About The Playwright
Dinkar Dabhade is a significant name in the contemporary Marathi literary world. His novel ‘Gayapaata’ is based on his experiences as he travelled across the state. It received Mumbai’s Appasaheb Ranpise Bouddha Sahitya Sanshodhan Kendra’s ‘Krishnarao Bhalekar Award.’ In his early days of writing, he wrote ‘Vilaamat’ – a novel based on hardships faced by Shyama Kolam, a tribal hero who is also known as Robinhood of Vidarbha. It was published by Mumbai’s noted publication house Granthali in 1994. Dabhade has 2 published poetry collections – ‘PAAYRAV’ and ‘PADARAV’
In his last days, Dinkar Dabhade lived a modest life of a volunteer. He couldn’t keep the harsh realities of his surrounding out of sight. As a writer, he had that knack of seeping through these turbulent situations and events. In his latest novel ‘Via Savargaon Khurd’ he has depicted a fascinating and an equally penetrating world of rural life.
