Court Martial on 24th at Kamani audi at 7.30pm

Deepak Ochani,Viren Basoya & Bajrang Bali Singh

Swadesh Deepak's
Court Martial
on 24th at Kamani auditorium at 7.30pm
directed by Arvind Gaur
About The play -
When respect is denied to a man for the only reason that he is borne by 'low-caste' parents, the offence cannot simply be termed as a social violence. It assumes larger proportions of crime against humanity and society at large. Yet by the turn in situation the murderer becomes a winner whereas the victim is unforgiving.The culprit may receive severe punishment at the hands of the law but, in fact, it is the society which is put in the docks. Court Martial, written by Swadesh Deepak, is a story of recruit Ram Chander who is tried for murdering one of his officers and injuring another. The Court Martial is presided by a war veteran. Col Surat Singh who has witnessed many 'life –and –death' situation. But this trial puts him in a queer position, so far unknown to him, and during the course of interrogation he realize that the issues at stake are much larger than what meets the eye. Realizing that the Indian army is the only government agency in which reservation on caste basis is not permissible. Court Martial presents a combination of legal and poetic justice.

"Not Just a Play: ‘Court Martial’ is not just a play written by Swadesh Deepak, directed by Arvind Gaur & enacted by Asmita-artistes. It is a burning truth of the Indian Society. Sensing that Indian Army is the only government institution, which does not permit caste-based reservations, ‘Court Martial’ presents a mixture of natural and legal justice, which is not only the truth of the Indian Army, but that of the whole Indian Society. That, despite all his qualifications, an individual is traumatised because of his low-caste origins is not merely social violence, but a crime against humanity. The monotony of the long court-trial was pre-empted by the seasoned performance of the Asmita artistes. This Asmita-presentation has proved to be a soothing experience, after many years, for Swadesh Deepak who created a countrywide flutter through this play. " Excellent acting, live and memorable…..worth visit. - Ajeet Rai (Nav Bharat Times)

Acts of kindness article by Srijit Ghosh, Hindustan Times

Viren Basoya in Ek Mamooli Aadmi directed by Arvind Gaur

Sixty-three artistes. Five plays. Four directors. Quite possibly the largest theatre event in the Capital this fall, and the most benevolent. Who’s Life Is It Anyway, a drama festival held in the city every year, begins today. The event is hosted by Hungry Heart, an NGO founded by renowned
theatrists Sohaila Kapur, Smita Bharti and Monica Bhasin. This year, the foundation hopes to aid another NGO, HelpAge India, in raising funds for victims affected by the flash floods in Leh. “They need our help and attention,” reiterates Arvind Gaur, director of the play, Ek Mamooli Aadmi. “So, the proceeds from the show will go towards their rehabilitation.”
The theatre festival will showcase the works of some of the most respected names in the field of theatre, and more. “It is not only aimed at promoting theatre, but also filmmaking and the visual arts, thus empowering creative professionals to turn their visions into reality,” says Smita Bharti, one of the organisers.
And the acts will be anything but long and boring, assure those behind the initiative. “The fest is all about cutting edge, innovative and experimental theatre, along with commercially successful, but profound, laugh riots that will breathe excitement into performances and audiences in a short time period,” Bharti stresses.
The five plays to be featured during the festival cover a variety of issues — from casteism and the plight of a helpless woman in society to a simple, honest tribute to a city and the complexities of human emotions. “Each play hopes to put forward a social message ... They speak about conflict and resolution,” explains Bharti.
Interestingly, every play uses a unique style to convey its message to the audience, whether it involves humour, solemnity, irony or sarcasm. Theatre veterans are pleased. “The interplay of diverse styles to cover exigent issues and the conviction with which these messages are expressed are bound to attract a large audiences,” feels theatre personality Lushin Dubey.
Venue: Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg.
What’s playing when
21st October — 45” 35” 55”, 7.30pm
22nd October — Mahim Junction, 7.30pm
23rd October — Untitled, 7.
214th October — Ek Mamooli Aadmi, @
3.30pm; Court Martial, 7pm

Ashok Lal's -Ek Mamooli Aadmi directed by Arvind Gaur on 24th Oct at 3.30pm at Kamani Audi.

Shilpi Marwaha, Bajrang Bali Singh & Viren Basoya

Ashok Lal's
Ek Mamooli Aadmi
on 24th Oct. 3:30pm at Kamani Auditorium,Copernicous Marg , Mandi House
(as a part of Hungry Heart Festival)
Actors- Viren Basoya,Shilpi Marwaha,Bajrang Bali Singh,Pooja Pradaan,Malya Garg,Smriti vij,Vrinda Vedi,Pankaj Raj Yadav,Saurab Pal,Disha Arora,Himansu Maggu ,Shiv Chauhan,Devesh,Palak,Suraj Singh,Rahul Khanna,Kakoli Gaur,Himansu Katara,Vallri Srivastava,Gaurav Mishra,Pankaj,Saveree Gaur,Anish Kumar,Vartika Tiwar,Ketan Kalra,rahul dhe...er,Narendra Thakur,Manu Chaudhary,Pankaj Shandilya,Dipesh Mohlay,Manoj Yadav,Sachin Saxena,Tarun,Pankaj Datta,Abhay Malhotra...

*'Ek Mamooli Aadmi' is one more milestone in Asmita's engaging repertoire of meaningful theatre. -Nikhat Kazmi (Times of India)
*Meaningful production.. .Another feather in the cap of a young director Arvind Gaur.
-Kavita Nagpal (H T)
*'Ek Mamooli Aadmi' is an excellent play with a lot of humou , lot of life's reality -Smita Nirula (Pioneer)
*The play is built around the protagonist Umesh's curiosity to find out why Brahmins had refused to participate in his father's 'tehrvi' ... production is excellent... innovative...-Romesh Chander (Hindu)
*Written by Ashok Lal and directed by Arvind Gaur (अरविन्द गौड़), the play is a deeply moving description of the travails of a middle-aged clerk who knows of his impending death. Reserved, reclusive and politically correct Ishwar Chand, decides to do some unusual things before dying. The acts are not a result of angst or deeds of rebellion, Ishwar just wants to savour another life, paint a new picture of himself for his own viewing. His escape from reality is a challenge to that very reality. Death becomes a motivation for pleasure; he wants to please others happy, and make others fulfilled - Indian Expres

Theatre Festival at Kamani Auditorium 21st to 24th Oct

Bajrang Bali Singh & Viren Basoya

"Whose Life is it Anyway”. 21st to 24th Oct 2010
Festival directors- Sohaila Kapur, Arvind Gaur,Lushin Dubey and Smita Bharti.
21st October — 45” 35” 55”, 7.30pm
22nd October — Mahim Junction, 7.30pm
23rd October — Untitled, 7.30pm
24th October — AShok Lal's Ek Mamooli Aadmi, 3.30pm,
— Swadesh Deepak's Court Martial, 7.30pm
Common initiative by the Helpage India, Sakshi, Cathaayatra Lakshya Foundation,
Asmita theatre & Theatre world in aid of Leh victims.
Tickets available at Venue.

Common Man Theatre Festival 11th to 26th Sept

Common man Theatre Festival
Asmita Theatre Group presents Common Man Theatre Festival from 11th September to 26th September 2010 at various venues of Delhi. This includes proscenium as well as street performances on socio political issues related to common man.Common Man Theatre Festival’s premier show is Ramkali starring well known Personality Mallika Sarabhai directed by veteran theatre activist Arvind Gaur.This festival is showcasing well known Indian and International playwright’s works like Mahesh Dattani, Swadesh Deepak, Dario Fo, Bertolt Brecht, Ashok Lal, Munshi Premchand, G P Deshpande, Harsh Mander.
These Plays are contemporary, socio-political and raise the voice of common man Thereby addressing their issues. The festival is unique and different in its nature.Some of the milestone productions of Indian theatre will be part of this festival like Court Martial, Ramkali, final solution, ek mamooli aadmi. The most popular plays among Indian audience.Street plays are a major part of this festival. Theatre actors are going to present many street plays in this festival raising current issues related to common man. Dilemma of street vendors, crises of domestic help are the major concern of our street shows
11th to 26th Sept. at Sri ram centre, India Habitat Centre, Muktadhara & Alliance Francaise
Opening with " Ramkali " staring Mallika Sarabhai on 11th & 12th Sept at Sri Ram Centre, 7pm.
Other Plays -Ek Mamooli Aadmi,Final Solutions,Court Martial,Raaste,Unsuni, Operation Three Star,Mote Ram etc.
17th Sept- " Unsuni "at Muktadhara,Gole Market at 7pm.
19th Sept -Mahesh Dattani's " Final Solutions "at 3.30pm & Ashok Lal's" Ek Mamooli Aadmi "at 7 pm at Sri ram Centre, Mandi House
24th Sept- " Mote Ram ka Satyagrha "Based on Munsi Premchand's story
at 7.3opm at India Habitat Centre, Amphi theatre.
25th Sept-GP Despande's " Raaste " at 3.30pm & Swadesh Deepak's " Court Martial "at 7pm at Sri ram Centre.
26th Sept- Dario Fo's " Operation Three Star " based on accidental death of an anarchist at 7pm at Alliance Francaise
All plays directed by Arvind Gaur

For details pls contact-9711188856, 9999692525,9540656537 ,9958793683,9899650509 asmitatheatre@gmail.com

Play " Ramkali " starring Mallika Sarabhai at SRC directed by Arvind Gaur on 11th nd 12 th Sept

Ramkali
11th & 12 th Sept at Sri Ram Centre, Mandi House,New Delhi at 7pm
Ramkali is the adaptation of Bertolt Brecht 's play - The Good Person of Szechwan ,directed by Arvind Gaur staring Mallika Sarabhai as Ramkali
and adapted in hindi by Amitabh Srivastava, lyrics by Piyush Mishra ,Music by Dr.Sangeeta Gaur
Actors
Mallika Sarabhai with Viren Basoya,Shilpi Marwaha,Yadavan Chandran,Revanta Sarabhai,Nisarg Trivedi,Pankaj Raj Yadav,Sonal Solanki,Jignesh Patel,Manoj,Raj sharma,Druma Mehta,Pooja, Pappan,Rajesh,Anahit sarabhai,Mani ,Palan,Jayan, Saji, Palani, Heman ,Charmy ,hinal ,Saurab Pal,Malay Garg,Rahul Khanna, Shiv chauhan, himansu Maggu, Devesh Nigam, Aneesh, Palak...
Presentedby Darpana academy,Asmita Theatre
About play Ramkali
It raises core issues facing today’s world, of greed versus common good, of the value of right and wrong, of the pressures society puts on people which drive them to committing wrongs to keep up with expectations, the exploitation of goodness and of good people by an aspiring society, and the question of equating theft and wrong doing out of need with that done out of greed. Brecht used theatre to raise issues, as does Darpana and Asmita Theatre Group, Arvind Gaur’s company based in Delhi. Brecht, like Arvind Gaur and Mallika Sarabhai, believed in entertaining people with theatrics and songs to keep them engaged but watchful, planting seeds of doubt to shake complacency.
Contact-
Shilpi Marwaha for details-9540656537, 09899650509
FOR ADVANCE BOOKING OF RAMKALI PLS MSG-''TICKETS '' TO 9711188856

Harsh Mander's UNSUNI Script Mallika Sarabhai at Jeevika Festival at IHC on 27th August 2010

Asmita theatre presents -"UNSUNI "

based on Harsh Mander’s book Unheard Voices
Script by Mallika Sarabhai & directed by Arvind Gaur

on 27 August 2010 at India Habitat centre, Lodhi Road at 7.30pm

as a part of Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentray Festival 2010

Centre for Civil Society (CCS)

http://www.jeevika.org/

Unsuni - Unsuni is a socially relevant and politically deep script by Mallika Sarabhai, based on the Novel "Unheard Voices" by Harsh Mander. In a Society where the success of a handful makes bigger news than the misery of millions, a s...et of 5 monologues dares to speak out for the mute, the desolate, the chronically ignored... a woefully unloved India, full of People but starved of life.Unsuni lifts the veil around harsh realities faced by the diversity afflicted people of our country. Street urchins abandoned by society to fend for themselves in the face of adversity; tribal people forced to surrender their honour to repacious land grabbers; scavengers and lepers who have never known the meaning of human dignity are some specific problems addressed by the play. The volatile nature of religious politics coupled with an incompetent judicial structure is also portrayed with grave honesty.

In the depiction of all these causes is a common underlying plea for us to open our eyes to the bigger picture, to share that human worth which we for ourselves claim as a right, but deprive others of without justification.The play overall is an intense reminder of horrors towards which we voluntarily turn a deaf ear. It does not aim to downplay the success of those who do make it to the top, but is a call to the privileged to consider those who deserve equal rights, but lack equal opportunity

contact-asmitatheatre@gmail.com

Play on Street Vendors , Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival, 27-29 August 2010

Street play on Street Vendors by Jeevika Street Play Troupe
under the guidence of Arvind Gaur of Asmita Theatre.
This group would tour across DU colleges during August highlighting livelihood issues of street vendors and perform during the Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival,
27-29 August 2010 at Indian Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Actors-Vallari,Sumedh Sachdev,Palak,Shilpi Marwaha,Shiv Chauhan,Vaibhav,Pankaj,Vartika Tiwari,Abhay,Pankaj Datta,Aj Parikh,Vasu,Pradip Awasti,Pretesh manas,Sarika,Rahul Sharma, mohit Sharma,priyanka,Abhishek Pandey,Manoj Yadav,Tarun...
16th August - SRC, Mandi House at 6.20pm
19th August at 10 -12.30pm - VISHWAVIDYALA METRO, ARTS FACULTY , NORTH CAMPUS
16th -28 th August 2010 at DU colleges,SRC , IHC,Delhi Haat and Other venues
About the play-
Millions of street vendors in India are without any rights and treated as a nuisance.Street vendors don’t only contribute significantly to the economy, but more than half the urban population is dependent on them. Our street vendors, all 10 million or more of them, are part of the colour of India. They provide the magical allure, the sights, the smells and the sounds that have inspired zillions of foreign writers to India.Yet, ...though all of us Indians, rich and poor alike, make use of them every day of our lives, we take them for granted. Worse, we treat them like dirt. Across the world, street vendors have been part of the marketplace since time began. In the West, bureaucratic, soul-searing legislation has gradually squeezed all spontaneous, innovative, creative solutions off the streets. Now, a chestnut seller on a winter morning is special, a whiff of the past.Some papers have reported that street vendors pay 10-20% of their earnings as such fees. The existing laws to support the rights of street vendors are weak.
The harassment by various authorities, local bodies and departments, and the exploitative fees paid in bribes to those who exploit the loopholes in the system, leads them to destitution. This, in its worst form, takes the shape of eviction and a complete loss of working capital. Instead, regularising their activities in a manner that gives opportunities for relocation would be a better option.The government uses double standards in handling street vendors. Only when all the players involved enter into a meaningful dialogue – from civic authorities to shopkeepers, residents’ associations and vendors – can we resolve the problem in a just and equitable, mutually sustainable way.Otherwise we will continue to marginalise and victimise our vendors through cleanliness drives, violent clashes and populist rhetoric, as is the current practice.
Contact-
Shilpi Marwaha- 9540656537
Shiv Chauhan-9958793683S

Ramkali starring Mallika Sarabhai at SRC by Arvind Gaur on 14 to 16 Aug.

Ramkali
Adaptation of Bertolt Brecht 's play - The Good Person of Szechwan
directed by Arvind Gaur
starring Mallika Sarabhai as Ramkali

Adapted in hindi by Amitabh Srivastava
lyrics by Piyush Mishra
Music by Dr.Sangeeta Gaur

on 14 , 15 & 16 th August at 7 pm 2010
at Sri ram Centre,Safdar Hashmi Marg Mandi House, New Delhi.

Actors -Mallika Sarabhai ,Viren Basoya, Revanta Sarabhai,Shilpi Marwaha,Yadavan Chandran ,Nisarg Trivedi, Anahita Sarabhai, Raj sharma,Pankaj Raj Yadav, Sonal Solanki,Jignesh Patel,Malay Garg,Druma Mehta,Pooja, Pappan,Rajesh , Jayan , Saji, Plani ,Manoj ,Heman ,Charmy , Hinal ,Mani ,Palan, Saurab Pal
About play Ramkali-
It raises core issues facing today’s world, of greed versus common good, of the value of right and wrong, of the pressures society puts on people which drive them to committing wrongs to keep up with expectations, the exploitation of goodness and of good people by an aspiring society, and the question of equating theft and wrong doing out of need with that done out of greed. Brecht used theatre to raise issues, as does Darpana and Asmita Theatre Group, Arvind Gaur’s company based in Delhi. Brecht, like Arvind Gaur and Mallika Sarabhai, believed in entertaining people with theatrics and songs to keep them engaged but watchful, planting seeds of doubt to shake complacency.
______________________________
It is said that between the battle of wrong and right, it is truth that wins,
yet ladies and gentlemen, the truth in this play is yet to be discovered…
so if you think it has been some time since you’ve done a good deed,
think again… maybe not.
May be we all have been Ramkali,
doing “the right thing’ in the wrong place or vice versa !
Still having second thoughts?
_____________________________
Tickets available at Venue - Rs.200/,100/, 50/
Contact-9540656537, 09899650509
asmitatheatre@gmail.com

Asmita Summer Theatre Festival 15 May -11 July 2010

Asmita Summer Theatre Festival 15 May -11 July 2010

• Rajesh Kumar’s “Ambedkar aur Gandhi”
on 15th may 2010 7pm
Sri Ram Center, Mandi House, New Delhi

• Mohan Rakesh’s “Lehron ke Rajhans”
on 16th may 2010 7pm
Sri Ram Center, Mandi House, New Delhi

• Ashok Lal’s “Ek Mamooli Aadmi”
on 22 & 23 may 7:30pm
at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

• Dario Fo’s “Operation Three Star”
based on ‘An accidental death of an anarchist’
on 29 & 30 may 7:30pm
at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road

• Mahesh Dattani's “Final Solutions”
on 5th & 6th june 2010 7:30pm
at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road

• Swadesh Deepak's “Court Martial”
on 12th & 13th june 2010 7:30pm
at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road

• Harsh Mandar’s “Unsuni” that has been scripted by Mallika Sarabhai
on 19th & 20th june 2010, 7:30pm
at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road

*27th June - Ashok Lal’s “Ek Mamooli Aadmi”a 7pm
Sri Ram Center, Mandi House, New Delhi

*3rd July -Mahesh Dattani's “Final Solutions”
7:30pm at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road

*4th July -Swadesh Deepak's “Court Martial”
at 7:30pm at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road

*10th & 11th July - G P Deshpande's Raste at SRC- new play

All plays Directed by Arvind Gaur.

Contacts-
9911013630 (Viren Basoya),9540656537 (Shilpi Marwaha),9555558812 (Pankaj Yadav),9899650509

Swadesh Deepak's “Court Martial directed by Arvind Gaur on 12th & 13th june 2010

Asmita Summer Theatre Festival 15 May -11 July 2010

Swadesh Deepak's “Court Martial
directed by Arvind Gaur
on 12th & 13th june 2010 7:30pm
at India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

When respect is denied to a man for the only reason that he is borne by 'low-caste' parents, the offence cannot simply be termed as a social violence. It assumes larger proportions of crime against humanity and society at large. Yet by the turn in situation the murderer becomes a winner whereas the victim is unforgiving.The culprit may receive severe punishment at the hands of the law but, in fact, it is the society which is put in the docks. Court Martial, written by Swadesh Deepak, is a story of recruit Ram Chander who is tried for murdering one of his officers and injuring another.
The Court Martial is presided by a war veteran. Col Surat Singh who has witnessed many 'life –and –death' situation. But this trial puts him in a queer position, so far unknown to him, and during the course of interrogation he realize that the issues at stake are much larger than what meets the eye. Realizing that the Indian army is the only government agency in which reservation on caste basis is not permissible. Court Martial presents a combination of legal and poetic justice.

"Not Just a Play: ‘Court Martial’ is not just a play written by Swadesh Deepak, directed by Arvind Gaur & enacted by Asmita-artistes. It is a burning truth of the Indian Society. Sensing that Indian Army is the only government institution, which does not permit caste-based reservations, ‘Court Martial’ presents a mixture of natural and legal justice, which is not only the truth of the Indian Army, but that of the whole Indian Society. That, despite all his qualifications, an individual is traumatised because of his low-caste origins is not merely social violence, but a crime against humanity. The monotony of the long court-trial was pre-empted by the seasoned performance of the Asmita artistes. This Asmita-presentation has proved to be a soothing experience, after many years, for Swadesh Deepak who created a countrywide flutter through this play. "
Excellent acting, live and memorable…..worth visit.
- Ajeet Rai (Nav Bharat Times)
_______________________________________________

Dario fo's Operation Three Star on 29th & 30th May at IHC directed By Arvind Gaur

Asmita Summer theatre Festival 2010
Dario Fo’s Comic- Satire "Operation Three Star"
on 29th 30th May at 7.30pm at India Habitat Centre.
(Hindi adaptation of Accidental Death of an Anarchist)
Adaptation in Hindi by Amitabh Srivastava,
Lyrics -Piyush Mishra
directed by Arvind Gaur
Actors - Viren Basoya,Shilpi Marwaha, Malay Garg, Saurab Pal,Pankaj Raj Yadav,Bajrang Bali Singh
Reviews -Today when newspaper headlines are screaming about police atrocities, operation three star becomes a compelling study on the anatomy of violence...taut, energetic and embellished with a compelling performance by actors,OTS becomes a noteworthy addition to Asmita's repertoire… Imaginative methodology, which is reflected in,plays Tughlaq, Court-Martial and O.T.S
- Nikhat Kazmi (Times of India )

Very relevant and timely...the play comes down hard on police brutality, inefficiency & connivance .
- Smita Nirula (Pioneer)

Gaur updated the script with contemporary references of police Violence, bhagalpur, rape in police custody, killing of two innocent Businessmen in C.P
- Kavita Nagpal (Hindustan Times)

Arvind Gaur's direction has acquired a noticeable tautness...the tempo was well maintained and changes of scene effected smoothly...Thought provoking. The group sang, danced and soft peddled and Impressed the
full house.
-Saroj Vashist (Delhi Monday)

Competent direction...powerful performance...one more achievement by Arvind Gau and his team Asmita.
- Amit Kumar (Rashtriya Sahara)

About The Play

Grounded in a very specific, disturbing political reality the Operation Three Star (Adaptaion of Dario Fo's Accidental Death of an Anarchist ) offers a scathing comment the real events which are criminal and obscene in their brutality: Crimes of the state .
With his seemingly insane logic the maniac is instrumental in unmasking the criminal folly of the law enforcing agency in its attempts to cover up heinous action. He persistently ridicules the police's shaky case and forces them to re-enact the situation in that led to the 'suicide' of a 'terrorist' under their custody.
Subsequently, they contradict themselves to dismantle the whole issue of half-truths and non-sequiturs. An escalating series of impersonations and misunderstandings extend a particular viewpoint.
The jerk from comic gags to a fuller awareness of serious issue becomes a potent device as the crude violence of the power-that-be is recognized.

Ticket-Rs 50
Contacts-9911013630 (Viren Basoya),9540656537 (Shilpi Marwaha),9555558812 (Pankaj Yadav),9899650509

asmitatheatre@gmail.com
http://sites.google.com/site/asmitatheatre/dario-fo-s--ots

Ashok Lal's Ek Mamooli Aadmi on 22nd & 23 rd May at IHC directed By Arvind Gaur

Asmita Summer Theatre Festival 15 May -11 July 2010
Ashok Lal's -Ek Mamooli Aadmi directed by Arvind Gaur
Music by Dr. Sangeeta Gaur
on 22 nd & 23nd May at 7.30pm
at India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi.

Actors-Viren Basoya (Ishwar Chand Awasthi, the protagonist), Shilpi Marwaha, Bajrang Bali Singh,Pooja Pradaan, Malya Garg,Pankaj Raj Yadav,Saurab Pal,Arvind Kesari,Disha Arora,Kakoli Gaur, Wreicha,Saveree Gaur,Himansu Maggu ,Shiv Chauhan,Devesh,Palak ,Suraj Singh,Rahul Khanna ,Pankaj,rahul dheer,Anish Kumar,Ketan Kalra,Narendra Thakur,Himansu Katara,Manu Chaudhary,Arvind Keshari,Pankaj Shandilya,Dipesh Mohlay,Satya,Manoj Yadav,Sachin Saxena,Nitish,Gaurav Mishra,Tarun,Pankaj Datta,Abhay,Tarun,Ankit Jain.


'Ek Mamooli Aadmi' is one more milestone in Asmita's engaging repertoire of meaningful theatre.
-Nikhat Kazmi (Times of India)

Meaningful production.. .Another feather in the cap of a young director Arvind Gaur.
-Kavita Nagpal (H T)

'Ek Mamooli Aadmi' is an excellent play with a lot of humou , lot of life's reality
-Smita Nirula (Pioneer)

The play is built around the protagonist Umesh's curiosity to find out why Brahmins had refused to participate in his father's 'tehrvi' ... production is excellent... innovative...
-Romesh Chander (Hindu)

Written by Ashok Lal and directed by Arvind Gaur (अरविन्द गौड़), the play is a deeply moving description of the travails of a middle-aged clerk who knows of his impending death. Reserved, reclusive and politically correct Ishwar Chand, decides to do some unusual things before dying. The acts are not a result of angst or deeds of rebellion, Ishwar just wants to savour another life, paint a new picture of himself for his own viewing. His escape from reality is a challenge to that very reality. Death becomes a motivation for pleasure; he wants to please others, see others happy, and make others fulfilled
- Indian Express
_________________________________

About the play
'Ek Mamooli Aadmi' underlines those features of an urban middle class setting which make the yearning for real happiness an agonizing experience. The play also accentuates the contours of a system in which even biological relations are bound to breed loneliness and family becomes fatal to an individual.
Ishwar Chand Awasthi, the protagonist, is to die soon and this fact makes him realise that it was not life that he led so far, it was death, unnoticed and unannounced. The perception of this death animates him and he turns to be the source of others' happiness- an extraordinary asset to life and society.
______________________________

Director's Note
For Asmita Theatre, a new production has always been a part of a process – a fresh chance to react within ourselves and our society, to explore new dimensions in theatre – our choice of socially relevant themes being an extension of this goal. 'Ek Mamooli Aadmi' started off as an exercise to explore ways of using time and space to convey the underlying theme.
During this process we discovered various aspects of our society as it stands today, under the shadow of a consumerist culture, where the base of many a relationship is superficial and the individual is often left with a feeling of loneliness and existential angst- yet often indifferent and unwilling to make a change.
As this play exposes the political and social attitudes and priorities of our society on a smaller canvas such as that of the family and workplace, my actors were involved in an intensive process of looking at their immediate world both inner and outer, with a fresh perspective.
Many a moment in 'Ek Mamooli Aadmi' rose out of much debate and discussion. I hope that this play makes relevant and positive contribution – as t has to us and puts forth a fresh set of questions that we may ask of our society and ourselves

Actors-
Viren Basoya (Ishwar Chand Awasthi, the protagonist), Shilpi Marwaha, Bajrang Bali Singh, Malya Garg,Pankaj Raj Yadav,Saurab Pal,Wreicha Sharma,Md Waseem,Arvind Kesari,Disha Arora,Kakoli Gaur, Saveree Gaur,Himansu Maggu ,Shiv Chauhan,Devesh,Palak ,Suraj Singh,Rahul Khanna ,Pankaj,rahul dheer,Anish Kumar,Ketan Kalra,Narendra Thakur,Himansu Katara,Manu Chaudhary,Arvind Keshari,Pankaj Shandilya,Dipesh Mohlay,Satya,Manoj Yadav,Sachin Saxena,Nitish,Gaurav Mishra,Tarun,Pankaj Datta,Abhay,Tarun,Ankit Jain.
Tickets-Rs 50
Details pls call- 9911013630 ,9540656537,9899650509
asmitatheatre@gmail.com
http://sites.google.com/site/asmitatheatre/Home

Mohan Rakesh's Lehron ke Rajhans directed By Arvind Gaur on 16th May at SRC

ASMITA SUMMER THEATRE FESTIVAL 2010
Mohan Rakesh's" Leheron Ke Raj Hans" (लहरों के राजहंस)
directed by Arvind Gaur
16th May,2010 at 7pm ,
Sri Ram Centre,Safdar Hashmi Marg,Mandi House

Actors- Viren Basoya,Shilpi Marwaha, Pooja Pradaan, Pankaj Raj Yadav, Malay Garg,Shiv chauhan, Disha Arora, Saurab Pal,Vrinda Vedi
For Details pls call -9911013630 ,9540656537,9899650509,
asmitatheatre@gmail.com
Tickets -Rs-200/, 100/ ,50/
"Leheron Ke Raj Hans' (मोहन राकेश का नाटक - लहरों के राजहंस )The Swans of the Waves),based on ancient Buddhist tale of love, conflict ,inner struggle and renunciation.'Leheron Ke Raj Hans' is the most noted play of Mohan Rakesh, an ancient Buddhist tale on the renunciation of the Buddha, and its after affects on his close family, was first written as short story and later turned it into a radio play for Radio and broadcast under the title "Sundri", though his struggle over different versions of the play lasted for nearly 20 years, before creating his masterpiece.

Review By Sushil Chandra -
When a piece of literature is made into a film or a play, what is the yardstick of success? This has been an eternal question and many masters have fallen by wayside in this attempt. A filmmaker of Gurudatt’s caliber has failed to capture the essence of ‘Saheb Bibi Gulam’. In my view only two filmmakers have succeeded in the attempt_ Bimal Roy in ‘Devdas’ and Ray in ‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’. My own yardstick is simple-whether the play or film is a simply a visual translation or it has been able to add additional depth, additional meaning or additional nuances to the original piece.
Watching Arvind Gaur’s rendering of ‘Lahron Ke Rajhans’ by Mohan Rakesh, I was looking for these additional chunks of depth, meaning or nuances and was positively surprised. The dark and unexplored recesses of human relationships have been brought alive with such stunning clarity; it leaves the viewer completely naked in front of the mirror. Though the storyline is timed in ancient Buddhist era, when Buddha returns to Kapilvastu after attaining Nirvana, the conflicts of various selves of men and women and the conflict of these conflicts with the external environment is eternal and probably more relevant in modern times and so the play is about modern people in modern times.
Coming to the original question, is this conflict of conflicts an added nuance not realized at the level of the book? The question can really be answered only by watching the play live. The complex conundrum of insecurity, narcissism, snobbery and paranoia portrayed by Sundari is rather difficult to grasp at the level of script without watching Shilpi Marwaha portraying it. Similarly the turbulence and the conflict of being torn between contradictory pulls and pressures felt by Nand can be realized only by watching Viren Basoya portraying it.
This was the third play by Arvind Gaur, which I have watched (after ‘Ansuni’ and ‘Ambedkar Aur Gandhi’) and I found both continuity and change in his style and technique. I have notice a tendency to use music and poetry to amplify the effect and the passion of an activist, which predictably was absent in this play as probably he saw no scope for them in this play. I feel, any musical or poetic interlude would have diluted the intensity of emotional interplay. In fact the play has been so tightly scripted by Rakesh, not a word can be added or removed. Where I could sense the continuity of style is the imaginative simplicity of stage layouting. In fact, while reading the play it is difficult to visualize that space can be used with such simplicity. I particularly find this simplistic use of stage space, the strongest point in Arvind’s plays. Probably the skill sets of street theatre are playing a major role here.
But, unquestionably, the aspect which adds depth to the play is the display of multidimensional pathos by Shilpi and Viren. At the risk of being personal, I must say, it is difficult to imagine actors at such young age, displaying such a deep understanding of human psyche.
Mohan Rakesh has been my favorite playwright, and this play has been least talked about compared to ‘Ashadh Ka Ek Din’ and ‘Adhe Adhure’. But I find it most fascinating because of its non judgmental study of human relationships. Fortunately, this presentation has been able to capture the complexity with amazing simplicity. This duality of simplicity and complexity is the hallmark of Arvind’s stagecraft.
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Special thanks to- Smt.Anita Rakesh
and Dept of Buddhist Studies, University Of Delhi

Rajesh Kumar's Ambedkar Aur Gandhi on 15th May at SRC Directed by Arvind Gaur

ASMITA SUMMER THEATRE FESTIVAL 2010
Asmita Theatre presents Rajesh Kumar's
"Ambedkar AUR Gandhi"
directed by Arvind Gaur
on 15th May 2010 at Sri Ram Centre,Mandi House

Actors- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - Bajrang Bali Singh,M.K.Gandhi - Viren Basoya,Rama Bai- Shilpi Marwaha,Gayakwad -Raj Sharma,Devrao Nayak -Saurabh Pal,Kedarkar- Malay Garg,Devdas Gandhi -Pankaj Raj Yadav,Patel -Shiv Chauhan,Annie Besant -Pooja Pradaan,Malviya -Pankaj Datta,Mahadev Bhai -Surj Singh,Sarojini Naidu -Disha Arora, Mahar-Saveree Gaur, Kakoli Gaur,Brahmin: Palak Bhutani,Temple Priest: Rahul Khanna
Chorus - Pankaj Raj Yadav,Shilpi Marwaha,Kakoli Gaur,Saveree Gaur,Himanshu Maggu,Irfan Khan,Shiv Chauhan,Vallari Shrivastva,Vrinda Vedi,Disha Arora,Wreicha Sharma,Shashank Sharma,Rahul Khanna,Devesh Nigam,Palak Bhutani,Suraj Singh,Pankaj Datta,Tanmay Prasad,Shalini Rai,Anish Kumar,Md. Waseem,Arvind Keshari,Tosham Aacharya,Pooja Pradaan,Ketan Kalra,Narender Thakur,Himanshu Katara,Dipesh Mohlay,Manu Chowdhay,Rahul Rai,Manoj Yadav,Sachin Saxena,Nitish,Abhay,Gaurav Mishra,Tarun,Ankit Jain,Pankaj Sandilya,Niraj,Ajay,Amit Kr. Mishra...
Credits-
Poems- Avataar Singh Paash (पाश ),Shankar Shailendra ,Bhupen Hazarika,Bob Dylan
Music by Dr.Sangeeta Gaur with musicians - Sandy , Anil Mishra & Mohit Sharma
Group Incharge ; Viren Basoya,Production : Raj Sharma and Pankaj Raj Yadav
Asmita Theatre- Celebrating 18th year of theatre movement

Tickets at Rs.200, Rs.100 & Rs.50
For tickets & Details pls call- 9911013630 ,9540656537,9899650509
asmitatheatre@gmail.com
http://sites.google.com/site/asmitatheatre/Home

Street Play "Nanhe Munne Bachche" directed by Arvind Gaur

Asmita Theatre Group in association with Aroh Foundation presents
Street Play “Nanhe Munne Bachche” directed by Arvind Gaur at Jantar Mantar
on 1st May,2010 at 5.00pm
About the play “Nanhe Munne Bachche “-
The play focuses on the need to give equal rights to street children. Basic rights to study, to play and live their childhood. Do we want to give our children tools to work or a kalam (pen) in their hands thereby making them the responsible citizens of a progressive nation?
The little ‘workforce of chhotus’ is found in every sector and industry, doing all sorts of menial jobs. Belonging to abysmally poor families, these children struggle to bring home a few pennies. They start their day early on an empty stomach and may or may not get a stomach fill at the end of the hard day’s work
While the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, came into force on the 1st of April 2010, is being hailed as historic by the educated world, these children and their parents are oblivious of any such development which might change their lives for better. The parents are poor migrants who do not have enough earnings to sustain the family. Each person must be a working hand if he has to live and survive. Besides, the documents, resident proofs and affidavits needed for school admission are not available.
Taking children out of this pathetic situation is easier said than done. They contribute, however little, to their parent's income. Older children sometimes ‘make’ up to 50 rupees, which is about as much as adults. In India, where many people don't even earn the minimum wage, every rupee is invaluable.
And thus we as socially responsible theatre actors are taking a step forward towards this goal through the medium of relevant theatre. So join us in this social initiative and be the change you want to see as we believe that if we all do this together, we will definitely succeed.
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ACTORS - Viren Basoya, Shilpi Marwaha .Pankaj Raj Yadav, Malay Garg, Shiv Chauhan, Disha Arora,Saurabh Pal,Rahul Khanna, Himansu Maggo,Palak Bhutani,Anish Kumar,Devesh Nigam,Ketan Kalra,Narendra Thakur,Suraj Singh,Himansu Katara,Manu Chaudhary,Arvind Keshari,Pankaj Shandilya,Dipesh Mohlay,Satya,Manoj Yadav,Sachin Saxena,Nitish,Gaurav Mishra,Tarun,Pankaj Datta,Abhay,Tarun.
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Special thanks to Aroh Foundation & Smile Foundation
For Details Contact -9540656537,9958793683,9911013630,9899650509
asmitatheatre@gmail.com

"GARBAGE" Street Play directed by Arvind Gaur from 19 April to 24 April

Street Play "Garbage " by Asmita Theatre Group
from 19 April,2010 to 24 April,2010
at New Friends Colony Community Centre.

The play focuses on the need for basic civic sense in our country.
Civic sense is nothing but social ethics. It is belief in hygiene, respect for other members of society, and human behaviour. It is consideration by the people for the unspoken norms of society. A lot of people assume that civic sense is just about keeping the roads, streets and public property clean. But civic sense is more than that; it has to do with law-abiding, respect for fellow men and maintaining decorum in public places.

Civic sense, or rather the lack of it, is a topic that has been widely discussed and argued in India. Somehow, most Indians do not care much for civic sense. And this attitude is prevalent across all sections of society. We people today are so driven towards our personal goals that civic sense as an ethic has become a low priority, almost a nuisance for us. We don’t realise that this sort of attitude is not going to harm anyone else but “US” only. Civic sense has dropped to an all-time low in recent years, as is rather obvious from the current state of society.

Being inconsiderate towards fellow society members will only come right back at us. We have to be social, mature and unbiased when it comes to situations in public. The current state of public transport, for example, is disheartening. And we have no one to blame but “ourselves” for this condition. There are spit marks, urine, vulgar graffiti, random garbage and overflowing sewers at every nook and corner of India. NO city in this country has managed to fight the menace. It is easy to pin everything on the government, but people must first question themselves and their own civic sense. Roads are not dirty because nobody cleaned it, but because somebody dirtied it in the first place.

Using 'everybody does it' and ‘what difference can I alone make’ is an excuse and only an excuse. The action has to start from US only. If every individual does his or her own bit, he or she can definitely make a huge difference and can lead to change. India has really diverse people and the need of the hour is general civic sense.

And thus we as socially responsible theatre actors are taking a step forward towards this goal through the medium of relevant theatre. So join us in this social initiative and be the change you want to see as we believe that if we all do this together, we will definitely succeed.
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ACTORS
Shiv Chauhan, Disha Arora,Saurab Pal,Rahul Khanna, Himansu Maggu,Palak Bhutani,,Pankaj Raj Yadav,Anish Kumar,Devesh Nigam,Ketan Kalra,Narendra Thakur,Suraj Singh,Himansu Katara,Manu Chaudhary,Arvind Keshari,Pankaj Shandilya,Dipesh Mohlay,Satya,Manoj Yadav,Sachin Saxena,Nitish,Gaurav Mishra,Tarun,Pankaj Datta,Abhay,Tarun,Ankit Jain,Pooja Pradaan, Shilpi Marwaha,

About- DOR- Duties Over Rights
a group of students and young professionals who believe in our responsibilities as citizens of the nation. We believe that together, we can be a part of the change that we want to see. Our mission is to instill a better moral and civic sense in the minds of our people, to be able to emerge as a united society working towards the good of the nation.

Keeping the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in mind, our first project is ‘United for Commonwealth’ which will focus on the cleanliness of the state through which we aspire to achieve our stated mission. We endeavor to do this by involving maximum participation with the cooperation of individuals and the support of government authorities and other private institutions.

UNSUNI based on Harsh Mander’s book ,Script by Mallika Sarabhai 17th April

Aman Biradari and Asmita theatre presents -
"UNSUNI " based on Harsh Mander’s book Unheard Voices,
Script by Mallika Sarabhai directed by Arvind Gaur
on 17th April at 7.00pm.The Dil Se Campaign Annual Day
at the New Ummeed Campus in Qutub Area ,Vocational Training Centre,
Near Qutub Bus Stand,Qutub Minar,Mahrauli.

Unsuni - Unsuni is a socially relevant and politically deep script by Mallika Sarabhai, based on the Novel "Unheard Voices" by Harsh Mander. In a Society where the success of a handful makes bigger news than the misery of millions, a set of 5 monologues dares to speak out for the mute, the desolate, the chronically ignored... a woefully unloved India, full of People but starved of life.Unsuni lifts the veil around harsh realities faced by the diversity afflicted people of our country.
Street urchins abandoned by society to fend for themselves in the face of adversity; tribal people forced to surrender their honour to repacious land grabbers; scavengers and lepers who have never known the meaning of human dignity are some specific problems addressed by the play. The volatile nature of religious politics coupled with an incompetent judicial structure is also portrayed with grave honesty. In the depiction of all these causes is a common underlying plea for us to open our eyes to the bigger picture, to share that human worth which we for ourselves claim as a right, but deprive others of without justification.The play overall is an intense reminder of horrors towards which we voluntarily turn a deaf ear. It does not aim to downplay the success of those who do make it to the top, but is a call to the privileged to consider those who deserve equal rights, but lack equal opportunity

contact-asmitatheatre@gmail.com
9899650509.9911013630
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The Dil Se Campaign -
The Dil Se Campaign, was conceived as a collaboration of caring between governments and citizens, to secure the rights of the most vulnerable urban child. These children are forced to make the streets and railway platforms their home, and who earn by picking rags, begging or other street based work. Today Dil Se is a joint initiative between Aman Biradari, Center for Equity Studies, the Yusuf Meherally Center, and the Delhi Government Department of Education's Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan program. It aims at extending to these children comprehensive care in open residential homes (which we call Aman Ghars or Homes of Peace), based on their inherent and citizen-based rights to protection, food, education, health care, recreation, and love, including mainstream education, and in close integration with children who have families.

In the Dil Se campaign, we now have six Aman Ghars in Delhi and Hyderabad, with around 350 former street children in our comprehensive long-term care in Delhi alone. When Dil Se began its campaign four years ago, it did so without resources and without any buildings, only with a dream. Now, thanks to support from the Delhi Government and numerous other organizations, and the love, resilience, bravery, and talent of our children, we have come along way. We still have a great deal further to travel, but we will do it together.

Street Play on Domestic Help on 15th April directed by Arvind Gaur

Street Play on domestic help-"Naukarani" directed by Arvind Gaur on 15th April.
15th April at Lucknow Lancer Road Near DU Marg and Patrachar Basti Near Dilli Vishwavidyalay at 5.30-6:30 pm

The play focuses on the need of decent work for domestic workers specially women.The play opens with a song ending in a marketplace of domestic girls. It shows a contractor trying to sell various categories of Girls(domestic workers ) and charging extra amount to evade the verification process. The focus of the scene is the lack of any legislation covering domestic workers, which makes it easy to flout and buy any rules relating to them.
Then the play highlights how the virtually nameless and faceless class of domestic workers is bereft of all minimum conditions of work stipulated by Law such as maternity benefits, sick leaves etc. It also draws attention to child labor.
Finally the play brings to light the sexual abuse ,domestic violence ,discrimination and issue of trafficing etc of female workers and how even the police generally sides with the richer and the more influential party - the employer. The play ends on a high note putting forth some startling facts relating to domestic workers and their living conditions and thus opening up various planes of discussion.
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For Details pls call- 9540656537,9958793683,9899650509
asmitatheatre@gmail.com

Street Play "Garbage" on 14 th & 15 th April directed by Arvind Gaur

Street Play "Garbage "
by Asmita Theatre Group
on 14th and 15 th April
14th April at Bhajanpura ,Gawdi Village Near Gonda at 5:30pm
15th April at Lucknow Lancer Road Near DU Marg at 5:30 pm
Patrachar Basti Near Dilli Vishwavidyalay at7:00 pm

Actors-Shiv Chauhan, Disha Arora,Saurab Pal,Rahul Khanna, Himansu Maggu,Palak Bhutani,,Pankaj Raj Yadav,Anish Kumar,Devesh Nigam,Ketan Kalra,Narendra Thakur,Suraj Singh,Himansu Katara,Manu Chaudhary,Arvind Keshari,Pankaj Shandilya,Dipesh Mohlay,Rahul Rai,Manoj Yadav,Sachin Saxena,Nitish,Gaurav Mishra,Tarun,Pankaj Datta,Abhay,Tarun,Ankit Jain,Pooja Pradaan, Shilpi Marwaha,Shiv Kanoongo