In perhaps the first ever performance of the 1944 English translation of Saubhadra by S B Talekar, the UoP’s Department of English along with the Maharashtriya Kalopasak has organised a play reading of the same, aimed at both Marathi and non-Marathi audiences in Pune.

Saubhadra, written by Kirloskar in 1883, set the trend for the Marathi theatre form of ‘Sangeet Natak’ or musical plays. The play is a romantic comedy based on mythological characters from the Mahabharata. Focusing on the social theme of love marriage, the play depicts the story of Arjuna and Subhadra who get together despite her brother Balram’s efforts to get her married to his pupil Duryodhana, thanks to a little help from Krishna.

With performances by major names in Marathi theatre including Kirti Shiledar, Bhaurao Kolhatkar, Bal Gandharva, Savai Gandharva and Hirabai Barodekar, Saubhadra continues to captivate Marathi audiences due to its intricate plot that went beyond just the music.

Translating a Sangeet Natak into English without losing its basic essence may seem like a challenging task. “Yet, Talekar’s translation strikes the perfect balance between the innate ‘Marathi-ness’ of the play and the elements of English theatre,” says Urmila Bhirdikar, a researcher in Marathi theatre who provided inputs for the play reading. “The songs and poetry have been translated very effectively across cultures, using the English metre and versification rules. So Talekar represents the educated class in Marathi theatre that was well versed with both theatre forms.”

A similar care has been taken during the actual performance of the play reading to ensure this balance is maintained. “While the actors are reading out the verses, the tunes of the songs will be played in the background. In a sense it is an exercise in multiculturalism,” says director Jayanto Dasgupta. “For the Marathi audiences familiar with the songs, it will be a worthwhile experience to hear them rendered in English verse, and it will also give non-Marathi audiences a glimpse of this unique Sangeet Natak form.”

Says actor Gayatri Thacker who essays the character Subhadra, “The play may be in archaic, almost Shakespearean English, but the concepts are very Indian, which are still relevant and discussed today.”

Other actors in the play include Raya (Krishna), Nipun Dharmadhikari (Arjuna), Aparna Bapat (Rukmini), Neha Mahajan (Kusumavati/Nati/Kokila), Ravi Dhole (Satyaki/Rishi Garg) and Aishwerya Krishnaswamy (Saranganayana/Narada, the Vidhushaka/the Demon).