The Playwrights Database
BHADRAKANT ZAVERI (1937 - 1993)
Nationality: Indianemail: Click here to contact Website: n/a
Literary Agent: Amal Zaveri
Bhadrakant Zaveri, 11-10-1937 to 29-10-1993. His career as a dramatist spans over 3 decades (1959-1993) during which, he gave 35 plus one-act and 20 full-length plays to the Gujarati Theatre. These plays have been produced in various cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Vadodra, Surat, Kolkotta, Kochi, Coimbatore and smaller cities and towns such as Rajkot, Nadiad, Navsari, Jamshedpur, Silvaasa and Rajpipla. Besides directing numerous one-act and 11 full-length plays from different languages and acting in approximately 50 plays, between 1985 and 1988 he produced 5 plays under the banner of 'Anaagat", a theatre production company founded by him: Vahaali Aavi Sapnaa Laavi, Saap-Seedi, Bhavai Ek Praacheen Ek Arvaacheen, Ghatna, Haa, Chhe To Aa Naatak. From 1970-1971, he was the editor of Samvaad, a theatre magazine founded by him and published from Vadodra. His repertoire includes story, screen-play and dialogue writing for Hindi feature films Kabhi-Kabhi, Noori, Baazaar, Karmayogi as assistant writer to Sagar Sarhadi; Hindi film Lorie, which he wrote independently; play scripts for radio and television; novellas and poems. He contributed a politically nuanced weekly column Thande Kaleje for Jansatta, a Gujarati daily published from Ahmedabad-Vadodra. A number of one-act plays written by him have received awards and acclaim in various drama competitions: Best performance trophy: Chaandaapoli, 1961, Bagadiyo Bagdyo, 1962, Cheena-Meena Chaun-Maun, 1963, Olkhaan, 1966, Raat Padi Ghar Jaa Ne Baalak, Brahm Latakaan Kare and Usha e Shun Joyun, 1967, Kataakshman, 1969. Award for best original play script: Usha e Shun Joyun, 1967, Brahm Latkaan Kare, 1968, Kataakshman 1970, Munshi Shield (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan inter-collegiate one-act play competition), Usha e Shun Joyun, 1967, (the topmost award at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's inter-collegiate one-act play competition for the best play from the award winning plays in 14 languages). Some of his other noteworthy one-act plays include Ta Telephone no Ta, Eklun Kalu, Shikaar, Bichaara Jan No Vesh. Selected full-length plays (post 1964): Manju-Manju, (first produced by Indian National Theatre, Mumbai, directed by Pravin Joshi and subsequently by Pravin Joshi Theatres, directed by Arvind Joshi); E Ishvar Bhajiyan Tale (directed by Jagdish Shah); Mina Mena Mona directed by Chandravadan Bhatt); Mautni Mulakaat (directed by Adi Marazban); Door Door Aara (directed by Bharat Dave, Mumbai, Ashok Redde, Vadodra, Vijay Dutt, Mumbai); Chhe ne aa Chhokri (directed by Kanti Madia); Svapna Menka (directed by Amrut Patel); Vahaali Aavi Sapnaa Laavi (directed by Bharat Dave Mumbai, Bhadrakant Zaveri Mumbai, Shailraaj, Ahmedabad); Saachun Sagpan Sathvaaro, Saap-Seedi, Ghatna, Bhavai Ek Pracheen Ek Arvaacheen, Haa, Chhe To Aa Naatak (directed by Bhadrakant Zaveri). During the course of his theatre practice, he became acquainted with the field of visual arts. In 1971, in partnership with artist and designer Bharati Kapadia, he founded Art & Attitudes, a design studio specialising in design and production of art related material as books, catalogues, posters and turnkey exhibition projects, art consultancy for contemporary Indian art collectors and promotion through sourcing and show-casing art by younger artists. In October 1993, the day after he returned from a 15 day stay in Chennai, Bhadrakant Zaveri was critically injured in a bomb blast at Matunga railway station in Mumbai and lost his life the same night.
Thanks to Bharati Kapadia, bharatikapadia@gmail.com, for this information
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below is a list of Bhadrakant Zaveri's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Bichaara Jan no Vesh (Episode of a pitiable person) In Spite of. . . Olkhaan Te Chhataan (In Spite Of)Bichaara Jan no Vesh (Episode of a pitiable person)
'Bichaara Jan No Vesh' or 'Episode of a Pitiable Person', written in the Bhavai genre of Gujarati folk theatre, is a parody on the state of contemporary Indian intelligentsia. The persons worthy of our pity are Mac, Atish and Chirag. The threesome is a caricature portrait of the typical neo intellectual who has adopted a so-called progressive, modern lifestyle but is given to endless preaching and critiquing versus responding and acting meaningfully. Its always the rest of the world that needs to change, never themselves. When they barge in on and override the staging of a Bhavai performance, Geego, the unsophisticated peasant playing the character of a dead body, gets provoked to shed his inert role as a corpse and confront them. The expose? that follows is hilarious.
Notes:
Including sutrdhaar Natvar And his female counterpart Nati, there Are 12 characters in the play. Its first production titled Bhavai, Ek Pracheen, Ek Arvaacheen, ( Bhavai, one Ancient, the other Contemporary) comprised of two short plays, 'Paanch Chor no Vesh (Episode of Five Thieves), based on An original script of A traditional bhavai And 'Bichaara Jan No Vesh', A contemporary bhavai which meaningfully explores the traditional form of folk theatre in its various dimensions: music, dance, witticism, satire And informality of rendering.
1st Produced:
Experimental Theatre, National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai 1981
Organisations:
Anaagat, Mumbai
1st Published:
Anaagat, Mumbai, May 1981 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Modern Bhavai (Folk theatre form of Gujarat)
Parts:
Male: 10 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
Theatre Record Vol VII (1987) Page 1586
Top of PageIn Spite of. . .
The protagonist Megha is a public toilet cleaner on a local railway platform. One day, he inadvertently becomes an eye-witness to a gang war when a mafia don is shot dead on the railway platform. He comes forward as a witness and finds himself embroiled in a tug of war as both the involved gangs are hell bent on getting him to act as a witness for their side. Each gang enjoys the support of people in highest echelons of power who have a vested interest in kowtowing to the crime wielders: State, Judiciary, Law and Order, Industry, Media. Megha falls a prey to their stratagem when he is ruthlessly blinded, which disqualifies him from bearing witness in the court of law. His colleague station master Dave has remained a passive observer throughout Megha's torturous journey. In an attempt to reassure himself that he is not a desensitized being who has opted to remain 'securely' aloof, Dave donates lottery wending equipment to Megha as a means to now earn livelihood. Though visionless, Megha continues to 'see' through his mind's eyes. The indomitable spirit of Megha emerges as the winner.
Notes:
Whilst on A visit to the United States between 1982-'83, Bhadrakant had the opportunity to read And discuss his play Haa Chhe To Aa Naatak with other writers And Artists. The overall response was that the play holds the potential to resound Across national identities As it not only dissects And exposes the corrosion At the root of the prevailing human condition but Also offers us An option through the character of Megha: to emerge undefeated Against the forces of insensitivity by Asserting our innate sensitivity which empowers us to live life to the full. The consensus that An English translation of the play would enhance its reach inspired the playwright to translate it in1981 And publish it in1984 under the title 'In spite of- - -'.
1st Produced:
- -
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Bhadrakant Zaveri, Mumbai, Mar 1984 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Socio-political satire . English translation by the playwright of his one-act play "Haa, Chhe To Aa Naatak" (Yes, a play it is)
Parts:
Male: 22 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageOlkhaan
"A laughter can contain as much as a tear can and even the tear itself", a quote printed on the back cover of the publication provides a hint of the undercurrent that runs through the playwright's oeuvre. A poignant take on human relationship, its contradictions and foibles, the desperation that lurks behind the games people play with their own selves and other's, the hidden agenda which come to light when the gaze is turned inwards, are some of the dimensions explored in these plays. A subtle blend of the comic and the tragic, wit and pathos, the plays both entertain and evoke empathy at the same time.
Notes:
The genre of one-act playwriting And staging is A challenging one. Within A short spell of 30 to 45 minutes, the play, to site A metaphor, has to evolve from A seed to A full grown, fruit laden tree. This calls for A command over one's idiom in its multiple nuances. The five one-act plays in this collection: Eklun Kalu, Raat Pads Ghar Jaane Baal??ak, Shikaar, Brahm Latkaan Kare And Olkhaan, have A proven track record, having won A number of Awards over the years in various competitions Across the country.
1st Produced:
- -
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Anaagat, Mumbai, May 1972 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
A Collection of 5 one-act satirical comedies
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageTe Chhataan (In Spite Of)
In November 1980, newspaper reported incidents of blinding of over 30 "suspect", "undertrial" inmates of Bhagalpur central jail in Madhya Pradesh, India. This was carried out by the police authorities as 'control of crime' campaign. There were echoes of this news in the Parliament and the State Assembly which issued no denial of these occurrences. Te Chhatan, is founded on these incidents, though it does not document nor is it based on any actual incidents or persons. The political and economic environment, class and caste hierarchies, exploitation by the haves of the have-nots, by intelligentsia of the labour class, powerful of the powerless; the lack of joie-de-vivre pervading our social fabric as a result of a lack of sensitivity to respond- an utter disregard of an individual's right to self identity- Te Chhatan can be said to have sprouted from the seed-core of the playwright's being that has long gestated under the effects of these forces.
Notes:
The protagonist Megha is A public toilet cleaner on A local railway platform. One day, he inadvertently becomes An eye-witness to A gang war when A mafia don is shot dead on the railway platform. He comes forward As A witness And finds himself embroiled in A tug of war As both the involved gangs Are hell bent on getting him to Act As A witness for their side. Each gang enjoys the support of people in highest echelons of power who have A vested interest in kowtowing to the crime wielders: State, Judiciary, Law And Order, Industry, Media. Megha falls A prey to their stratagem when he is ruthlessly blinded, which disqualifies him from bearing witness in the court of law. His colleague station master Dave has remained A passive observer throughout Megha's torturous journey. In An Attempt to reassure himself that he is not A desensitized being who has opted to remain 'securely' Aloof, Dave donates lottery wending equipment to Megha As A means to now earn livelihood. Though visionless, Megha continues to 'see' through his mind's eyes. The love that he shares with his beloved Jeevi thrives in spite of the grim realities facing them. The free And fearless spirit of Megha emerges victorious, in spite of---.
1st Produced:
Bombay Art Festival, Nehru Centre, Mumbai 21 Nov 1987
Organisations:
Anaagat, Mumbai
1st Published:
Kala Saamprat, Mumbai, 1994 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Full-length socio-political satire
Parts:
Male: 26 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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