The NUJS theatre society performed an adaptation of Gunaho Ka Devta, an acclaimed novel written in 1949 by Dharamvir Bharati on the 21st of September, 2018. Set in the 90s in Allahabad, the play explores timeless themes of love, guilt and loss, all through the warped lens of a society mired in socio-economic divides. It aimed to remind the audience that while societal structures and ideals have a constitutive influence on the individual, uncritical adherence to these ideals may become psychologically corrosive and that in such times, resistance against these exalted societal notions becomes not only the pragmatic choice for an individual, but also a responsibility towards himself and those dearest to him.
Story: Stuck between his love for Sudha and his unwavering devotion towards his mentor Dr. Shukla, the protagonist, Chander fails to break out of his ascribed identity and truly express himself as a human being. He struggles to reconcile his deepest desires with society's unyielding conceptions of righteousness and purity. Blinded by his sense of duty towards Dr Sahab, Chander ultimately drowns in a self-punishing conception of morality.
Cast: Agreema Sanghai as Sudha Shukla, Jalaj Pandey as Chander Kapoor, Aarushi Mittal as Binti, Ayush Sonker as Brajesh Thakur, Shobhit Shukla as Dr. Shukla, Binish Kumar as Ravindra Bisariya, Adya Jha as Gesu, Karthik Uprit as Pinku and Divyesh Rao as Fufa Ji
Team behind the execution of the play: Devvrat Singh Shaktawat, Samarth Shandilya, Ateesh Nandi, Vinayak Chawla, Kshitiz Gohil, Jatin Kadam, Kunal Kant, Vishal Dagar, Aditya Kumar, Apporv Bansal, Deepank Singhal and Lalit Kumar
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