Lucknow: The two-day State Theatre Festival commenced on a powerful note with the impactful staging of the play “Manjhi Re” on its opening day in Lucknow. The festival is being organized by the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi in collaboration with Lalit Narayan Mithila University at the Sant Gadge Ji Maharaj Auditorium on March 24 and 25.
The event is being held under the cultural promotion vision of Yogi Adityanath and guided by Jaiveer Singh, with leadership from Akademi Chairman Jayant Khot and Vice Chairperson Vibha Singh. The inauguration ceremony began with the traditional lighting of the lamp by senior officials including Director Shobhit Kumar Nahar.
A Story of Determination and Humanity
The play “Manjhi Re”, written by Pancham Prakash and directed by Sagar Singh, is based on the real-life story of Dashrath Manjhi, popularly known as the “Mountain Man.” Presented by the Department of Music and Drama of Lalit Narayan Mithila University, the play delivered a powerful message—“Where there is will, there is victory.”
Set in Gehlaur village of Bihar’s Gaya district, the narrative follows the life of Dashrath Manjhi, a poor labourer who breaks stones for a living. A tragic turning point occurs when his wife, Phaguniya, suffers a fatal accident while crossing a mountain due to lack of accessible medical care. Her death transforms Manjhi’s life and inspires him to carve a path through the mountain to prevent others from facing similar hardships.
Despite ridicule and opposition from villagers, Manjhi’s unwavering determination leads him to single-handedly carve a रास्ता through the mountain over years of relentless effort. The play movingly portrayed his journey from an ordinary man to an extraordinary symbol of courage, love, and perseverance.
Powerful Performances and Technical Brilliance
Roshan Kumar Das delivered a compelling performance as Dashrath Manjhi, while Prachi Kumari as Phaguniya added emotional depth. Other notable performances included Mohan Kumar as Mangru, Mithilesh Kumar as Jugnu, Divya Kumari as Chameli, Arjun Kumar Rai as the landlord, and Chandan Kumar as the journalist.
The production was enriched by strong technical support, including live music and harmonium by Shivam Mishra, tabla by Dheeraj Mishra, lighting design by Vikram Kumar Thakur, and music direction by Rahul Kumar Ram. Stage design, costumes, makeup, and choreography were also widely appreciated for enhancing the overall impact.
Festival Continues with Comedy Performance
As part of the festival lineup, the Kanpur-based Anubhuti Natya Unit staged the comedy play “Dil Ki Dukaan” on March 25 at 6:30 PM, directed by Ratan Singh Rathore.
The opening day performance of “Manjhi Re” set a high benchmark for the festival, inspiring audiences with its deeply human story of resilience, love, and unwavering determination.
