Three-Day Theatre Festival Begins at International Buddhist Research Institute
Lucknow: A poignant theatrical adaptation exploring fractured family relationships, youthful aspirations, and emotional conflicts across generations was staged at the International Buddhist Research Institute as part of the opening evening of a three-day theatre festival.
Presented by Akanksha Theatre Arts, Lucknow, the play Kaanch Ke Khilaune (Glass Toys) is based on the original work of renowned playwright Tennessee Williams and adapted into Hindi by Saurabh Srivastava. The production delves into the emotional complexities of a middle-class family navigating economic hardship, personal sacrifices, and fragile relationships during a period of social transition between the 20th and 21st centuries.
The story revolves around a small-town family comprising Ananda Sinha, the mother; her son Rohan Sinha; and daughter Meenakshi Sinha. The father abandoned the family years ago, leaving behind only a faded photograph hanging on the wall. With the family surviving on Rohan’s modest income, the mother dreams of securing a stable future for Meenakshi through marriage.
Under pressure from his mother, Rohan invites his office colleague Shubham for dinner, hoping a bond may develop between him and Meenakshi. As preparations unfold, Meenakshi appears nervous and withdrawn. Shubham, portrayed as a positive and practical young man, attempts to encourage her confidence and even shares a dance with her.
During the dance sequence, Meenakshi’s favourite glass toy accidentally falls and breaks — a symbolic moment representing the collapse of her delicate imaginary world and her painful confrontation with reality. The emotional tension deepens when Shubham reveals that he is already engaged and soon to be married, shattering the mother’s hopes and leaving the family emotionally devastated.
The play concludes with Rohan leaving his mother and sister behind forever, although he remains haunted by memories of Meenakshi and her fragile glass toys.
Through its emotionally layered narrative, Kaanch Ke Khilaune highlights how the responsibilities and limitations of middle-class life often consume individual dreams and aspirations. The broken glass toys emerge as a metaphor for delicate relationships and hopes that can collapse under the slightest pressure of reality.
The 60-day theatre workshop associated with the production was conducted under the guidance of noted theatre director Tushar Bajpai Shubham.
The cast delivered powerful performances, with Divyajeet Gupta portraying Ananda Sinha, Ankur Saxena as Rohan, Muskan Soni as Meenakshi, and Abhishek Kumar Singh as Shubham. Their compelling acting captivated the audience and added emotional depth to the production.
