Lucknow: The second day of the Dr. Darbari Lal Asthana Memorial Theatre Festival witnessed the successful staging of the play “Baap Re Baap” at Awadh Academy Inter College. Organized by the Lucknow Communication Society under the Production Grant of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, New Delhi, the three-day festival is being held from March 5 to 7 in honor of senior freedom fighter Dr. Darbari Lal Asthana on his death anniversary.
Directed by Dabir Siddiqui and performed by the Theatre and Film Welfare Association’s theatrical group, “Baap Re Baap” entertained the audience while delivering a strong message on the importance of respecting elders. The festival will conclude on March 7 with the staging of the play “Charcha Chachi Ke Charche,” directed by Tamal Bose, with co-direction by Neeshu Tyagi, and presented by the Nav Anshika Foundation.
The storyline of “Baap Re Baap” revolves around Vikas’s father, Babu Badrinath, who unexpectedly leaves home. In his absence, the family arranges for a fake father, which leads to multiple comical situations as several individuals simultaneously claim to be his father. Eventually, the real father returns, revealing that he had informed his daughter-in-law Meenu before leaving. Overcome with embarrassment due to her forgetfulness, Meenu acknowledges her mistake, leading to a happy ending.
The play featured outstanding performances by Ashish Srivastava as Vikas, Ruchi Rawat as Meenu, Saurabh Verma as Noor Bakhsh, Radha Asthana as the milkmaid, Rohit Srivastava as the father, Rahul Pathak as Fake Father One, Vikas Rajput as Fake Father Two, Mohammad Nadeem as Fake Father Three, and Vivek Ranjan Singh as Fake Father Four.
As part of the event, the organizing committee, including Dabir Siddiqui, Neeshu Tyagi, Ratna Asthana, Anand Asthana, Vijay Laxmi Gupta, and Nitin Asthana, honored Arvind Yadav, the manager of Awadh Academy Inter College and a prominent social worker, with the Senior Freedom Fighter Dr. Darbari Lal Asthana Honor. Yadav has been actively contributing to the holistic development of over a thousand female students in his institution, encouraging them in academics, sports, and cultural activities to shape them into responsible citizens.
Additionally, the director of “Baap Re Baap,” Dabir Siddiqui, was felicitated with an honorary shawl and a memento for his outstanding contribution to theatre. On this occasion, Puneet Asthana, son of the late Dr. Darbari Lal Asthana, shared insights about his father’s life. Born on July 24, 1905, in Agra, Dr. Asthana played a significant role in India’s freedom struggle. Recognizing his remarkable contribution, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi honored him with a commemorative copper plaque on August 15, 1972. He passed away on March 3, 1985, at the age of 80.
A devoted follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Asthana was actively involved in the Satyagraha movement. After India gained independence, he practiced medicine in Dehradun before relocating to Lucknow in 1954. He then served as the director of the Uttar Pradesh Gandhi Memorial Fund Lucknow Center for several years. His work in promoting Gandhian principles led him to establish multiple Gandhi study centers and youth camps across Uttar Pradesh. The festival continues to celebrate theatre while paying homage to Dr. Darbari Lal Asthana’s legacy, spreading cultural awareness and social values among the audience.
