Captivating Performance of Ashadh Ka Ek Din

Mohan Rakesh's iconic Hindi play, *Ashadh Ka Ek Din*, derives its thematic material from Kalidas’s drama *Meghdootam*. The play narrates the unconventional romance between Mallika and Kalidas. Kalidas, a gifted poet, lives a peaceful yet insignificant life in a village at the foothills of the Himalayas. Mallika, blinded by her Platonic love for Kalidas, lives in a utopian world where she believes her marriage to him would diminish his poetic brilliance. Despite her mother's warnings against their socially unacceptable relationship, Mallika sees no harm in Kalidas's neglect of her following his rise to prestige and power.

One day, Kalidas receives a royal offer to become the poet laureate at the King’s court in Ujjayini. Though initially reluctant due to his love for Mallika and his village, he eventually agrees, persuaded by Mallika. Over time, Kalidas's royal duties distance him from Mallika, leading him to marry a princess. Mallika continues to live a lonely life in her dilapidated house. Disillusioned with his material life, Kalidas returns to Mallika, only to leave again upon discovering she has become someone else's mistress and has a child. The play ends tragically with the irrevocable separation of Kalidas and Mallika.

**Performance Review:**

Harshita Sharma faced the greatest artistic challenge as Mallika, occupying the stage for most of the play and interacting with nearly all characters. She delivered a well-rehearsed performance with commendable verbal and non-verbal communication. Her timing and self-control in dialogue delivery and gestures were praiseworthy. However, occasional lapses in sharply defining transitions between moods slightly diluted the impact of her performance. Her makeup and costumes effectively portrayed Mallika's simplicity, enhancing her stage presence.

Agastya Hardik Nagda, as Kalidas, convincingly presented himself as a serious-minded literary artist, maintaining sober expressions. However, his consistent facial stiffness and thick beard hindered the full expression of his inner conflicts. He compensated with well-delivered dialogues, though the poor audio system and acoustics attenuated his performance.

Urvashi Kanwarani, portraying Ambika, succeeded in depicting a traditional mother worried about her daughter's welfare. Her performance was flawless, maintaining a consistent tone and gestures characteristic of a poor, sickly, and worrying mother.

Umang Soni, playing Matul, exhibited the impulsiveness and dull-wittedness of his character but frequent movements and fast-paced dialogues affected the clarity of his voice, making him occasionally incomprehensible.

Arshad Qureshi, as Vilom, aimed to be an antithesis to Kalidas with a talkative and unsophisticated demeanor. However, his heightened pitch and excitement sometimes jarred the audience's ears.

Ria Nagdev, as Queen Priyangumanjari, retained the dignity and decorum of a royal figure with firm voice and sophisticated gestures. Yet, her tone needed variation when she offered Mallika to marry one of her attendants, requiring a feigned politeness.

Supporting actors, including Yash Jain as Nikshep, Divyansh Dabi and Parth Singh Chundawat as Anuswar and Anunasik, Neha Shrimali and Khushi Negi as Rangini and Sangini, and Divyansh Dabi as Dantul, fulfilled their roles adequately, contributing to the play's successful enactment.

Overall, the Natyansh Society's performance of *Ashadh Ka Ek Din* was a commendable effort, showcasing the depth and complexity of Mohan Rakesh's characters and themes.