‘Sirphiron Ka Ghar’ Play Staged in Udaipur

Udaipur. Martand Foundation, Udaipur, in association with Vidya Bhawan Society, presented the play “Sirphiron Ka Ghar” at Vidya Bhawan Auditorium on the evening of 20th September. The 70-minute play, designed with the essence of meaningful entertainment, kept the audience thoroughly engaged.

The storyline revolves around a family – the father Baba (Vilas Janve), the son Bandu (Manish Sharma), and the mother Aai (Kiran Janve). The son’s casual nature and frequent change of jobs place him at odds with his disciplined and often critical father. The mother, however, becomes a bridge of compassion and understanding, maintaining balance within the family. The witty dialogues filled with banter and playful arguments delighted the viewers. The writer skillfully integrated all nine “rasas” of Indian dramaturgy into the play.

In one scene, when Bandu insults his mother, Baba scolds him and calls another character (Amit Menaria) to narrate the historical incident of Maharana Pratap. Together, Baba and Bandu enact the episode where Kunwar Amar Singh abducts the wife of Ajmer’s Subedar Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana. Maharana Pratap not only reprimands Amar Singh but also orders him to safely return the lady with full honor.

This act reflects the chivalrous values of Maharana Pratap, which deeply impacted Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana. The Subedar eventually transformed into a Sufi poet, whose humanitarian spirit continues to be reflected in his famous couplets. The creative use of puppetry to present selected verses was a notable innovation.

The play combined music, mime, puppetry, masks, history, and poetry, making the production even more powerful. It also evoked sensitivity toward traditional values and cultural heritage. With excellent lighting design, impressive music, and elements of suspense and drama, the play held the audience’s attention until the very end.

The message of the play was clear – differences within families can be resolved through love and emotional strength.

Manish Sharma (as Bandu) impressed with his energetic performance, while Amit Menaria left a mark with his strong command over language and fluent dialogue delivery. Kiran Janve’s vast stage experience reflected in her natural and convincing acting, which gave depth to the play. Vilas Janve not only wrote and directed the play but also performed multiple roles with distinction. Technical execution was supported by Dharmesh Sharma (stage design), Samarth Janve (music direction), and Dipesh Sharma (lighting).

The play was witnessed by Vidya Bhawan Society CEO Rajendra Kumar Bhatt, noted painter and theatre personality Dr. Shail Choel, senior theatre artist Deepak Dixit, along with several theatre practitioners and teachers of Udaipur. Notably, the first staging of the play took place in Ajmer, and earlier, about 90 trainee teachers from various states of India attending the CCRT program had also enjoyed its performance.