Punjabi Rang Utsav begins with staging of ‘Mahi Mera Thanedaar’

KL Saigal Punjabi Rang Utsav, the Punjabi theatre festival, was inaugurated with great enthusiasm on Sunday at KL Saigal Memorial Hall in Jalandhar. Celebrated on the birth anniversary of KL Saigal, the festival took off with the play Mahi Mera Thanedaar, directed by Kewal Dhaliwal from Amritsar on April 6.

A Punjabi adaptation of the famous Marathi folk play, Vicha Majhi Puri Kara, written by Vasant Sabnis, the play was later translated into Hindi by Usha Banerjee as Saiyaan Bhaye Kotwal, and is designed for the urban audience while retaining the rural ambience. The play follows the format of the Maharashtrian folk play “Tamasha”. The story is about a king and his scheming prime minister. After the death of the administrative head, the Kotwal, the prime minister immediately appoints his unworthy brother-in-law to the prestigious position. According to the hierarchy, the current Havaldar should have been promoted to that position. The play is about the plan hatched to trap the new Kotwal. The play’s witty comedy brings out the political undercurrent of nepotism.

On the first day of Rang Utsav, many dignitaries and prominent citizens of the city enjoyed the play. Among them were Sukhdev Raj, Sardar Gursaran Singh, Ashwani Kumar, SS Kalra, Kewal Chaudhary, MK Abrol, Barinder Kalsi, Seema Chopra and Arvind Chopra. The main role in the play was performed by Gurtej Mann, Veerpal Kaur, Sajan Kohinoor, Vishu Sharma, Harpreet Singh, Nishan Singh, Yuvnish, Satnam, Harshita and other artists. On Monday evening, the play Mitti Da Bawa by famous playwright Pali Bhupinder will be presented at the Punjabi Natya Utsav.

Meanwhile, the Art of Living Foundation, in collaboration with CT Group of Institutions, staged a powerful musical drama titled, Ram Lalla Ki Mata, at the Sardarni Manjit Kaur Auditorium, Shahpur campus. The production explored an untold chapter from the epic Ramayana, offering a fresh and deeply spiritual perspective on the much-misunderstood characters of Queen Kaikeyi and Manthara. The narrative unfolded Kaikeyi’s decision to send Lord Ram into exile, not as an act of selfishness but as a supreme sacrifice rooted in divine purpose and dharma.

The drama invited the audience to look beyond conventional narratives and reflect on the inner dimensions of ancient wisdom. Through moving music, expressive dance and impactful dialogues, the play redefined Kaikeyi not as a villain but as a visionary mother who upheld a greater cosmic design.

Performed by trained volunteers from the Art of Living Ashram, Bengaluru, the cast delivered heartfelt and immersive performances that resonated deeply with the audience. The event witnessed the presence of Charanjit Singh Channi, chairman of CT Group, Parminder Kaur, co-chairperson and Dean, Students Welfare, Dr Arjan Singh.

Jalandhar