OSA organizes the play, ‘Prem Ramayan’ by Atul Satya Koushik
The Office of Student Affairs, Chitkara University, Punjab organized ‘Prem Ramayana’ an epic performance by ace theatre writer, director, and producer Atul Satya Koushik on July 25th, 2022.
The Ramayana is one of the oldest and most popular mythologies where Lord Rama, stripped of his kingdom and all privileges, loses his beloved wife Sita to the fiercest opponent. He walks thousands of miles on foot, makes alliances, builds a bridge on the rampant sea, and fights the strongest army in the world to reclaim his wife, only to oust her from her own home and send her into oblivion forever. But around this story, there are many other stories of union and separation. All equally moving, inspiring, at times amusing, and heartbreaking. These stories were brought to life on the stage of Chitkara University, Punjab.
Atul has picked up various episodes of love stories from the epic Ramayana and narrates them in his inimitable style. The production had elements like live singing which includes both folk and classical and exquisitely choreographed classical dance pieces that left the audience mesmerized.
A true representation of glorious Indian traditional art forms along with stories of divine love, this show transported the audience to a different era. The perspective of following the trajectory of the Ramayana through the emotion of love is a novel approach.
Atul belongs to the new age of playwrights who are trying to fill the vacuum of good original Hindi plays which is being felt by theatre practitioners in India for quite some time. His plays Chakravyuh, Raavan Ki Ramayan, Draupadi, Dad’s Girlfriend and Wo Lahore are some of his promising contributions to original play-writing in India. He has also come up with some remarkable adaptations of classic Indian and foreign literature in the form of Kahani Teri Meri, Kaali Shalwar, and Animal Farm.
He is known for organizing an impressive festival of literature, films, and theatre. This show by Atul is a gift to today’s generation as it helps preserve and promote the great art of storytelling.
The stellar show concluded with a standing ovation and the audience took back elements of the great performance—an anecdote, a feeling of joy or even sadness, or just the experience of having witnessed a theatre performance at its best.
