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Oedipus

The first play by Veenapani, Sophocles’ Oedipus marks the beginning of her entry into theatre direction. It was a unique new interpretation of the play which presented Oedipus as the master of his own destiny, accepting full responsibilities for all his acts whether done in ignorance or not. According to her, the play is closed interlinked with what happened to her at the Pondicherry Ashram. I was asked to get involved in Greek theatre, specially to read Oedipus, and in it, I discovered all of what was happening to me in a spiritual sense. A man has to rise above himself or be completely broken. That is what I wanted to project in the play-not a tragedy, but the story of a man who grows no matter at what cost. Veering away slightly from the conventional, melodramatic rendering of the Oedipus Rex, Chawla’s personal beliefs and interpretations of the play makes no room for a tragic ending.

A tragedy implies total destruction, it is fatalistic. But here, I discovered that, from the psychological point of view Oedipus transcends his suffering, acquires a new dignity and the play ends on the note of equanimity.

Cast and Credits

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Deepa Lagoo, Ratna Pathak, Kunal Kapoor
Set design: Veenapani Chawla
Light design: Ramesh Manchanda
Direction: Veenapani Chawla

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Having performed at various festivals, conferences and workshops, we cater to different audiences who would like to enjoy and explore modern Indian theatre. Our performances are enjoyed by audiences across all age groups.

To know more about the productions currently available for performance booking, please contact us.

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